Changing tides

North Devon recently became the UK’s first official World Surfing Reserve and its upgraded status is shining a much-needed light on how much more the sport has to offer beyond riding waves,

- Ben Lerwill

ON the surface, Waikiki Beach and Woolacombe Bay have little in common. The first is a glitzy strand backed by tropical palms and Hawaiian high-rises, the other a salty aired stretch of Devon coastline lined by beach cafés and sand dunes. Waikiki has hula-dancing shows; Woolacombe has ranger-led rockpool walks. But what bonds the two places is what’s happening under the surface —literally—where the topography of the seabed and the swell of the waves turn them both into world-class surf spots.

For the initiated, the surfing scene in north Devon has long been a gift to relish: locals and surf tourists have been riding the waves here since the early 1900s. But for outsiders, especially those who still view the sport through the lens of Beach Boys album covers, the concept can seem improbable. Prime-grade surf breaks just off the Bristol Channel? Really? If hard proof of the region’s credentials were needed, it came in mid May, when north Devon was formally designated as the UK’s first—and the planet’s biggest—World Surfing Reserve, joining the likes of Santa Cruz and Malibu in the US on a prestigious, 12-strong international list.