UK & Ireland

Your next session starts here.

More time in the water. Less time comparing forecasts.

BestSwell is an independent project run by John, providing Python-powered forecasts for UK and Irish surf spots.

A forecast with evidence

Available wave and wind models feed our forecasting engine’s coastal surf estimates and quality scoring. We show its saved hourly predictions, model agreement and nearby buoy measurements when available. The website reads the saved predictions from our forecasting engine.

Models do not resolve every sandbank, headland or beach hazard. Local reports help us assess how the forecast translates to conditions on the beach.

Built around your session

Explore an hour, compare model predictions, save a beach or find a nearby daylight window. No website account is required.

Independent service: naming a data provider does not imply its endorsement.

Day cards show remaining daylight surf ranges and early / midday / late wind samples. Colours show surf quality. Arrows show travel; compass labels show where wind and waves come from.

LESS SEARCHING. MORE SURFING.

Best near you

Compare the next daylight windows.

YOUR COAST. THE SAME CLOCK.

Compare beaches

See each beach’s hourly forecast together and find the window that suits you.

0 of 3 beaches

Up to three beaches. Every column uses the same timestamp. Missing data stays unavailable. Personal match reflects your preferences; forecast confidence is separate from safety.

LET THE NEXT WINDOW FIND YOU

Your surf alerts

Choose beaches, a rating and when you want to surf. We check fresh daylight predictions.

One email per alert rule per day, with up to five matching beaches. Forecasts older than three hours, unreadable snapshots and unconfirmed daylight pause sending. Next 7 days means available saved hours in the next seven calendar days; coverage is not guaranteed.

YOUR NEXT SESSION

Find a surf spot

Find beaches nearest to you.

MAKE IT YOURS

Colours & appearance

Light or dark

Choose a palette or mode to preview the page clearly for two seconds.

BestSwell logo palette

Try 25 complete themes

Changes appear instantly and are saved when device remembering is enabled in Settings. System follows your device’s light or dark setting.

BEHIND YOUR FORECAST

How this rating is built

—/100—

The beach’s wave-size profile provides the base. Period, wind, tide and chop adjust it; the forecasting engine then applies its caps and rounding.

Swell direction is already reflected in the beach’s estimated breaking surf. Forecast confidence is a separate measure from surf quality.

Read the colours

0FlatNo rated surf.
1–29Very poorThe lowest quality band.
30–49Poor → fairConditions have significant limitations.
50–69Fair → goodMixed conditions; check the limiting factors.
70–89Good → very goodA promising quality forecast.
90–100Good to epic → epicOur forecasting engine’s highest quality bands.

Colours describe forecast quality, not safety or suitability for your ability. Scores use our forecasting engine’s existing rating × 10; this display does not add prediction precision.

A LITTLE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

Help & FAQ

Language

Language follows your browser on first visit. You can change it here. New languages currently cover core controls and forecast labels; detailed help and explanations may remain in English.

Interface and help text are translated. Beach names, model names and some source descriptions stay as supplied.

Settings

Sea level stays in metres relative to mean sea level. Units change the display, not the forecast.

Your device, your choice

Favourites, surf profile, units, language and appearance use browser storage when enabled. Your location is used in memory and is not saved or sent to our server.

Privacy & device storage

About BestSwell

Forecast & service status

Share this session

This opens the selected beach and hour using the latest available forecast. Predictions may change after an update.

MAKE IT YOURS

Your surf profile

Choose your level for a personal rating. Change it anytime.

Your experience
Wave-size limit (optional)

Overrides the suggested upper size for your level.

Ratings don’t assess rips, reefs or local hazards.

WELCOME TO BESTSWELL

Welcome back

Sign in to keep your favourite beaches and preferences together.

Add a beach to Compare

Choose up to three. Your saved beaches appear first.

From the beach

Times use UK / Ireland local time. No photos, comments or precise personal location are collected. Guest and signed-in reports have the same moderation policy and no automatic algorithm influence.

Choose your surf alert

Uses your account’s saved surf profile. Emails always use metres and knots and show their forecast timestamps. Your profile is a preference, not a safety test.

Check the beach cameras

Known public camera pages from our curated registry. Availability and access can change; some providers require a subscription. Nearby cameras may show a different beach. Links open the provider’s site; BestSwell does not rebroadcast feeds.

Wind & swell at the coast

North-up map. Arrows show travel towards; compass values state where wind or swell comes from. Swell uses primary swell direction where saved, otherwise total wave direction, clearly labelled. Satellite images are a coastline reference, not live surf imagery. No beach-scale rip currents or hazards are inferred.

Privacy & analytics

Site statistics help us improve BestSwell. We don’t use them for advertising or personal profiles.

Read our Cookie policy or Privacy policy.