Saunton Sands

Best Surf Season (October - March)

Saunton Sands faces due west, making it a magnet for the North Atlantic's seemingly endless run of W and WSW groundswell. From October through March, the average wave height runs between 1.7 and 2.2m (5.5-7.2ft), with periods regularly in the powerful 9-11 second range. This is prime time because the Atlantic storm track is active: deep low pressure systems spin up in the open ocean and send long-fetch swells straight into North Devon. A positive NAO phase tends to juice this pattern up, while colder easterly flows from high pressure over Scandinavia can line the winds offshore for pristine sessions. The main issue is wind direction: WSW/SW winds are frequent and onshore, so ideal conditions come only about 20% of the time. But when the right combination arrives, Saunton delivers big, powerful and perfectly groomed waves.