Longsands Bay (Tynemouth)
- Bodyboard, Longboard
- Best for
- Beginner to Intermediate
- Skill Level
- Ocean
- Spot Type
- Busy
- Crowd Level
This spot information is AI-assisted and has not been human verified. It may be incomplete, outdated, or incorrect. Verify safety, access, local rules, and current conditions with official or local sources before riding.
About
Longsands Bay (Tynemouth) is a sandy, exposed beach break with multiple peaks that can produce both left and right waves. Surfing is generally most reliable in winter, with December highlighted as the best month, and it’s described as working best with north to northeast/east groundswells paired with westerly/offshore winds for cleaner faces. The primary hazards are the rocks at both ends of the bay and strong rip currents, especially near the southern rocks. On bigger days, a useful rip runs out by the south-end rocks to help you reach the lineup, but the same rips can pull you back if you’re caught in the wrong spot. Reports also note that on very large swells the bay may struggle—waves can get messy/dumpy and may close out. Tide choice is commonly described as mid tide being a sweet spot. Low tide may still work but can close out, while high tide tends to soften waves. Crowding varies: weekday numbers are often lower, but weekends and summer holidays can get very busy, and seasonal rules such as dog bans (on parts of the beach) are reported. For equipment and comfort, sources consistently recommend cold-water setup—winter wetsuits plus hood, gloves, and boots, with gear suited to North Sea temperatures. Lifeguard presence is described as seasonal, and rescue availability is limited, so conditions should be respected and planned carefully (especially when offshore wind and swell are strong).
- Winter is the headline season (best month: December)
- Offshore westerlies help keep faces clean and groomed
- Left and right waves on a sandy beach
- Useful south-end rip on bigger days (with caution)
- Consistent sandy beach-break option with left and right waves
- Often best in winter for cleaner, more surfable setups
- Good access with nearby amenities and surf school options
- Rip currents and rocks at both ends
- Conditions can get messy/dumpy when the bay cannot handle the water amount
- Crowds build on weekends and during summer holidays; some seasonal restrictions apply
Wind, water and seasons
Wind
- Direction
- W, NW, SW
- Offshore directions
- W, WNW, NW
- Wind Range
- 10–25 kts
- Wind Type
- Frontal — Provider data describes wind as frontal; offshore westerlies/generally westerly flow can produce cleaner surf.
- Reliability
- moderate
- Gust Factor
- Moderate gusts — Moderate gusting reported.
- Best Months
- December, January, February, March
- Shadow Zones
- Cliffs can cause turbulence very close to shore in certain directions.
Water & beach
- Water Type
- Ocean
- Beach
- Sand — Sand beach; rocks at pool end and both ends of the bay.
- Beach Size
- Medium
- Waves
- Medium — Medium wave size reported.
- Chop Level
- Light chop — Onshore (east) winds make surf messy and choppy; offshore westerlies tend to be cleaner.
- Launch
- Medium — Instant access from ramp; wide sandy launch area reduced at high tide.
Through the year
Very crowded on weekends and during summer holidays; quieter on winter weekdays.
Autumn and winter (October–March) bring more frequent storms and rain.
By sport
What to expect for each.
Possible but predominantly a surfing beach; space is restricted during high tide and when crowded, with proximity to rocks making it more challenging.
- Kite Sizes
- 9–12 m²
Used occasionally for wave sailing when wind has a southerly or northerly component; not a primary windsurfing destination compared to nearby options.
- Sail Sizes
- 4.5–5.5 m²
Feasible but challenging due to shore break and crowding; adequate depth is found quickly away from the sandbars.
- Foil Friendly
- Limited — Foil friendliness described as limited.
- Min Depth
- 1.5 meters
- Wing Sizes
- 4–6 m²
An exposed sandy beach break with multiple peaks/lefts and rights; works best with north/east groundswells and westerly offshore winds, with conditions that can get dumpy on bigger swells.
- Wave Direction
- Both
- Optimal Swell
- NNE, NNW, ENE, NE, E, SE
- Swell Height
- 0.6–2.5 m
- Optimal Tide
- Mid, All tides — Mid tide often sweet; other sources indicate it can work across all tides, with different wave characteristics.
- Shelter
- Semi-sheltered — Semi-sheltered; described as fairly exposed.
- Wind Effect
- West winds/offshore conditions are clean and groomed; onshore east winds make surf messy and choppy.
- Bigger Swell
- Gets messy and dumpy; can close out on very large swells but often holds size up to about 2.5 meters.
- Wave Quality
- Good — Wave quality reported as good.
- Wave Power
- Moderate — Wave power described as moderate.
- Wave Shape
- Mixed — Mixed shape reported; peeling described by another provider.
- Peel Speed
- Medium — Peeling described with medium peel speed.
- Ride Length
- Short — Sources describe short to medium rides; one source notes short rides (<50m).
- Typical Ride Length
- 50–150 m
- Ride Length Details
- Short rides are common (<50m from one source); another source describes standard rides as roughly 50–150m with about 100m typical on better days.
Check the forecast before you go
See wind, waves, weather and session windows for Longsands Bay (Tynemouth) in the full forecast view.
Longsands Bay (Tynemouth) wind and wave forecast summary
- Wind
- 5–27 ktsGusts 51 kts
- Direction
- SW224°
- Strongest day
- Sun, Oct 2527 kts
- Windy days
- 5/712 kts or more
- Waves
- 0.2–1.5 m4s period
- Temperature
- 5–15 °C
Over the next 7 days, Longsands Bay (Tynemouth) is forecast for daytime winds of 5–27 kts, peaking around 27 kts on Sunday, October 25 with gusts to 51 kts. The prevailing direction is SW. Waves run 0.2–1.5 m with a period of about 4s. Based on the Wavind model, in the spot’s local time.
Other spots in the area
What to know before you launch
Safety, access, restrictions, rescue, and local rules can change. Treat these details as informational and confirm them locally before launching.
Hazards
- Rocks at both ends of the beach
- Rip currents
- Pollution/runoff after heavy rain
- Crowds
Rescue & support
- Lifeguard
- Seasonal — Seasonal lifeguard presence reported.
- Rescue & Self-Rescue
- Limited — Rescue availability reported as limited.
- Emergency Info
- Nearest hospital reported as North Tyneside General Hospital. Emergency number: 999 or 112.
- Localism / Vibe
- Mild — Reported as mild; be respectful of the local surfing community as it can get very crowded.
Rules of the spot
Standard beach-break etiquette; designated surfing/swimming zones are sometimes in place during peak summer months.
- Seasonal dog bans on parts of the beach
- Kiting restricted during high crowds
- A useful rip runs out by the rocks at the south end of the beach on bigger days.
- Use the permanent rip by the southern rocks to get out to the lineup on bigger days.
- Rocks at the south and north ends are easily visible.
- Unless the forecast is huge, conditions tend to get messy as the bay cannot handle that amount of water.
- Mid tide is usually the sweet spot; low tide can work but may close out, and high tide tends to soften the waves.
- If caught on the inside on big days, take a deep breath.
Getting there & access
- Nearest City
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Nearest Town
- Tynemouth
- Nearest Airport
- Newcastle International Airport (NCL)
- Parking
- Park on the ramp; pay and display parking available along the ramp and on the road above the beach.
- Public Transport
- Tyne & Wear Metro links Newcastle to multiple coastal stations with walking access to the shore.
- Access
- Park on the ramp near Tynemouth Town Centre and walk down to the beach; public access via ramps and stairs from Grand Parade.
- Cost Level
- Moderate
- Local Language
- English
What's on the beach
- Accommodation
- Nearby town — Accommodation ranges across Tynemouth and Whitley Bay (guesthouses, hotels, and other options).
- Food & Drink
- Numerous cafes and restaurants directly on the beach front and in the Tynemouth village.
- Equipment Rental:
- Equipment rental available at surf shops located on the ramp and in the village (surf and SUP widely available).
- Gear Storage
- Available at some local surf shops for regular customers.
- Gear Repair
- Basic surfboard repairs available at local shops.
No schools or services are listed for this spot yet.
From riders who've been here
Latest reported conditions
Spot questions
Frequently asked questions
When is the best season at Longsands Bay (Tynemouth)?
The best overall months at Longsands Bay (Tynemouth) are December, January, February, March, April, May, October, November. The best wind months are December, January, February, March.
Which wind directions work at Longsands Bay (Tynemouth)?
Longsands Bay (Tynemouth) works with W, NW, SW winds. Offshore directions are W, WNW, NW.
What equipment sizes are recommended at Longsands Bay (Tynemouth)?
Recommended equipment sizes at Longsands Bay (Tynemouth): Kitesurfing: 9–12 m² · Windsurfing: 4.5–5.5 m² · Wingfoiling: 4–6 m². The typical wind range is 10–25 kts.
What skill level is Longsands Bay (Tynemouth) suitable for?
Longsands Bay (Tynemouth) suits these riding levels: Kitesurfing: Advanced · Windsurfing: Advanced · Wingfoiling: Advanced · Surfing: Beginner.