Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast)
- Wave, Shortboard
- Best for
- Beginner to Intermediate
- Skill Level
- Medium waves, 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 It may be incomplete, outdated, or incorrect.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
Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast) is a cliff-backed, North Cornwall beach break best known for its right-hand wave called “The Boiler,” where the wave can peel hollow on its best days. Working swell is typically from the West to West-North-West, and the break is described as good-quality and capable of producing longer rides on standout days, with shorter runs being more common. For surfing, conditions are described as friendly for less experienced riders on smaller days, but the cove can turn heavy and/or more rock-exposed as swell builds. Low to mid tide is often referenced as the most useful window, while high tide can sharply reduce usable beach space (the beach is described as disappearing almost completely at high tide in one description). The wave can hold up beyond about 2.5 m (8 ft+) on good days, but that same power tends to increase the challenge and the consequence of missteps near rocks. Wind-driven sports are strongly shaped by the cliffs. Kitesurfing is generally not considered an easy option due to turbulence, a restricted launch area, rocks, and crowding; where it’s attempted, sources emphasize it as at least intermediate and often advanced-only. Windsurfing is described as rare because turbulent wind and the difficult launch make it less practical. Wingfoiling is described as difficult as well, with limited foil-friendliness and tricky launch conditions except closer to mid-tide. Safety demands extra attention: hazards include rocks, rip currents/strong currents, and cliff-driven turbulence; water pollution after heavy rain is also noted. On summer days the spot can be very crowded, and parking is limited—arriving early is commonly recommended. Seasonal lifeguard coverage is present, but rescue availability is described as limited, so it’s important to plan for changing beach access with tide and to stay well away from rip-current zones near cliff/harbor structures.
- Iconic right-hand wave associated with 'The Boiler'
- Works best with West to West-North-West swell
- Rocks and rip currents are key hazards—especially at low water and on heavier days
- A well-known North Cornwall right-hand wave associated with 'The Boiler'.
- Works best with West/South-West swell and is described as having good wave quality.
- Semi-sheltered setting from cliff topography can help on the right conditions.
- Small beach and rocks create hazardous conditions, especially at low water and on bigger days.
- Rip currents and strong currents are a key safety concern, particularly near cliff/harbor structures.
- Wind can be very turbulent near cliffs and launch space can become restricted at high tide.
Wind, water and seasons
Wind
- Direction
- N, NW, NE
- No-go directions
- N, NW, NE
- Wind Range
- 15–30 kts
- Wind Type
- Frontal — North Atlantic weather patterns; strong cliff influence can make wind turbulent and directionally variable.
- Reliability
- moderate (moderate reliability; depends on North Atlantic low pressure systems)
- Gust Factor
- Heavy gusts — Sources describe heavy gusting and turbulence near the cliffs.
- Best Months
- October, November, December, January, February, March
- Shadow Zones
- Significant wind shadows and turbulence caused by high surrounding cliffs in all but pure onshore directions.
Water & beach
- Water Type
- Medium waves, Ocean
- Beach
- Sand — Beach composition described as sand; another source describes mixed composition and exposed rocks at low tide.
- Beach Size
- Small
- Waves
- Small — Wave size described as small/medium depending on conditions; working swell can start below 1 m and hold to 2.5 m+.
- Chop Level
- Light chop — One source describes ordinary wave power; wind/cliff turbulence can create harsher chop depending on direction and conditions.
- Launch
- Small — Narrow beach at mid-tide; disappears almost completely at high tide. Access described as short downhill walk from car parks; downhill walk described as 'quiet exhausting' in one source.
Through the year
Extremely crowded during summer holidays and weekends; winter quieter; February noted as best for clean surf.
Autumn and winter storms bring heavy, unpredictable surf; winter (November to February) primary storm season in one source.
By sport
What to expect for each.
Kitesurfing is possible but generally not optimal due to a small beach, rocks, crowds, and strong cliff-driven wind turbulence/restricted launch area; advanced levels only in one source.
- Kite Sizes
- 7–12 m²
Rarely windsurfed due to difficult launch and turbulent wind near the cliffs.
- Sail Sizes
- 4.2–5.3 m²
Difficult due to rocks at low tide and wind turbulence from the cliffs; launching is tricky except around mid-tide.
- Foil Friendly
- Limited — Foil friendliness described as limited.
- Min Depth
- 1.5m
- Wing Sizes
- 4–6 m²
Iconic North Cornwall right-hand beach break associated with 'The Boiler'—a right-hander breaking over old harbor-wall/industrial remains. Best on West/South-West swell; heavier and rockier when swell builds.
- Wave Direction
- Right
- Optimal Swell
- W, WSW, NW
- Swell Height
- 0.6–2.5 m
- Optimal Tide
- Low, Mid, All tides — Low to mid tide described as best by surfing sources; one source notes restricted beach/narrow launch area at mid-tide and that the beach disappears almost completely at high tide.
- Shelter
- Semi-sheltered — Cliffs provide partial shelter; conditions depend strongly on wind direction.
- Wind Effect
- Works best with southwest winds; some wind cleaning described with south/southeast winds in one source.
- Bigger Swell
- Can hold up to around 2.5 m+ (8 ft+) but may become heavy/rocky for less experienced surfers; can also close out on very large swells over ~3 m in one source.
- Wave Quality
- Good — Good wave quality on working days.
- Wave Power
- Powerful — Surf power described as ordinary/powerful depending on source; works best on better days.
- Wave Shape
- Hollow — Best days can produce hollow sections (sources also describe peeling characteristics).
- Peel Speed
- Medium — Medium peel speed described for the break.
- Ride Length
- Short — Common rides are around 50 m, with longer runs on standout 'Boiler' days.
- Typical Ride Length
- 50–150 m
- Ride Length Details
- Typically 50 m; can extend up to ~150 m at The Boiler on a good day. Some sources mention breaks for up to 50 m.
Check the forecast before you go
See wind, waves, weather and session windows for Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast) in the full forecast view.
Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast) wind and wave forecast summary
- Wind
- 5–29 ktsGusts 51 kts
- Direction
- SW233°
- Strongest day
- Sat, Oct 2429 kts
- Windy days
- 7/712 kts or more
- Waves
- 1.0–5.7 m10s period
- Temperature
- 10–17 °C
Over the next 7 days, Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast) is forecast for daytime winds of 5–29 kts, peaking around 29 kts on Saturday, October 24 with gusts to 51 kts. The prevailing direction is SW. Waves run 1.0–5.7 m with a period of about 10s. 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 (including submerged rocks)
- Strong rip currents
- Cliff turbulence / wind turbulence
- Water pollution after heavy rain
- Crowds in the lineup
- Restricted launch area at high tide
Rescue & support
- Lifeguard
- Seasonal — RNLI lifeguard coverage described as seasonal (daily 10am–6pm from 19 May to 30 September in one source).
- Rescue & Self-Rescue
- Limited — Rescue availability described as limited; RNLI seasonal cover and HM Coastguard manage offshore search and rescue.
- Emergency Info
- Nearest major hospital: Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro. Seasonal lifeguard coverage is provided on main beaches; emergency access via 999/112.
- Localism / Vibe
- Mild — Localism described as mild to moderate; respect the lineup.
Rules of the spot
Respect the local lineup (especially at The Boiler). Follow seasonal lifeguard guidance and be mindful of restricted launch area at high tide. If conditions are poor after heavy rain, check water quality and avoid exposure.
- Seasonal dog ban on the beach (usually Easter to October)
- Strict water craft zones during peak summer lifeguard hours
- Arrive early in summer because parking fills quickly.
- Take care around rocks—especially near cliff edges and on bigger/heavier days.
- Check water quality after heavy rainfall.
- Respect rip-current formation areas near cliff/harbor structures and avoid going in at low water when currents are strongest.
Getting there & access
- Nearest City
- St Agnes
- Nearest Town
- St Agnes
- Parking
- Limited parking; pay-and-display car parks with limited spaces. One source notes beach-level parking is limited/expensive and larger car parks in the village require a 10–15 minute walk; summer mornings fill quickly.
- Access
- Follow the narrow road down from St Agnes village to Trevaunance Cove; drive via A30 then B3277 and follow signs to Trevaunance Cove. Two main car parks are described with short downhill access.
- Cost Level
- Moderate
- Local Language
- English
What's on the beach
- Accommodation
- Nearby town — Accommodation options in and around St Agnes village.
- Food & Drink
- Multiple pubs/cafes nearby including the Driftwood Spars; small cluster of facilities described near the cove.
- Equipment Rental:
- Board hire/surfboard and wetsuit rental described as available via local surf schools near the beach.
- Gear Storage
- Gear storage is described as generally limited; may be limited to surf-school customers or private accommodation (regional note).
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 Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast)?
The best overall months at Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast) are February, September, October, May, June, July, August. The best wind months are October, November, December, January, February, March.
Which wind directions work at Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast)?
Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast) works with N, NW, NE winds. No-go directions are N, NW, NE.
What equipment sizes are recommended at Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast)?
Recommended equipment sizes at Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast): Kitesurfing: 7–12 m² · Windsurfing: 4.2–5.3 m² · Wingfoiling: 4–6 m². The typical wind range is 15–30 kts.
What skill level is Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast) suitable for?
Trevaunance Cove (St Agnes Coast) suits these riding levels: Kitesurfing: Intermediate to Advanced · Windsurfing: Advanced · Wingfoiling: Advanced · Surfing: Beginner to Intermediate.