The North Shore of Scotland: Surfing Thurso East

I have recently returned from Scotland, so it’s only fitting that we should talk about Thurso East—or, as some people call it, Scotland’s Hawaii’s North Shore. Let’s go out (in my best Scottish accent).

???? The journey I never took

It’d take me just under 6 hours to get to Thurso East on the northern coast of Scotland if I traveled there from Stirling, where I studied. But when I was in college, I wasn’t into surfing. So many non-surfing years wasted. True tragedy.

Well, even if I was surfing, Thurso East would’ve been out of bounds.

It’s Scotland’s Pipeline. A super-duper, fast and hollow right-hand reef break across Caithness flagstone ledges—which you probably know better as a slab. It’s the same stone that was used in London on the Strand and much of Paris, if that’s of interest at all.

The break is overlooked by Thurso Castle.

Thurso Castle was built by the Earl of Caithness in 1664 and survived until 1870, when it got demolished and a new mansion was built on its site. But it burnt down—boo hoo—and all you can see now is just the ruins. It looked pretty impressive in both of its incarnations.

???? The wave

But back to the break. It gets big—up to 15 feet—and you get nicely barreled on clean NW swells. It gets compared to a cross between Jeffreys Bay (a break in SA) and Nias (a break in Indo).

Thurso East needs NNW to NW swell to deliver the best surf, plus SE or SW winds to keep it glassy and barrel-friendly. Oh, and it’d better be mid-tide—too high weakens the wave; too low can be dangerous.

So how often do you think Thurso East works?! Not very often for those perfect conditions.

During the peak season—late autumn to early spring, when Atlantic systems are most active—is your best bet. Otherwise, it’s gonna be flat and messy. And all that’s left is sightseeing.

???? A cold water commitment

Either way, you gotta be pretty committed to surfing in the north of Scotland. Water temp is 8–12 °C / 46–54°F even in summer.

This means a 5/4 mm wetsuit—maybe even a 6mm steamer—plus hood, boots, gloves. Oh, and bring sturdy footwear for the rocky entry and exit points. What a fun surf spot!

????‍♂️ A brief history of Thurso East

Some people like it. The first surfer to discover—quotation marks—Thurso East was the New Zealander Bob Treeby in 1973. Then in 1975, the Scottish Surf Federation was created and started running the championships.

Most recently, Thurso East was home to the O’Neill Cold Water Classic competition—a WQS circuit stop—but that was from 2006 to 2011. So now, it’s the locals.

If you’re not ready for Thurso East, Thurso Beach and its beach break is okay for intermediates.

If you’re a beginner—then sightseeing, and perhaps some neeps and tatties.