Bamburgh Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a honest look at what’s coming up for Bamburgh. I’ll be straight with you: this is a tough run. We’ve got a lot of days where the wind is just cruel and the waves are struggling, but there are a couple of tiny windows that might just get you wet. Let’s walk through it.

The outlook starts with a long stretch of nothing. From Friday the 10th of July right through to Wednesday the 15th, it’s pretty grim. Small, weak swell with poor cross-onshore winds and those numbers in the energy department (45 up to 114) are telling you it’s weak. We’re talking ankle-biters and bumpy, messy conditions. Not worth paddling out for.

That stretch runs until the 16th of July. Thursday morning is a tease – we get a glassy session with 3ft of swell from the ESE, but the period is short (6 seconds) and the energy is still weak (79). The wave comment is "surfable but very ordinary." It’s clean because of the glassy wind, but honestly, it’s a tough call to get excited about. Inconsistent and small.

Things get worse again from the 18th of July. Saturday and Sunday (the 18th and 19th) see the swell actually building, but the wind comes howling in from the N and NNE at 22 to 28 mph. That’s strong cross-onshore and messy. The energy climbs (160 up to 346), but with that wind, the surface is chopped into a washing machine. Not for surfing – honestly, if you see that wind, look at Bamburgh as more of a kiteboarding spot.

Into Monday the 20th of July, the swell actually peaks with 6ft from the NNE, period hitting 9 seconds, and strong energy (536). But again, the wind state is cross-onshore. It’s bigger, but the surface is lumpy and poor. If you’re an experienced surfer, you might find some power in the wave, but the conditions will fight you.

The real standout, and the one I’d circle on the calendar, is Wednesday the 22nd of July. I know, that’s over a week away, so keep your hopes measured. The swell is tiny (1ft from the NNE), but we get a *cross-offshore* wind from the WNW at 12 mph. That makes the surface clean. The energy is weak (20), but clean conditions on a cross-off at Bamburgh can make tiny waves rideable. It’s a memory-maker for a longboard or a foamie on a glassy day.

Then on Thursday the 23rd of July, morning looks promising again. We get 4ft from the NNE with a 7-second period, a cross-offshore wind from the W at 6 mph, and energy of 157. The wave comment says "surfable but very ordinary conditions," but with clean wind, that 4ft in the water will feel better than the number suggests. That’s probably the best chance in two weeks for a proper wave.

After that, it fades back into cross-shore winds and small, weak surf through the 24th and 25th. Nothing to get excited about.

The standout picks:
- Thursday 16th July morning – glassy and clean, but very small. For the patient surfer.
- Wednesday 22nd July morning – long-range promise, clean cross-off, but tiny. Bring the log.
- Thursday 23rd July morning – the best of the bunch. 4ft, clean, cross-off. That’s your best bet in this run.

Bamburgh is a beginner-friendly break here, but with the strong winds from the 18th onwards, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. For the rest, it’s all about waiting for the wind to turn.

Water temp is around 56°F right now, which is about average for the time of year. Nothing unusual there.

Stay patient, keep an eye on the 23rd, and I’ll see you in the water.

Rusty.

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