Welcome to the home of the Gwithian Sunset Surf School

The Gwithian Sunset Surf School is a British Surf Association approved level 2 surf school, ideally placed just a few short minutes walk from Gwithian beach, just round the coast from St Ives in Cornwall. The school’s base at the Sunset Surf café means we are literally within touching distance of the fantastic Atlantic Ocean and the amazing waves it generates - perfect for learning to surf!!

We offer lessons and courses suitable for all age groups and skill levels. So whether you are a complete beginner looking to get started in surfing or an improving surfer looking to refine your technique and progress to the next level, we are able to offer a package suited to your individual needs.

Why learn to surf with The Gwithian Sunset Surf School?

• We are based at the perfect location at the Sunset Surf Beach Café opposite the main beach car park, within easy walking distance of the beach.
• Full changing facilities and a secure area to leave your valuables means no changing in the car park!
• Gwithian beach is ideal for beginners and improving surfers alike, as the surf forms and breaks very slowly, giving you plenty of time to ‘pop-up’ and get surfing!
• The year-round water temperature is amongst the warmest in the UK due to the Atlantic Gulf stream and the natural heat retaining properties of St Ives Bay.

Lesson & Course Content

At the Gwithian Sunset Surf School, we offer a range of different surf lessons and courses suitable for all levels of surfer, looking to achieve a variety of surfing goals. Our main emphasis is on maintaining a fun teaching environment, with a strong focus on safety while expanding your surfing knowledge and experience.

Throughout the duration of the lesson our surf coaches are always in the water while you surf, offering advice, guidance and constantly monitoring the safety of the group. We always make sure the bulk of the lesson content takes place in the water, thus maximizing your actual surfing time,while class sizes are kept at a student/instructor ratio at or below the 1:8 levels recommended by the BSA.

We conduct two classes per day, seven days a week between May - September (conditions permitting). We request that you arrive 30 minutes before the lesson start time to allow plenty of time to fill out the required health and safety forms, and get you organised with suitable equipment.

• Morning Lesson: 10am - 12.30pm
• Afternoon Lesson: 2pm - 4.30pm

A typical morning learning to surf with the Gwithian Sunset Surf School works a little like this…

Your surf coach will check the conditions before you arrive to assess the suitability of the lesson to take place (should there be any reason the lesson may not take place, we will contact you to make alternative arrangements).

Upon arriving and completing the relevant paperwork, you will be introduced to the instructor(s), kitted out in a top quality C-Skins wetsuit, boots and soft surfboard.

Once ready, the group will make its way down to the top of the cliff overlooking the Godrevy end of the beach to complete a short safety talk. A brisk walk down onto the beach then follows.

Once set up on the beach, the real stuff begins with a nice dynamic warm up session designed to raise your body temperature, and to mobilise all the important areas of your body that you are about to use surfing.  This is followed by a practical explanation of how to best position yourself on the board to paddle, and how to get to your feet (popping-up).

Once everyone is happy with the theory, its time to go surfing!

The main bulk of the lesson is conducted out in the water, with your coach(es) close by to offer you advice and coaching as the lesson progresses, always positioned to maximize the safety of the group.

After at least 60 minutes in the water the lesson concludes with the walkback to the Surf School base, where everyone can get changed comfortably. The mornings surfing is capped off with a nice hot chocolate (or cold drink if the weather is particularly good) and a chat with coach(es) about how best to improve and what to do next to progress your surfing.

If you are with us for the full day or a course of lessons, you will spend more time in the water working on your surfing while the newbies in the group are taken through the basics. Your time spent out of the water will be much more focused on progression through specific work with your coach(es).

• All of our lessons and courses are always conducted with constant in-water safety cover and instruction.
• All of our surf coaches are experienced surfers, BSA qualified coaches and RNLI beach lifeguards.
• Lesson prices include hire of surfboard, wetsuit and accessories (boots and gloves if required). Your clothes, towel and valuables are all stored securely for the duration of your lesson.
• A hot or cold drink from the Sunset Surf Café/Bar is also included to re-hydrate and refresh you after your surfing endeavours!

Below are prices for our standard courses, with a brief description of the lesson content based on a complete beginner who has never surfed before. We also offer courses for those who may have surfed before, or who are frequent surfers looking to improve specific elements or techniques.  Please contact us to discuss your individual requirements.  Advanced booking is advised.

Intermediate Sessions - £40 (Flexible times can be arranged - weather & surf conditions dependant))
Designed for those of you who have been surfing consistently for a while, but who may have reached a plateau and need some professional input to take your surfing to the next level. Group sizes are kept to a maximum of 1:4 to enable the coach(es) to give you maximum focus and attention both in and out of the water. Whether you want to learn a specific technique, try out a new style of board or just need that feeling of having someone with you in the line up who can guide you and analyse your surfing firsthand, improver courses can serve any number of purposes to suit you. Get in touch for more details!

• Gift vouchers available for all lessons and courses
• Discounts available for large families / groups / schools / colleges / universities / stag & hen parties
• Prices included hire of all required equipment, surf coaching and free drink from the Sunset Surf Café/Bar
• All major credit cards accepted
• Small deposit required per person to secure your place

Booking Conditions

1. In the event of adverse weather/surf conditions, Gwithian SunsetSurf School (GSSS) may be forced to cancel lessons. Should this occur any fees paid to GSSS will be returned in full. Alternatively we will accommodate you on another suitable lesson date at your discretion.  However GSSS will not refund fees paid if customers choose to cancel a booking or not attend a lesson/course for whatever reason, or arrive too late to participate in their lesson(s). We therefore recommend that all clients take out suitable insurance to cover such circumstances.

2. All students must be over eight years of age, be able to swim 50meters without resting and be of a reasonable level of fitness.

3. Parents/Guardians not participating in lessons attended by their children (less than 16yrs old) are required to remain within visual contact during lessons & to sign a ‘Health & Safety’ form accepting this condition.

4. Parents/Guardians not participating in lessons attended by their children (less than 18yrs old) are required to sign a ‘Health &Safety’ form giving permission for their children to attend lessons.This form can be sent in advance, if requested.

5. In the interests of safety, participants must agree to abide by any decisions or instructions made by GSSS staff.

6. GSSS, its directors and employees will not accept liability for personal injury or loss/damage of personal property sustained by participants on any courses.

We accept the following payment methods...