Porthcawl - Rest Bay Beach

It is one of several beaches stretching from Sker Point through to Ogmore in the seaside resort of Porthcawl which is located between the towns of Port Talbot to the north and Ogmore by Sea to the west. Porthcawl’s promenade, built in 1887 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee and restored in 1996, runs along the seafront from Lock’s Common in the west to the harbour, before joining the eastern promenade and leading to Coney Beach and Griffin Park. There are many cafes, bars, restaurants and hotels located along the promenade which offer spectacular views across the Bristol Channel; traditional ice cream parlours run by South Wales Italian families have never lost their popularity. A new state-of-the-art water sports centre overlooks Porthcawl’s Blue Flag Rest Bay beach, and provides the perfect base for adventure seekers eager to sample South Wales’ outdoor activity.

Local experts Porthcawl Surf School use the new centre as a base to offer year round surf lessons and hire as well as stand up paddle board lessons. Don't have the right surf gear? Porthcawl Surf Shop has a great choice of surf gear from wetsuits to surfboards, to kayaks, stand up paddle boards and bodyboards. The centre also promises to benefit the local community, acting as a base for beach cleans and courses on environmental education, outdoor learning and ocean literacy. It will also act as a training centre for life guards and surf instructors and as the base for the Welsh Coast Surf Club. Blue Flag beach. Toilets, café bar, parking. Lifeguard service provided 10:00 - 18:00 daily end of May to September. No dogs allowed May to end September.