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Fistral Beach, UK

Stay in Newquay: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Newquay

All 30 on Newquay's map

Watch this spot We email you when Fistral Beach is worth the trip.

About Fistral Beach

Known for kitesurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces NW, so wind from the SE blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 15°C: 4/3 wetsuit and boots. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing NW. Wind from the NW blows onshore, wind from the SE blows out to sea, and wind from the NE or SW runs along the shore. It is exposed to the open sea. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 200 m out (1 in 20). The sea is about 10°C in February, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 17°C in August, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For kitesurfing at intermediate level the best month is usually December, with about 3 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Newquay. Within 5 km we also list 10 surf spots.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 16 h door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to NQY, changing at Dublin Airport (DUB).

    See flights ORD → NQY · Skyscanner from about £380 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 30 min from the airport to Fistral Beach.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in NewquayAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in Newquay · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Newquay · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Fistral Beach on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Mon 26: 18 kn gusting 28, side-shore. Water: waves 3 m.

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct014knside0.9 mwaves
Mon 19Oct014kncross-off1.0 mwaves
Tue 20Oct07knoffnot safe1.3 mwaves
Wed 21Oct5335knside-on3.5 mwaves
Thu 22Oct024knside-on2.7 mwaves
Fri 23Oct2244knon4.4 mwaves
Sat 24Oct3826knside2.6 mwaves
Sun 25Oct3737knon4.1 mwaves
Mon 26Oct7128knside3.0 mwaves
Tue 27Oct4839knside-on4.5 mwaves

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan2of 7
  2. Feb2of 7
  3. Mar2of 7
  4. Apr1of 7
  5. May1of 7
  6. Jun2of 7
  7. Jul1of 7
  8. Aug1of 7
  9. Sep2of 7
  10. Oct2of 7
  11. Nov2of 7
  12. Dec3of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly ORD to NQY, changing at DUB, then 30 min by road. About 16h door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 2 kn gusting 7, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 1.3 m.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Kite Fistral Beach

    21 kn gusting 35, side-onshore. Water: waves 3.5 m.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 12 kn gusting 24, side-onshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: waves 2.7 m.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 26 kn gusting 44, onshore. Water: waves 4.4 m.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Kite Fistral Beach

    18 kn gusting 26, side-shore. Water: waves 2.6 m.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly ORD to NQY, changing at DUB, then 30 min by road. About 16h door to door

Rough cost

About £920–£1,750 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £380–£795
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Taxi £15–£25
  • Stay £250–£420
  • Food £240–£445

Places to eat near Newquay

Within 2 km of the town centre, listed by how complete the listing is (website, opening hours, cuisine) and whether two sources name it. Not a judgement of the food: we have no reviews. Listings © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps Foundation; food hygiene ratings from the Food Standards Agency (Open Government Licence). Credits

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

Links marked Ad may pay us a small commission if you book. You pay the same price, and it never changes a score.