Clachtoll is a picture-postcard pocket beach on Sutherland's wild coast, framed by ancient Lewisian gneiss.
Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.
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Water temp
10°C
Wetsuit
5/4mm + boots
Difficulty
5/10
Crowd level
1/10
Clachtoll is a beach break in Sutherland, UK, with peaks that run both left and right.
Clachtoll picks up swell from the W round to the NNW, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the WNW. It starts working at around 1m and handles up to about 3m, with the sweet spot around 1.9 to 2.5m. Period matters too: aim for 12s or longer, as anything under 8s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.
A SE wind is dead offshore at Clachtoll, and anything from the E round to the S keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.
Clachtoll is at its best around mid tide.
The most reliable run of swell at Clachtoll comes Sep to Feb. There's a second window in Mar to May too.
The water at Clachtoll averages around 10°C, so you'll want a 5/4mm with boots. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.
It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 5/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. The lineup is usually quiet (crowd 1/10). Remote Sutherland. Long drive from any airport. Very cold water. Rocky outcrops.
The nearest airport on our list is INV, then it's roughly a 2.5-hour drive.
Peak: Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb
Secondary: Mar-May
Butt of Lewis - Powerful barrels - One of UK's most consistent
Remote Highland beauty - River-access adventure - Empty perfection
Lewis' dramatic beach break - Sea stacks and empty waves - Wild Hebrides
Lewis' secret slab - Expert only - Fickle and fearsome
Sutherland rivermouth - Long walling rights - Peat-stained barrels
Quality left by harbour - Nuclear neighbour - Unique risk assessment