Shanklin, UK
Also within 20 km of Shanklin
Watch this spot We email you when Shanklin is worth the trip.
About Shanklin
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces SE (122°), so it takes swell from the SE. The wind blows offshore from the NW (302°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits beginners and up. It works in 3–14 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves gently: 10 m deep about 850 m out (1 in 84). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would spill softly. The sea is about 8°C in February, its coldest month (5/4 or 6/5, hood, boots and gloves), and 19°C in August, its warmest (2 mm shorty). The town to stay in is Shanklin, 0.2 km away (about 5 min by car). Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot and 1 wind sports spot.
Water about 16°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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From Chicago: about 14 h 35 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to LHR, direct.
See flights ORD → LHR · Skyscanner from about £395 returnAdGetting there. 2 h 10 from the airport to Shanklin.
Accommodation.
Stay in ShanklinAd
Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.
Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).
See all places to stay in Shanklin (ad) on Booking.com →Closest towns to stay in
Shanklin 1 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 127 places to stay · where Shanklin stays
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Places to stay in Ventnor · Booking.com AdFreshwater Bay 42 min by car · rooms from £95 a night · 16 places to stay
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Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Shanklin · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in Shanklin · GetYourGuideAd
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Shanklin on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
Shanklin does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 4, too small | 2 ft5 smushy | 10kJ | wind from the north-north-east, 19 knots | 14°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 2, too small | 1 ft3 smushy | 2kJ | wind from the east, 13 knots | 13°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 18, too small | 3 ft4 smushy | 21kJ | wind from the south-east, 9 knots | 15°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 15, too small | 3 ft4 smushy | 20kJ | offshorewind from the west, 23 knots, offshore | 13°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 33, poor | 4 ft7 smushy | 160kJ | offshorewind from the west, 13 knots, offshore | 15°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 36, fair | 4 ft11 ssoft | 410kJ | offshorewind from the west, 36 knots, offshore | 12°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 19, too small | 3 ft6 smushy | 55kJ | offshorewind from the west, 13 knots, offshore | 13°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 17, too small | 2 ft8 ssoft | 57kJ | offshorewind from the west, 20 knots, offshore | 14°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 5, too small | 2 ft9 ssoft | 70kJ | wind from the south-west, 26 knots | 16°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 3, too small | 1 ft11 scrumbling | 23kJ | wind from the south-west, 24 knots | 17°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Direct flight ORD to LHR, then 2h 10 by road. About 14h 35 door to door
- Tue 20 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 24 of 80.
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Too small: 3 ft at best.
- Thu 22 OctSurf Shanklin
Best 10:00 to 13:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.
- Fri 23 OctSurf Shanklin
Best 13:00 to 16:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 31 of 80.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Direct flight ORD to LHR, then 2h 10 by road. About 14h 35 door to door
Rough cost
About £1,125–£2,095 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to LHR, estimated from distance and season, 3 airlines on the route, with a hold bag | £395–£820 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £105–£175 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | £250–£420 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £240–£445 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £100–£170 |
| Total | £1,125–£2,095 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
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Where to stayAd
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