Sligo Surf Experience (Sligo, Ireland)

ABOUT THE SURF CAMP

Sligo Surf Experience is located in Failte Ireland's National Surf Centre on the Shore Road, Strandhill opposite the Strand Bar. Our meet-up point is the yellow Sligo Surf Experience van at the front of the centre. You can't miss us

The National Surf Centre was expertly designed as a home for local Strandhill surf schools. Sligo Surf Experience is stoked to offer our customers the best surf school facilities on the west coast of Ireland with purpose built changing rooms and warm showers.

There are two free car parks: a seafront car park and a main car park located two hundred metres up the road. If driving, please aim to arrive early (15 minutes before the start time) to find a parking space. The seafront car park is often full, especially in summer.

Surfing is the best way to have fun on Strandhill Beach. Our expert team of fun and friendly Sligo Surf Experience coaches helps you connect to your inner surfer and catch the wave of your life. Whatever your ability, you will love your introduction to surfing: the ancient Hawaiian sport of kings and queens.

Meet Strandhill native Seamus Mc Goldrick, a Sligo surfing pioneer. Learn to surf with an expert team of Strandhill surf instructors in a safe, fun environment. Try a surf lesson in Strandhill and catch the wave of your life with Sligo Surf Experience surf school. Step off the edge of the Wild Atlantic Way at Strandhill Beach and experience an amazing outdoor adventure with the number one surf school in Sligo.

Sligo Surf Experience is a top-ranked European surf school. We were voted Irish Surf School of the Year 2020 by the Travel and Hospitality Awards. As one of the best surf schools in Ireland, we always do our best to provide a premium and fun outdoor experience you won't forget at Strandhill Beach.

Sligo Surf Experience is owned by local surfer Seamus Mc Goldrick, the most experienced surf school manager in Strandhill. Seamus is passionate about delivering the best surf lessons in Ireland. Seamus is an Irish Surfing national champion and a Sligo surfing pioneer who has been surfing Strandhill for nearly three decades. All our team are qualified surf instructors and beach lifeguards so you know you are in safe hands.

ACCOMMODATION AND CATERING

No accommodation.

There are several great places to eat and drink are the beachfront promenade in Strandhill:

Shells Cafe and Little Shop: wonderful seaside cafe and bakery run by surfers Jane and Myles. (shellscafe.com)
Mammy Johnsons: Anyone fancy some of the best ice cream in Ireland? Coffees and treats also available.
Voya Seaweed baths now have a convenient coffee shop outside their seaweed baths.
The Strand Bar: The original surfer's bar in Strandhill. The Strand do a great lunch and all day pizza menu. Also a great place for a drink and some live music in the evenings. (thestrandbar.ie)
Stoked Restaurant: Stoked restaurant above The Strand come highly recommended: feature local surf legend Shane Meehan as chef. (stokedstrandhill.ie)
On the Top Road in Strandhill, the Venue features a small old world, traditional Irish bar that dates back to 1880. The Venue also has a large, modern steak and seafood restaurant out the back with an excellent view of the Atlantic Ocean ( venuestrandhill.ie).
The Dunes Bar is another great bar on the Top Road of Strandhill famous for its live music and delicious burger menu. The pub has a great atmosphere and the service is excellent. And the beer garden out the back has great views of Knocknarea.

SURF COURSE AND ACTIVITIES

SURF LESSONS IN STRANDHILL
Sligo Surf Experience, Image: Surf lessons in strandhillOur surf lessons in Strandhill last 2.5 hours from start to finish including arrival time, changing and getting to and from the beach. Surf lessons include a short beach demo followed by 1 - 1.5 hours of water time to practice what you have learned. Your surf instructor will help you have lots of fun learning to get on your board, catch waves and stand up on your board in one, two or three easy steps.

Once you arrive for your surf lesson in Strandhill, we will ask you to sign in before we give you your own wetsuit and surf boots to keep you warm. You will use the changing rooms at the National Surf Centre and can store your belongings with us while you are on the beach. Hot are available for after your surf lesson. All wetsuits and boots are washed and santised after each use.

OUR INSTRUCTORS
We only use trained and qualified surf instructors to guide and supervise surfing groups. Our epic Sligo Surf Experience surf coaching team are friendly and engaging. They will teach you to surf by breaking down the skills you need to learn into a simple ABC technique. Surf instructors guide you to the safest part of the beach and explain everything you need to know on the sand before you hit the water.

All our surf instructors are certified by Irish Surfing. For every surf lesson we run in Strandhill, we employ a minimum one to eight instructor-student ratio. An instructor will always be nearby to assist and you will get plenty of surfing tips. Head coach Seamus Mc Goldrick has 12 years of surf coaching experience. Seamus grew up surfing Strandhill Beach and is an Irish Surfing national champion. Seamus and his team will be happy to fill you in on everything you need to know about surfing in Sligo. We will make sure you have a fun and enjoyable time with your safety as our number one priority.

AGE REQUIREMENTS
The minimum age for surf or bodyboard lessons with Sligo Surf Experience is 8 years of age. From our experience, our 2.5 hour group lessons are not suitable for children younger than eight years old. The recommended age for a surf lesson with is 10+ years of age. Bodyboarding is our most suitable surf experience for children aged 8 - 10 years. Children younger than 10 years of age should be accompanied by a parent/guardian for the duration of the surf or bodyboard lesson.

Surf instructors as guides. Rental of surfboards, wetsuits, boots. Storage for belongings.

WHAT TO BRING
Swimming gear, a towel, water resistant suncream and a back pack for belongings.

MORE INFO, HOW TO GET THERE & FAQ

Sligo Surf Experience runs surf lessons at Strandhill Beach seven days per week during June, July, August and September. Our surf school in Strandhill is open every weekend in March, April and May as well as in October and November. Book your surf lesson in Strandhill via our surf lessons booking page.

Places are limited on each surf lesson so advanced booking is recommended. Walk-in bookings are welcome. We also take bookings by phone or email. Sligo Surf Experience runs two to four Surf Lessons per day in summer. Surf lessons in Strandhill depend on the tides, so surf lesson times can vary from week to week. Our most frequent times for surf lessons in Strandhill are 9 am, 10.45 am, 12.30 pm, 2.15 pm, 3.30 pm or 5.15 pm

All surf lessons in Strandhill are weather permitting. When the weather or surf forecast is very bad, we will try and give as much notice as possible in the event of cancellation (24 to 48 hours). However, in the interest of safety, lessons can be cancelled at any time, up to ten minutes before the lesson. If Sligo Surf Experience decides to cancel your surf lesson in Strandhill due to poor surfing conditions, you will be offered a full refund or a gift voucher for an equal amount for our surf school in Sligo.

During peak season in July and August, if you cancel your surf lesson with us by informing us by email seven days before the start date you will be entitled to a full refund. During the off peak season, if you cancel your lesson with us by informing us by email 48 hours before the surf lesson start date, you will be entitled to a full refund.

Characterization of surroundings/region

The landscape of this part of County Sligo is dominated by Benbulben mountain and the limestone hill of Knocknarea. Around Strandhill you can also enjoy views of the picturesque Coney Island and Cummeen Strand with the charming seaside resort of Rosses Point in the background. To the north you have views of Ardboline island, Raughly Point and Lisadell with the cliffs of Sliabh League, some of the highest sea cliffs in Europe, far in the distance. To the south, you have views of Strandhill beach and its beautiful sand dunes (a special area of conservation), Marley Point with Dromore West and Easkey village in the distance sitting under the scenic Ox Mountain range.

Activities and facilities

There are lots of great things to do in Sligo. The bustling surfing village of Strandhill sits underneath Knocknarea and its iconic Queen Maeve's tomb, a 5,000-year-old neolithic megalith that is one of the largest Stone Age monuments in Western Europe. Strandhill seafront promenade is home to the highly recommended Shells Cafe and Mammy Johnsons Ice Cream parlour. Why not visit Voya Seaweed baths for their uniquely Irish brand of hot water seaweed therapies. Or visit the surfer's favourite, The Strand Bar. Upstairs from the Strand Bar is a number one Sligo restaurant, Stoked, run by champion Irish surfer Shane Meehan. All this and more is a short distance from our surf school in Strandhill based in the National Surf Centre.

Ways to get to the camp

Sligo Surf Experience is located in the National Surf Centre on the Shore Road, Strandhill opposite the Strand Bar. Our meet-up point is the yellow Sligo Surf Experience van at the front of the centre.

Strandhill is a must visit signature point on the surf coast of Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way - the longest defined coastal touring route in the world.

Strandhill is 7 kilometers from Sligo Town. From the M4 motorways, follow the signs for Strandhill. When you pass Sligo bus and train station it is 6 kilometers to Strandhill. You pass through two sets of traffic lights. When you enter Strandhill you will reach a small roundabout. Turn to the right by taking second exit. Turn right at the church and continue on to reach the seafront promenade at Strandhill Beach.

Sligo Surf Experience surf school is in the main park park at Strandhill. Turn left before you drive down Shore Road to the seafront car park. You will see the yellow Sligo Surf Experience on your left in the designated surf school zone.

If coming from Dublin (M4) or Galway (N17) on the M4, there is a turn off for Strandhill at Exit S1 about 6 kilometers from Sligo Town. This turn off takes you on a secondary road around the back of Knocknarea leading you to the Top Road in Strandhill. Follow the signs and take a left turn at the centre of Strandhill to lead you down the Shore Road to the beach.

Sligo Town is serviced by a network of national roads, N15 to the north, N17 to the south and the M4 motorway to the east. To drive from Dublin to Sligo takes 2.5 hours (slightly longer from Dublin airport). To drive from Belfast to Sligo takes 3 hours. To drive from Knock airport to Sligo takes 45 minutes.

2½ hours from Dublin by road, 3 hours travel from Belfast and 45 minutes from Knock airport. Sligo is a 2 hour drive from Galway city and a 2.5 hour drive from Shannon Airport.

Sligo Town is also accessible by bus or by train. There is a daily Sligo/Dublin rail service. You can check the Sligo train times here.
(Timetable PDF: 07 Dublin - Sligo)

There are regular bus services to Sligo from across the country including Dublin, Belfast, Galway and Donegal. Check the national bus company – Bus Eireann - website here buseireann.ie.

Sligo Dublin bus times Route 23.

Sligo Galway bus times Route 64.

There is a regular bus service to Strandhill with a stop at the shop directly across the road from Sligo bus and train station. A taxi from Sligo to Strandhill should cost around 15€.

PACKAGES & PRICES

Our most popular experience is our group surf lessons in Strandhill. Learn the ABCs of surfing with a trained Sligo surfing instructor. Join a group and let your instructor patiently guide you through your surf lesson in Strandhill step by step. Our surf lessons are the ideal entry-level surf class. You can expect to have a wonderful, fun and safe time during your two-and-a-half-hour surf lesson in Strandhill.

For every surf lesson we employ a minimum one to eight instructor-student ratio which means you'll get plenty of surfing tips and an instructor will always be nearby to assist if necessary. Your safety is our number one priority and you will always be in safe hands.

Fully guided 2.5-hour group surf experience. Suitable for total beginners and improvers. All surfing equipment is provided. You need to bring swimming gear and a towel. Your instructor will show you some surfing basics on the beach before guiding you into the water to catch the wave of your life.

ADULTS: €45
9 - 16 YRS: €40

Our surf school in Strandhill also offers bodyboarding lessons. Bodyboarding is our specialty here at Sligo Surf Experience. Sligo Surf Experience owner Seamus Mc Goldrick is a professional bodyboarder with Science bodyboards and an experienced bodyboarding coach.

Bodyboarding is a safe and accessible introduction to the sport of surfing. Our bodyboarding lessons last two and a half hours and are suitable for all ages and fitness levels. Our surf school in Strandhill has a great selection of top of the range bodyboard equipment to suit all our customers. Your instructor will show you the basic bodyboarding technique that will have you catching waves in no time.

Fully guided 2.5 hr bodyboard experience. Bodyboarding is a safe and accessible introduction to the sport of surfing. Top of the range bodyboarding equipment is provided. Recommended minimum age is 8 years old. Children between 8 - 10 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. No maximum age limit.

ADULTS: €40
8 - 16 YRS: €35

Learn to surf in five days with a Sligo Surf Experience surf camp. A surfing summer camp is one of the best things to do in Sligo and is great value for money. The price includes the cost of hiring the surf equipment for the week. Our adult surf camps are a structured five-day surfing course that will teach basic surfing techniques to camp participants over the first three days. Once a participant has mastered the ABCs of surfing the goal is to introduce some intermediate surf techniques by the end of the week. Summer camps for teens (15 -18) are also available. Our most popular summer camp is our U16s Ocean Warrior Surf Camp suitable for nine to fifteen-year-olds. Sligo Surf Experience's Ocean Warrior surf camp is an award-winning five-day surf camp at Strandhill Beach. Activities include surfing or bodyboarding, beach games, environmental education, water safety and ocean awareness and, of course, lots of fun in the ocean. You need to bring swimming gear and a towel and the surf school supplied the rest of the necessary surfing equipment (wetsuit, boots, boards). Our summer camps are available Mondays to Fridays in July and August. Surf camps are the perfect introduction to Sligo surfing. All our Strandhill surf camps are personally supervised by Sligo Surf Experience owner Seamus Mc Goldrick, a professional surfing coach. All summer camps last two and a half hours per day. The minimum age for surfing camps is nine years old. Camp participants will learn to surf and a lot more in a safe, fun, structured environment. All our instructors are experienced surfers who know everything there is to know about Strandhill surfing.

Sligo Surf Experience - Surf Lessons and Surf Camps Strandhill
A surf lesson in Strandhill is a great way to build a young person's confidence and understanding of the ocean. The summer camp is designed to bring out the inner Ocean Warrior in every participant regardless of ability with the help and expert guidance of Seamus Mc Goldrick and his friendly and engaging team of Sligo Surf Experience instructors. The aim of the Ocean Warrior surf camp is to change attitudes and behaviours towards the water and ensure that each student leaves with lifelong respect and awareness of the ocean. In addition to learning essential water safety knowledge, participants will get lots of information about surfing in Sligo.

Ocean Warrior Surf Camp
Our award winning U16 five day summer camp last 2.5 hours per day. Surfers are fully supervised at all times. Participants will learn to surf and a whole lot more in a fun and inclusive learning environment.
CHILDREN AGE 9 - 16: €150


Teen Camp
Our teen camps are ideal for older teens aged 15 - 18. All equipment is included in the price and surf camp last 2.5 hours per day.
TEEN (15 - 18): €150


Adult Surf Camp
Learn to surf and a whole lot more with our five day Sligo Surf Experience surf camp. Spend the first three days learning the ABCs of surfing technique before moving on to more intermediate surfing skills later in the week.
ADULTS: €180


Yoga Surf Experience
Per person €60