From Porthcawl in the East to Freshwater in the West the South of Wales offers some great wind and waves for all abilities.

The South Wales region receives SW to W wind directions the majority of the time.

These winds are sometimes gusty with approaching fronts and also usually bring decent swell if you like wave riding. 

Porthcawl

3 minutes from M4

3 main beaches to choose from,usually one will be good.

Now a large group of Kitesurfers always out to keep an eye on each other.
1. NEWTON:S.E-S.W winds best at low tide.Large cescent shape bay,usually S.W. which blows cross onshore,flat water in bay,waves on reef beyond bay.
2. CONEY beach:used by loads, for all kinds of kiteflyers i.e. mountain board ,buggies and boddy dragging.
3. REST BAY:the main surfing beach,faces S.West,best on N.West, low tide, can be awesome. 

ABERAFAN PORT TALBOT

THIS 2MILE STRECH OF BEACH CAN BE EXCELLENT ON EITHER A SOUTH EASTERLY OR NORTH ,NORTH WESTERLY,WHEN A CLEAN SWELL IS RUNNING THIS BEACH ALSO  PROVIDES GOOD RIDEABLE SURF. 

SWANSEA BAY

Located about an hours drive from the severn bridge. Lots of sand at the high tide area but as the tide drops back there are muddy patches and mussel shells.(wear boots if riding at low tide)

Swansea Bay is the most sheltered bay in the area and gets little or no swell. The main drawback of Swansea bay is the large tidal range, which makes it a long sometimes muddy walk to the water at low tide.

BEACH Access: Opposite st Helens cricket ground

                       Opposite Swansea University

                       Various other entry/exit points near the city

BEST WIND CONDITIONS- S,SE,E possible on SW,

WATER QUALITY-OK murky appearance with Tidal push.

TIDE- Best at mid – high tide

RIDING CONDITIONS- flat /choppy (swell dependant)

WAVERIDING- only on huge swells

 The Gower 

Famed firstly for its surfing beaches, the waters around the Gower are ideal locations to kiteboard on due to numerous beaches facing in different directions to the wind.

It is unique in that within a five mile radius you can choose whether to boost across flat water at Oxwich Bay or test your jumping and wave skills at Llangenith or Port Eynon.

Swansea bay offers kiters plenty of space to kiteboard in with an awesome backdrop of the Mumbles lighthouse

Being a relatively new sport it is popular on the Gower, but many a day can be spent on your own or with friends as you have a vast water playground to board on if you explore and are responsible

Most of the beaches on the Gower are open to kitesurfing LANGLAND AND CASWELL however don’t really allow the space to allow safe kitesurfing and should be avoided.

With so many watersport users on the Gower peninsula’s beaches on a good day it is important to remember that kitesurfing/kiteboarding can only occur in a safe operating environment and for the sport to grow, riders should be responsible and respectful of other beach/water users, and ride with sufficient insurance.

Wales is one of the luckiest areas of the UK with regard to sewage pollution and there are various plants in operation, in which full treatment to UV disinfection or microfiltration is used.

The water around The Gower can still take on a murky appearances at times, however this is however due to the estuary flow of the River Severn and the big tides experienced.

Situated on the Southern side of the Gower peninsula, a large curved bay with easy access at the western end with parking right on the beach.

(Snack kiosks in the car park and a shop near the entrance of the car park are open in summer months)The Oxwich Bay hotel overlooks the beach and serves food and drink.

Large flat hard sand beach with no rocks or submerged hazards. Only the largest winter swells make it round to this sheltered bay.

Popular with Jetskis, motor boats and holidaymakers in the summer. 

BEACH Access-Private Car Park

BEST WIND CONDITIONS- S,SE,E – SW,W are offshore in carpark.

WATER QUALITY-Good

TIDE-All tide conditions (High tide: to be observant as beach space is limited) 

RIDING CONDITIONS-flat/choppy (swell dependant)

WAVERIDING-only on Huge swells

 Rhossili Bay/Llangennith-ZONED BEACH

Situated at the Western tip of the Gower peninsula. Access to the centre of the beach is via a short walk over the dunes from the car park at Hillend Caravan Park. There is a shop and café which will be open throughout the year.

A large flat hard sand beach with a small pebble bank bordering the dunes. The centre of the beach is popular with surfers and bucket and spade brigade.

The beach picks up the most swell in the area.

ALL KITE FLYERS TO SET UP/FLY NORTH OF THE STREAM CROSSING THE BEACH. 

Sand bottom beach

 BEACH Access through Llangennith Caravan Park (Hillend)

BEST WIND CONDITIONS- NW,SW,S crosshore, N crosshore

WATER QUALITY-Murky appearance due to Lougher Estuary.

TIDE-All tide conditions (High tide :To be observant as beach space is limited)        Low tides BEWARE the wreck at big low tides.

RIDING CONDITIONS- waves/chop rarely flat

Waveriding - best conditions in S/N at mid tide

Broughton Bay

Situated at the Northwest tip of the Gower. Access is via the caravan park at Broughton Farm. From the car park it is a short walk to the beach through the caravan site (do not park in the caravan site)

Mainly a sand beach with small sand banks and some shallow tidal lagoons. As the tide drops back there are numerous small patches of rocks exposed by the shifting sands to watch out for.

Sand bottom beach with Rock outcrops close to High and Mean water marks

Very Tidal (Strong Currents)

BEACH Access via broughton Caravan Park or Llanmadoc caravan park

WATER QUALITY- Good slighty murky at times and weedy in summer.

Best tide low to mid

RIDING CONDITIONS- flat/chop (swell dependant)

WAVERIDING - best conditions NW at mid tide/high tide and huge swell!

Located on the southern coast of the Gower with a good sized beach at low tide.

To find follow signs to Port Eynon 

Horton beach is another great beach to kitesurf at, however it can get busy with other water sports users and it is definitely a low-to-mid tide kite beach. At high tide there is limited space and dunes which could create some uplifting winds.

Beach access is good with a decent sized carpark with toilets and a RNLI station.

Cross shore winds offer the experienced rider excellent wave riding as the beach is exposed to most swell directions.

BEACH Access by Horton or port eynon car parks

BEST WIND CONDITIONS- S, SE, E gusty on SW.

WATER QUALITY-Fair to good

TIDE-best Low to mid tide

Be observant of other watersport enthusiasts!

RIDING CONDITIONS-chop/waves

WAVERIDING- best conditions Big swell and S,SE (SW is very gusty)

Located 15 minutes off the M4 junction 48.

The millennium coastal park is home to North dock and a good place to check out if your not so keen on waves or choppy water as there is little or no swell window.

The car park is right next to the beach with a Café in the discovery centre.

The water at Low tide is a long walk, its best to wait for the tide to start pushing into the estuary causing an area of flat water a couple of feet deep, However the movement of the tide can make staying upwind a challenge in certain wind conditions.   

BEACH Access through North dock carpark

BEST WIND CONDITIONS- SW, W,  (NW)

WATER QUALITY-OK

TIDE-Strong tides , best on mid –high rising or falling.

Be observant of other watersport enthusiasts!

RIDING CONDITIONS-Flat/chop

WAVERIDING- none

 Other spots worth checking

(Burry port, Pembrey sands)

SWANSEA AND GOWER WEATHER STATIONS AND WEBCAMS 

Langland surfcam – www.gowerlive.co.uk

Llangennith surfcam – www.llangennithsurf.com/surfcam.php

BBC 5 day Swansea forecast - www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?id=3327

University of Swansea weather station- http://geography.swan.ac.uk/surf/index.php

Pembroke buoy live data- http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=62303

LOCAL KITE SCHOOL/SHOP

Gower kite riders – www.gowerkiteriders.com

Pendine Sands 

7 miles of shallow sloping beaches with cross on winds you can drive on the sands and go wherever you wish to kitesurf from. Pendine is 2.5 hours from midlands. Tenby is just up the road for night life if needed as Pendine is a bit quiet

Newgale and Whitesands, Pembrookshire

are two of the more popular beaches for surfing. Both have great potential for kitesurfing however, you might be pushed for launching space (particularly on Whitesands)depending on the time of year i.e. holiday season. There is a garage in Newgale which doubles up as a surf shop and can supply everything from local tide tables to wet suits (buy / rent). If you get the weather conditions it is probably one of the most fantastic places on earth. Enjoy! Regards Chris

Newgale - campsite 20 secs from beach with pub, cafe, garage, Surf shop, Spar.
Camping is a bit hardcore surf scene, and can be bleak if weather turns.

Whitesands - couple of miles west of St Davids, 2 or 3 simple sites within 2mins walk of good family beach. Shop, Cafe, clean toliets in carpark. For Camping - try the family sites on the Caerfai Bay road out of St Davids, small. quiet, mellow. 2 mins from the small family beach at Caerfai bay. St Davids has shops, pubs etc. Smallest City in UK, nice mellow Historic place (busy in high season - nice and quiet in winter!). only a few miles from Newgale See you in the surf.