Rob Barber has been bodyboarding and surfing all over Cornwall for the last 20 years.

He's the editor of ThreeSixty Bodyboarding Magazine, the editorial assistant on Carve Surfing Magazine and he owns his own bodyboarding school and The English Surfing Federation Surf School. He loves to travel but believes that on its day, Cornwall has comparable waves to anywhere in the world.

Cornwall's best surfing and bodyboarding beaches

The north coast
Arguably Britain's best stretch of coastline, the north coast of Cornwall receives the biggest and most consistent surf in the country. With a healthy population of surfers and bodyboarders there is never a shortage of inspiration and a great selection of open aspect beaches which pick up any swell from passing weather systems. There is a fantastic selection of breaks to suit the keen learner the sun tanned veteran and everyone in between.

Fistral Beach, Newquay
The most famous of the Cornish beaches, Fistral has plenty of lifeguard cover, rolling waves (at anything other than low tide when the waves are more hard breaking and powerful), and plenty of channels for an easy paddle out with few dangerous rip currents. The main hazard at this spot can be summer crowds but these can be avoided by surfing or bodyboarding out of peak times (the morning and the evening are least crowded). The ideal wind direction for Fistral is south easterly as this blows in an offshore direction, making the waves nice and ‘clean’ - the opposite to choppy. During the swell scarce summer months Fistral is your best chance of catching a small wave anywhere in Cornwall.

The south coast
Boasting some of the most beautiful scenery in England, often with blue water colour and a mellow vibe, the south coast has a craggy coastline with many small coves. When there's a low pressure system hanging around off the south west tip of the county it’s a great time to get down there and explore for waves

Praa Sands, near Helston
Praa Sands is the most popular south coast beach break. The best conditions are a big south west swell with winds from the north. A good place to head to when the north coast is choppy and blown out from a north westerly wind. Learners should avoid the area at high tide as the shore breaking waves can be powerful. At all other stages of the tide Praa offers manageable 'learner slopes'.