Located in Cornwall, England, Porthleven is one of the best and most well-known reef breaks in the country. The waves break both left and right, offering up fast, hollow barrels as well as performance sections. The break is not for novices and can get heavy, it gets dangerously shallow and the locals will definitely let you know if you are out of your league. The waves break for up to 100 meters over the rocky reef. The right is a short and hollow barrel that gets very shallow. The left also has its day on the right swell direction. There’s also another hollow right near the pier which is more popular with boogers.
What are the best surf conditions for Porthleven?
Gets good between head high and triple overhead. We recommend riding a shortboard then step-up here as the size increases. This spot is suitable for intermediate and advanced-level surfers only. The surf here usually has a wave (5/10) and will be insanely crowded at all times (10/10). The best winds are from the Northeast. The best swells are from the Northwest, South, Southwest, and West. Safest and best on a mid-tide, low tide and high tide will work but the end sections get alarmingly shallow.
We recommend wearing a 3/2 wetsuit in the summer when water temperatures rise to 17 degrees. In the winter a 5/4 will work for the 9-degree water. See the temperature chart below for more data on this.
Parking is limited, but look hard enough and you’ll find something.
