Cornwall is of course the undisputed surf capital of the UK, and on the Cornwall Retreat you’ll experience the best of its amazing variety of spots – think golden beaches, beautiful waves and epic sunsets.

As well as experiencing the best Newquay can offer, we’ll also be taking you around the county and off the beaten track to places that only a few know about.

We’ll find those gorgeous hidden gems littered along both of Cornwall’s intricate coastlines, making sure you bodyboard the best waves at the most beautiful spots and staying as crowd-free as possible.

Because this is where we’re from – as locals we understand the best tide-and-wind combination at every top beach, reef, wedge and secret spot. Over the years we’ve done the hard work so you don’t have to.

Our aim is to improve your skills, maximise your fun and enjoy the best of beautiful ‘Kernow’s’ incredible coastline.

PERRANPORTH

A gorgeous stretch of golden sands in the heart of Cornwall’s north coast, Perranporth picks up loads of swell and has multiple peaks, so we can pick our own empty wedges to enjoy.

Offshore on a SE wind like many of Cornwall’s north coast beaches, it’s a great place to pick an empty peak and stroke into some nice long walls.

PORTHTOWAN

One of the premier beach breaks on the north coast, Porthtowan works throughout the tides, with a powerful low tide sandbar giving peeling tubes left and right. Located in a stunning stretch of coast famed for its tin mining, Porthtowan is a popular spot but has ample room on the pushing tide to bag some excellent waves to remember.

TOLCARNE WEDGE

One of the best wedges in the UK, Tolcarne is located in the middle of Newquay and stands up as a classic A-frame left which refracts off the cliff and fires riders down the line into advancing sections.

A hugely fun ride from mid to high tide, it’s the premier place on the north coast to launch big manoeuvres and see dramatic improvements in your air game.

TOWAN BEACH

The most sheltered of Newquay’s town beaches, Towan is the perfect spot when the unprotected west-facing beaches are big and blown out, still providing clean conditions.

The harbour at Towan provides fairly consistent lefts, and is best at mid tide on the push. A great place to head on a SW wind when everywhere else is too big.

FISTRAL BEACH

The jewel in the crown of Cornwall’s surf scene, Fistral is a high-quality beachbreak providing excellent waves on an offshore SE wind.

It works on all stages of the tide and offers multiple peaks. There’s a reason it’s the UK’s most famous surf beach!

SPOT W

A hidden spot capable of giving some excellent left-handers, Spot W is tucked away and enjoys a decent swell and a S/SW wind.

GREAT WESTERN BEACH

The central beach of Newquay’s arsenal, located between Tolcarne and the more protected Towan, Great Western works best on a similar swell, and can give consistent, clean conditions on a SW wind, working both lefts and rights.

A great option when the bigger, more exposed beaches like Fistral are sizeable and suffering in cross/onshore winds.

PORTHMEOR

Facing straight north, St Ives’ Porthmeor Beach enjoys slightly more protection from south westerly winds, and can deliver some amazing waves, peeling left and right in front of its golden sands.

GWITHIAN / GODREVY

The famous 3-mile-long stretch of stunning beach curves around St Ives Bay on the north coast and gives plenty of room for beginner and intermediate riders to see huge gains in their riding.

Picks up a large amount of swell and can get extremely good with 150m+ long rides. A superb spot to watch the sun dip over the dunes after a fun evening session.

PRAA SANDS

The best beach break on the south coast, Praa Sands produces punchy top-to-bottom waves on a mid-high tide. Praa gives you good chances to tuck into some quality tubes and is offshore if the winds switch N/NE.

PORTHLEVEN

The ‘Main break’ is one of the best reef breaks in the UK. Porthleven is a top spot for those riders with more experience, who’d like to drop into some heavier waves.

The second reef, which is super popular with bodyboarders – offers smaller but bowlier waves in front of the famous harbour wall – Porthleven is revered and rightly so.

SENNEN / GWENVOR

Picking up the faintest ripple of swell in the North Atlantic, Britain’s most westerly mainland spots can get extremely good on a NE/E/SE wind and boast some of the clearest air and water you’ll find anywhere.

• 5 minute walk from South Fistral Beach
• 5 minute walk from the glorious Gannel Estuary
• Close to Crantock Beach, which can be easily accessed on foot at low tide

• 2 minute walk from Towan Beach & Newquay Harbour
• 5 minute walk from Great Western Beach
• Located right above Newquay Activity Centre for maximum convenience

Our accommodation is self catering, and well appointed if you fancy cooking up a storm.

You can dip into the social side as much as you like. We’ll be organising several dinners throughout the week, to the hottest places in town where the locals go. It’ll be a wonderful opportunity to connect with like minded women, share stories from the waves, and build friendships with your future surf buddies.

You’ll receive a discount card for Rip Curl and local bars, coffee shops and eateries.

Our coaching is first rate, and our video analysis is too; putting you in the best possible environment to get ahead, and fast-track your learning and development. We personalise our tuition to ensure that whatever your ability level, you’ll have a clear path of progression throughout the week.

Your instructors will give on-land and in-water demonstrations, and break skills and sequences down, move-by-move, to help you finesse the delicate details of the sport.

Your coaches will also at times surf alongside you to build your confidence, help you with wave selection, and give you pointers in the moment.

We’ll build up your water confidence and ocean safety over the week, with daily surf theory classroom lessons. You’ll come away well informed on surf forecasting, hiring or purchasing the right equipment, understanding safety measures, surf etiquette, wave selection and bodyboarding specific fitness.

BY CAR

Newquay is a 15-minute drive from the A30, which links to the M5.

We’re based at Fore Street, Newquay, between Towan and Fistral beach. We’ll send you detailed information before your arrival, including parking instructions and maps.

BY TRAIN

The railway station is in the town centre. A short taxi ride to the accommodation

BY AIR

We’re a 20-minute drive from the airport. You can fly into Newquay from London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Dublin, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Flights are available from key European cities.

Our centre is based in the heart of Newquay, the surf capital of the UK, just a short walk from the world famous Fistral beach. We also have easy access to Newquay’s seven swell-filled sandy bays; all amazing surf spots in their own right, but with distinct characteristics that can affect the waves. You’ll benefit from our local knowledge, and vast experience of interpreting how the tides, winds, and conditions affect each individual beach, to ensure you get the best possible surf experience every day of the week.

Our Centre

We are the premier bodyboarding centre of excellence in Europe, owned by former British and European Bodyboarding Champion, Rob Barber. Our centre has heated changing facilities, hot showers and storage lockers for your valuables. We also have individual cubby holes for your bag and clothes so you don’t have to lug your things around, or leave them unattended on the beach.

FOOD, DRINKS & SHOPPING

You’ll receive a discount card for Rip Curl and local bars, coffee shops and eateries.

There are lots of restaurants and cafes in Newquay if you want to eat out, there are a range of budgets to suit, but most main meals will fall in to the £12-15 range

Newquay has several large supermarkets within walking distance of the apartments

TRANSPORT

We sometimes load up the van and go in search of the best waves in Cornwall. We try to maximise sustainability by carpooling. Please contribute a pound or two to car parks and fuel if you are sharing a car with another rider.

EQUIPMENT HIRE

If you decide not to bring your own kit (or you don’t own it) to hire equipment for the week the prices are as follows;

Swim fins – £40 for 7 days

Board – £85 for 7 days

Wetsuit – £70 for 7 days

We invest in industry leading equipment and maintain it well, only hiring our customers bodyboards, wetsuits and swim fins that we would happily use ourselves.

This quality kit will enable you to surf for longer, in more comfort, make bigger improvements and faster progression; making for an all-round more enjoyable week.

Simply add your equipment hire to your basket when you book your Bodyboarding Week.

Cornwall’s air and sea climate is the warmest in the UK. Thanks to both the jet stream in the atmosphere and the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic Ocean, Cornwall is blessed with a comparatively mild climate and temperate seas year-round.

With a long, intricate and varied coastline developing its own microclimate from one beach to the next, you’re in the most likely spot in the UK to be soaking up the rays as much as the waves, whatever season you decide to visit.

At the time of booking, you will receive an email listing all the kit you need for the Womens Bodyboard Retreat.