The incredible talent and addictive drama at the Olympic surfing competition in Tahiti over the past few days may have made you eager to ride some waves yourself.

Surfing has been hailed a great sport to improve your cardiovascular fitness, balance and coordination.

“Surfing is a great form of exercise. It is total body exercise working all the major muscle groups but especially the core, the chest, back and arms,” explains Sam Davies, CEO and co-founder of Surfwell Limited, a community interest company which provides surf therapy to people in the emergency services who struggle with their mental health.

The experience of riding a wave for the first time is like no other.

“The feeling of riding a wave is completely unique, it’s a feeling that cannot fail to bring a smile to your face when you experience it for the first time,” explains Davies. “It’s exhilarating and exciting, but it also gives you a feeling of connection to nature and the world around you, to be able to directly harness the natural energy from the ocean for your enjoyment is an incredible feeling.

“I love surfing because it can be so many things depending on what I need from it. It can be exercise, it can be a release, it can be a reset in difficult times, it can be a form of identity – but above all it is always fun!”

Davies co-founded Surfwell Ltd with James Mallows in 2018 in response to the national mental health crisis within UK emergency services as they strongly believe that surfing has a vast array of mental benefits.

“The mental benefits to surfing are absolutely huge,” says Davies. “The immersion in nature, the cold water, the challenge of a new activity all lead many people to experience profound changes in mood and psychological wellbeing. By spending time in the ocean and through surfing, it really is an extremely powerful tool to help tackle so many different mental health issues.”

When going surfing for the first time it is important to be stay safe, so Davies recommends going to a lifeguarded beach or booking a session with a reputable surf school which has trained instructors.

There are so many amazing beaches dotted around the UK and Ireland which are ideal for surfing, but here are a few of the best…

Whitesands Bay, Pembrokeshire, Wales

Whitesands is a large west-facing expanse of sand in a magnificent setting which offers picturesque views of Ramsey Island.

The surf break is at the northern end of the beach and on busy days there are canoeists, surfers, and bodyboarders competing for the best waves.

Croyde, Devon, England

Keen surfers from across the country congregate at Croyde Bay every year to take advantage of its stunning waves.

This sheltered bay in North Devon is great for families with children as well as swimmers and experienced surfers.

It has an RNLI lifeguard service from May to September as well as at various busy times throughout the year.

Thurso East, Caithness, Scotland

Thurso East is a fantastic surf spot located near the town of Thurso in the far northern county of Caithness in Scotland.

Its famous surf break is known for its long, hollow, fast-breaking waves, making it a popular destination for experienced cold-water wave riders.

Fistral Beach, Cornwall, England

Fistral Beach near Newquay has become cemented as the home of British surfing with the consistency and quality of the surf that it enjoys.

Some of the best surfers in the UK come to this beach specifically to surf the big Cribbar wave.

Easkey Beach, Sligo, Ireland

Easkey Pier and Beach is an internationally renowned surfing destination and a Sligo Wild Atlantic Way Discovery Point.

The rocky coast breaks the waves and shapes them perfectly for surfing.