Thurso East is Scotland's best reef break—a world-class right-hander that breaks below the ruins of a castle on the remote north coast of Caithness. The wave produces perfect, hollow barrels when cold Atlantic swells wrap around the headland and meet offshore winds. The setting is stark and beautiful: ancient stone ruins, windswept grass, and the North Sea stretching toward the Arctic. The water is freezing, the weather hostile, but the barrels are genuine world-class.
Difficulty
6/10
Crowd level
3/10
Access: Paddle
How well swell angle matches the spot
Wave height in the ideal range
Each spot has different period requirements. Points and reefs can handle longer periods than beaches.
Offshore/glassy conditions