Wavelength Surfing Magazine

Where?

There are so many spots to choose from but undoubtedly check out Mundaka, Menakoz, Roca Puta, Playa de Barayo and Praia de Esterio.

What sort of waves can I expect?

You can safely say that this area of Spain is the most consistent and most varied coastline in Europe. There are all sorts of waves on offer from classic beach breaks such as Los Locos and Pantin to perfect point breaks and a host of class rivermouth waves.

Where does the swell come from and when is it best?

Northern Spain picks up most swell going and areas such as Galicia pick up virtually anything. All of the coast around Galicia gets swell pushing in from the Atlantic whereas areas such as Pais Vasco which is close to the border with France isn’t exposed to everything going, but nevertheless offers an abundance of waves with class waves at Bakio and of course Mundaka to sample. Best times to go are between September and November when swell comes from the north west which is powerful and consistent. The weather is also still pretty good and water temps at this time stay around 15 degrees. Winter has bigger swells but water temps and air temps drop significantly.

What else is there to do?

Seek and you shall find. This is an absolutely beautiful part of the world in particular the Galaician coastline, though it does rain rather a lot here. Bilbao has transformed itself and for art lovers the Guggenheim is a must visit. Another big pastime is eating and the seafood along the whole of Northern Spain is wonderful. Plus it’s good value and relatively cheap compared to here.

How do I get there and where can I stay?

There are loads of cheap flights to several airports in Northern Spain so check airlines like Easyjet (www.easyjet.com) who fly to Bilbao and Ryanair (www.ryanair.com).

Another alternative is to take the ferry which means of course that you can take your car. Brittany Ferries (www.brittanyferries.com) sail to Santander from Plymouth. P+O (www.poferries.com) run year round between Portsmouth and Bilbao. Both are quite lengthy journeys and can be expensive so flying and renting a car when you’re there may work out at a similar cost.

As for staying there are loads of places from really good campsites to a wealth of pensions and hotels. You can hire huge chalets on the campsites from around £20 while decent pensions also start at about £15 per night. Obviously, prices change depending on season but as mentioned September is a good time to go as it’s cheaper, still warm and less busy.

Will I score uncrowded world class waves?

In a word, yes! Places like Mundaka and Menakoz can be phenomenal but when it’s on it’s for experienced surfers only. Los Locos is one of the best beach breaks around but the key to surfing in Northern Spain is to cruise around checking out different spots. There are so many places that work that the next hidden gem is probably just around the corner.