Ten Line-ups From Northern Spain & The Basque Country

Northern Spain has long been a top destination on any surfers travel wish list. Renowned for its long and varied coastline which is littered with a variety of set ups and perfectly placed to attract large Atlantic swells all year round, the coastline is one of the most consistent in Europe. The area is split into four regions, Galcia, Asturias, Cantabria and The Basque Country. Each has its own character, landscape, history, food and of course, pumping waves.

Galcia occupies the North Western tip of the country, and it’s rugged landscape and wild weather have earned it the nickname ‘the end of the world’. Like Cornwall Galcia has beaches facing in all directions meaning you can almost always find clean waves. The landscape is particularly stunning here, with rolling hills covered by eucalyptus trees and coves flanked by towering cliffs. Next to Galcia sits Asturias, where the coastline falls in the shadow of the Picos De Europa, a beautifully picturesque snow capped mountain range. The stretch of coast boasts a series of epic beachies and river mouths and very little crowd, even in the summer.

Continuing along the coast to the east, the next region along is Cantabria. Once again known for its beautiful mountain backdrops, the region offers a variety of good quality beachies and reefs. Although uncrowded, on good days at the best spots the locals do tend to be a bit more aggy here than elsewhere along the coastline. Next up is the Basque country, steeped in history and perhaps the most diverse of all the regions in terms of set ups. It features several big wave spots, some reefs, miles of beachies and of course, the world famous river mouth: Mundaka. The surfing population is by far the largest here and the standard at spots like Sopelana and Zarutz is generally quite high.

Here’s a gallery of ten line ups from Northern Spain & The Basque Country, featuring just a tiny snapshot of what the region has to offer. Click on the first image to scroll through the gallery.

 

Photos by Luke Gartside // @lugarts