North Devon

Woolacombe is a popular West facing beach break which works at all stages of the tide. Needs a clean swell and easterly winds to get really good.
Putsborough at the south end of Woolacombe works best at high tide. It works on all winds and is sheltered from southwesterly winds by high cliffs.

Croyde works on all tides but is best at low tide when it gets hollow, however there are lot of rips so it is best avoided by beginners. High tide produces a long peeling wave that works on winds from southeast to Northeast.

Saunton Sands is good as a beginners beach. It works on all tides and is sheltered on a northerly wind and produces a long wave. Pollution can be a problem.

Cornwall

Sandymouth works on low tide with a southeast to northeast wind. It is an average right hand beach break, but watch out for rocks at high tide.

Bude has three main beaches which offer good waves on a variety of conditions and tides. Crookletts a beach break which works at low to mid tide and needs an easterly wind. It picks up the same size swell to as Widemouth, but look out for swimmers. Summerleaze is a very sheltered beach which give us a good to average rights which break into the river on a big swell.

Widemouth is the ideal beach in this area for beginners to intermediates. It is a long beach which picks up plenty of swell and breaks at all stages of the tide. Southeast to northeast winds are offshore and it can produce good waves.

Millook is one of the best waves in Britain. It is a left-hander which breaks off a rocky point at low tide. For the experienced only.

Polzeath is a popular beach break, good for beginners too. It works on most swells with winds from the south to northeast and is best on an incoming tide just after low tide.

Harlyn works on big southwesterly swells so it is mainly a winter break. A fast right breaks off the rocks at the north end of the beach at high to mid tide.

Constantine Bay has several small reefs which can produce good waves when conditions are good. Strong rip currents.

Newquay has four beaches and all can offer good waves. Towan is the most sheltered, but gets the least amount of swell and is good for beginners, although surfboards are restricted in the summer. Great Western is similar to Towan, but more consistent. Fistral beach is the most famous in Cornwall. It picks up lots of swell and can give good peaks especially at low tide but there can be hassles with crowds.
Watergate Bay a large open bay 2 miles north that picks up any swell that's around. South east wind is best and it works all through the tide. Crantock, just south of Newquay is a good beach break best from low to mid tide. It works a little smaller than Fistral.

Perranporth is a good beach break to escape the crowds. The middle of the beach is best for beginners. Very consistent.

St Agnes faces north and so needs a big southwest swell. Always crowded. Works from low to just after mid tide.
Porthtowan is a beach break which picks up plenty of swell. Crowds can be a problem.

Porthmeor works on a big southwesterly swell. Best at low tide.

Sennen Bay works around mid tide and is sheltered from South winds. Gwenvor at the north end of the beach picks up more swell and works best from low to mid tide. Probably most consistent break in Britain. Watch out for strong rip currents.

South Coast Cornwall

Praa Sands is the most popular beach break on the south coast which can give fast quality waves. A north wind is offshore and it gets very dumpy at high tide.

Porthleven is the most popular reef break in Cornwall and gets very crowded. A fast right breaking over rock, mid to high tide being best. A northerly wind is needed. For the experienced only.