Scotland is better known for its highlands, whiskey, lochs and bagpipes than for waves, but there’s little doubt that all three of Scotland’s coasts receive excellent waves. With the improvements in wetsuit technology these days, more and more surfers are braving the cold to seek out Scotland’s thick, heavy barrels, in uncrowded line-ups. The West Coast is one of the remotest surf zones in Europe, fully deserving its reputation as the “Wild West”. Offshore from Cape Wrath, the NW corner of Scotland, the Inner and Outer Hebrides take the brunt of the massive west swells. The drier East Coast enjoys swell from both North Atlantic and North Sea storms, and enjoys a predominantly offshore wind. The remote Orkney and Shetland Islands further north see the occasional hardcore surfer and are known to hide a few lonely but perfect set-ups. |
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