Silver Bay (Holy Island)
- Bodyboard, Longboard
- Best for
- Beginner to Intermediate
- Skill Level
- Swell
- Spot Type
- Quiet
- 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 It may be incomplete, outdated, or incorrect.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
Silver Bay (Holy Island) is a secluded sandy beach break on the Holy Island side near Rhoscolyn. It’s described as isolated and unlikely to be crowded even when surf is up, but conditions are often variable: waves can be small and/or unreliable, and the surf tends to depend strongly on getting the right swell wrapping into the bay. For surfing, sources describe a best-case window centered on SW-related swell (with SW/W swell mentioned) and offshore wind conditions. When the match is good, the break can produce clean lefts and rights on the right side of the swell; however, larger or more direct swell can reduce quality as the waves close out. Safety is a key consideration. The beach has rocks at the edges and submerged hazards near headlands/high tide, and rip currents are reported. Because there is no vehicle access to the beach and no parking at the beach itself, the practical approach is usually a 15–20 minute walk from public parking areas, with additional access/landowner/payment arrangements noted by some sources. Seasonally, the best surf month is reported as January. Sea temperatures are cold through winter (around 6–9°C in the provider month ranges), so full winter thermal protection is recommended, including a wetsuit plus hood, gloves, and boots in colder months.
- Unlikely to be crowded even when surf is up.
- Sandy beach break with lefts and rights when conditions suit.
- Reported need for SW/W swell to wrap into the bay.
- Pristine/clean water quality is noted for the area.
- Sandy beach with lefts and rights when conditions line up.
- Typically not crowded due to the walk-in approach.
- Waves can be unreliable and can be blown out or too small much of the time.
- Notable hazards: rocks and rip currents.
- Walk-in access with no beach parking; no vehicle access to the beach for the general public.
Wind, water and seasons
Wind
- Direction
- S, SW, SE
- Offshore directions
- NNE, NE, N, NNW, NW
- Wind Range
- 15–30 kts
- Wind Type
- Provider data includes frontal/gradient-type conditions, but the spot-level wind-type label is not consistently specified.
- Reliability
- moderate
- Gust Factor
- Moderate gusts — Moderate gustiness reported by provider data.
- Best Months
- January, February, December, November, October
- Shadow Zones
- Shelter provided by cliffs in northerly directions (per provider data).
Water & beach
- Water Type
- Swell
- Beach
- Sand — Sandy beach composition.
- Beach Size
- Medium
- Waves
- Small — Typically small waves (provider data).
- Launch
- Wide sandy beach at low tide, narrower at high tide (provider data).
- Launch Difficulty
- Easy — Launch area described as easy (provider data).
Through the year
Quiet year-round; may be busier with holiday park residents in summer (provider data).
Winter months see frequent Atlantic depressions and storms (provider data).
By sport
What to expect for each.
Suitable for freeride sessions and bump-and-jump in southerly winds (provider data).
- Sail Sizes
- 5–7 m²
Foil-friendly due to sandy bottom and relatively clean swell; access requires carrying gear (provider data).
- Foil Friendly
- Yes — Foil-friendly per provider data.
- Min Depth
- 1 meter
- Wing Sizes
- 4–6 m²
A secluded, sandy beach break with unreliable/variable surf that can offer clean lefts and rights when the right swell/wind window lines up. Needs sufficient SW-westerly swell to wrap into the bay and generally works best in cooler months.
- Wave Direction
- Both
- Optimal Swell
- SW, W
- Swell Height
- 1.5–3 m
- Optimal Tide
- Mid — Provider data indicates it’s best on an incoming mid-tide.
- Shelter
- Semi-sheltered — Semi-sheltered per provider data.
- Wind Effect
- Cross-shore in south-westerly winds; offshore in northerly winds (provider data). Also described as working best with NE offshore winds.
- Bigger Swell
- Can hold up to moderate size; starts to close out in very large direct swells (provider data).
- Wave Quality
- Average — Reported as average; provider data also notes waves can be unreliable/varied.
- Wave Power
- Soft — Reported as soft.
- Wave Shape
- Mushy — Reported as mushy.
- Peel Speed
- Slow — Reported as slow peeling.
- Ride Length
- Short — Ride length is generally short.
- Ride Length Details
- Waves are generally short but can offer clean faces on the right swell (provider data).
Check the forecast before you go
See wind, waves, weather and session windows for Silver Bay (Holy Island) in the full forecast view.
Silver Bay (Holy Island) wind and wave forecast summary
- Wind
- 9–34 ktsGusts 52 kts
- Direction
- SW224°
- Strongest day
- Sat, Oct 2434 kts
- Windy days
- 7/712 kts or more
- Waves
- 0.6–4.1 m6s period
- Temperature
- 11–15 °C
Over the next 7 days, Silver Bay (Holy Island) is forecast for daytime winds of 9–34 kts, peaking around 34 kts on Saturday, October 24 with gusts to 52 kts. The prevailing direction is SW. Waves run 0.6–4.1 m with a period of about 6s. 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
- rip currents
- submerged rocks at high tide
- remote location with limited access
Rescue & support
- Lifeguard
- None — No lifeguard presence reported.
- Rescue & Self-Rescue
- No — No specific on-site rescue availability reported for the beach/launch area in provider data.
- Emergency Info
- Nearest hospital is in Holyhead (provider data). In the UK, use 999 or 112 for emergencies.
- Localism / Vibe
- None — Sources indicate no localism issues.
Rules of the spot
Respect private property around the surrounding holiday park; keep to public footpaths.
- No vehicle access to the beach for the general public.
- Respect private property of the surrounding holiday park.
- No parking at the beach itself.
- Beware of rips and rocks.
- No parking at the beach; expect a walk-in approach from Rhoscolyn (~15–20 minutes).
- Best surfed on an incoming mid-tide (provider data).
- If you’re unsure about access/payment requirements, arrange this in advance with landowners where applicable.
Getting there & access
- Nearest City
- Holyhead
- Nearest Town
- Rhoscolyn
- Parking
- Limited public parking near Rhoscolyn church or Borth Wen; no parking available at the beach itself.
- Access
- Park near St Gwenfaen's church and walk along the coastal footpath; no car parking at the beach itself. Approx. 15–20 minute walk from nearby public parking (provider data).
- Local Language
- English, Welsh
What's on the beach
- Accommodation
- Nearby town — Accommodation is available in Rhoscolyn/nearby towns and via nearby holiday park stays (provider data).
- Food & Drink
- White Eagle pub in Rhoscolyn is the nearest major establishment (provider data).
- Equipment Rental:
- No rentals on-site at the spot (provider data).
No schools or services are listed for this spot yet.
Off the water
The Rhoscolyn/Holy Island area combines rugged coastal scenery with accessible coastal paths and local points of interest, making it suitable for combining wind/water sessions with walking and wildlife viewpoints.
Iconic lighthouse off Holyhead Mountain, known for bird watching and dramatic cliff views.
A long-distance coastal trail through the region, offering world-class hiking and rugged scenery.
Historic medieval holy well along the coastal path near Rhoscolyn.
Rugged Rhoscolyn Head headland with deep-water fishing ledges.
The White Eagle pub and historic village church in Rhoscolyn.
Anglesey Coastal Footpath with Holy Island storm-watching views.
Renowned gastropub in Rhoscolyn offering local seafood and panoramic coastal views.
Horseshoe-shaped Silver Bay (Borth Wen) suitable for bathing, rockpooling, and beginner water sports.
A park with trails, a fishing lake, and a visitor center on a former quarry.
From riders who've been here
Latest reported conditions
Spot questions
Frequently asked questions
When is the best season at Silver Bay (Holy Island)?
The best overall months at Silver Bay (Holy Island) are January. The best wind months are January, February, December, November, October.
Which wind directions work at Silver Bay (Holy Island)?
Silver Bay (Holy Island) works with S, SW, SE winds. Offshore directions are NNE, NE, N, NNW, NW.
What equipment sizes are recommended at Silver Bay (Holy Island)?
Recommended equipment sizes at Silver Bay (Holy Island): Windsurfing: 5–7 m² · Wingfoiling: 4–6 m². The typical wind range is 15–30 kts.
What skill level is Silver Bay (Holy Island) suitable for?
Silver Bay (Holy Island) suits these riding levels: Windsurfing: Intermediate · Wingfoiling: Intermediate · Surfing: Beginner.