World Surfing Reserves

World Surfing Reserves serves as a model standard for preserving wave breaks and their surrounding areas by recognizing and protecting key environmental, cultural and economic attributes in coastal communities.

Save The Waves’ flagship program proactively identifies, designates and preserves outstanding waves, surf zones and their surrounding environments around the world. WSRs represent a global network of designated surfing reserves that are managed, implemented, and protected by local communities.

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North Devon Attributes

Wave Quality and Consistency

The North Devon Surf Coast is blessed with a huge variety of surf breaks that respond to different swell and wind directions.

The variety of waves is particularly unique, rated from “beginner” to “expert”, catering to wave-riders of all tastes and styles. It is one of the most consistent surfing areas in the UK where year-round swells batter a mixture of small, rocky bays and long, sandy beaches. A system of coastal paths runs the entire length of the Surfing Reserve, offering extensive views of the beaches, reefs, and points.

Environmental Characteristics

The North Devon World Surfing Reserve is located within a UNESCO Biosphere, with many of the surf spots to the south within an official Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the surf spots to the North within Exmoor National Park.

The coastal ecosystem surrounding the surf spots includes Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), Special Areas of Conservation, and a Marine Conservation Zone just offshore – surrounding Lundy Island – providing the UK’s strictest form of marine protection, a No Take Zone.

The myriad of riparian ecosystems and estuaries as well as vitally important sand dunes support an abundance of wildlife. Not only do these ecosystems provide essential habitat for biodiversity, they protect the coastline from the impacts of climate change and produce the sand that shaped the A frame peaks of Croyde Beach and other outstanding waves in the North Devon region.

Surf Culture and History

North Devon has been a traditional gathering for the British since the Victorian Times as city dwellers would make their way from London to enjoy the open coastline. While traditionally a fishing and farming community, North Devon has become known as one of the pillars of the surf world in the UK drawing surfers from all over the country. It is the home of the Museum of British Surfing and many of the country’s finest wave riders call North Devon home.