One small step for you, one clever step for your money

                With the current unstable economic climate hanging over our heads, you may find that when it comes to deciding on your summer holiday you decide to stay closer to home. The idea of a British seaside holiday seems dated now, and is shrugged off by many in favour of sunnier climates. However, if surfing is your thing then a trip abroad can easily be substituted for a trip within the UK, saving you a lot of money in the process. Here are some of the best beaches to check out.

                Newquay – Cornwall’s main source of tourism and a great place to visit whether you’re on your surfing holidays or not. For those who are, the quality of the main beach at Fistral is excellent.  Numerous companies in the area offer surf lessons for good prices as well as equipment hire. Accommodation isn’t cheap due to the popularity of the place, but camping in the summer is always an option and if you check out a few of the youth hostels you’ll be sure to find a fair price. On rough days Fistral can be closed due to its dumpy waves (heavy ones which crash down and can literally be leg breakers) but Newquay’s second beach just ten minutes walk from Fistral also has excellent surfing and is often favoured by beginners due to its softer conditions. Check out Travelzoo.co.uk for some great surf holiday deals.

                Croyde – Devon’s flagship beach, in direct competition with Cornwall’s Newquay, is another great place to surf in the UK. With a long beach which frequently comes up with perfect surfing conditions and a long tide to give longer lasting waves, Croyde is a firm favourite with surfers not just in the UK, but further afield too. Again you’ll find numerous companies around offering tuition and equipment hire, with a two hour lesson with equipment around £30 and a board for the day around £10. It’s a good idea, if you’re planning on getting into surfing, to buy a wetsuit for around £100 in one of the outlet stores as this can easily be made back in ten days of surfing as wetsuit hire is also around £10 a day. Croyde has the advantage over Newquay of not being spoilt by tourism. Whilst Newquay is too busy in the summer, especially in the water, Croyde and the surrounding villages still have their traditional feel about them and offer a more relaxed place to stay.

                Saunton – Just along from Croyde, Saunton’s waves are usually smaller but often longer lasting due to its incredibly long tide. The beach too is extremely long meaning that summer overcrowding is not an issue. A lot less popular than Croyde but by no means worse, and kinder to beginners. Well worth a look.

                Surfing, as with any sport, carries a degree of risk. It is therefore strongly recommended that you cover yourself with adequate travel insurance from a reputable provider such as AA Travel before you set off on your trip.