Coney Beach, Porthcawl, Wales

Close to Cardiff, Coney Beach is easy to reach and kind to beginners. It’s sheltered, which often means a cleaner surf, and comes with the added bonus of some protection from the battering Welsh winds. Visit as a day trip from Cardiff.

Local lessons: Porthcawl Surf School

Gwithian, St Ives Bay, west Cornwall

More serious surfers choose the nearby Godrevy Beach over Gwithian, leaving this lovely beach free for beginners. Rip tides – which can be very dangerous, especially for beginners – are rarely found along this stretch. The nearby Sunset Surf Cafe provides equipment hire, and a nice spot for a celebratory post-surf pint.

Sunset Surf

Woolacombe, north Devon

While the waves in Devon might not match those of neighbouring Cornwall, north Devon still attracts surfers throughout the year. Its slighty flatter waters are an ideal practice ground for those on a board for the first time. Woolacombe, a seaside holiday destination, is a gently sloping three-mile beach, perfect for your first time surfing.

Nick Thorn Surf School

Belhaven Beach, Scotland

Sandy beaches, great surf, clear waters? No, this isn’t Malibu, it’s Scotland. Not the standard surfing destination, and perhaps a rather chilly one, the Inner Hebrides has waves for all abilities, as does East Lothian’s dramatic coastline. Belhaven Beach, east of Edinburgh, has consistently more gentle waves than the west coast, making it a good place to start.