Scotland

Scotland.

There’s something about spending your days in the freezing wind, wading across fields of cow shit that’s started to appeal to me. I still want to leave when its flat, and I often do, but as soon as I’m home I miss the place. When the sun’s out and there are waves it’s an amazing place to be. Very little crowds, perfect waves of every dimension, no Germans, deep fried mars bars and sticking with the Celtic tradition of drinking more than your liver can process, a great social scene. All the locals are relatively friendly, and if a local is giving you a bit of grief, call him a mad bastard and stick him in a headlock, he’ll love it!

 

I remember the first trip I took to Scotland. The boys kept saying “you wait, you wont believe it”. On the marathon drive up there I wasn’t that excited. It was December, I had to sit still for 12 hours and we were going somewhere colder than Wales. Who would be?

I’d seen all the photos of Thurso and heard about the mental slabs, but I couldn’t help but think, it can’t be that good. I mean, it’s Scotland!

All I could imagine were loads of hills, grey towns, and depressed unemployed red headed alcoholics that will batter you if you’re not as pissed as they are. (NOT SURE ABOUT THIS???)

After that first visit I still wasn’t sold on the idea of Scotland being all that great. We had amazing waves and I could appreciate the natural beauty of a land untouched by time. But it was freezing, and as soon as it goes flat for more than two days you go a little stir crazy and get the urge to head south.

But over the years my conceptions have changed, the older I’m getting the more I’m appreciating the place, a bit like a good whisky.

 

The stretch of coast around Thurso is riddled with waves. Everything you can imagine, reefs, long points, beach breaks and mental slabs all with in 20 mins drive. It’s a surfer’s dream, only missing the boardshorts and women sporting string bikinis. But, what it lacks in warmth and eye candy it more than compensates in culture, mystery and adventure. The area is teeming with castles and ancient architecture symbolising the bloody past and centuries Scotland has spent at war with its neighbours.

You can imagine the fairy tail stories of romance and brutal battles that would have taken place on the fields.

So why does the Caithness area have so many quality reef breaks? It's all down to geology, apparently. I asked editor Power (a former rock cruncher in his uni' days) to explain. "Well, the rocks are mainly flagstones from the Givetian and Eifelian stages of the Middle Devonian period (around 390 million years old), typically thinly bedded grey siltstones and silty mudstones, and unusually for sediments of this age the folds in the strata are very open so the rocks at most outcrops are only gently inclined." Er...right, so what does that mean exactly? "Slabs galore."

Put it this way the waves in Scotland are unbelievable.

I don’t want to make this sound like the best surf destination in Europe. For one its not, and two, I’ll have a mad Scots man after me. You can’t explain to someone how good it is, they’ll just think your lying. Your not, but by the time they way up the pros and cons of a trip up there they’ll think your mad. In the summer you can get flat spells that last weeks, swarms of midges and a shit load of rain. In the winter its fucking freezing and the coast in hammered by massive storms that come smashing their way down from the arctic. In the small windows between storms there are days of complete perfection. But, unless you put the time in, sit through the storms and drive 12 hours for one session, you wont get them! That’s why I love Scotland, you have to be a bit mental! 

NATE PHILLIPS

 

1• What's your favourite wave in Scotland, and why? 

Bagpipe, because its a left, it barrels its nuts off, its a dry hair paddle out and you can be back out side in two seconds.

 

2• Describe the best conditions you've had at that spot. When was that session?

The first time I ever surfed it 4 or 5 years ago. It was clean as,  4ft and about 5ft wide.

It was just Egor, Oli , Russ,  and Mullins, we were in complete amazement of the place!

 

3• When did you first hear about/ travel up to Scotland?

I always knew there was waves there cause I had seen Thurso in mags from when I was a teen, but I didn’t go there till Dave started up the BPSA contests up there.

 

4• Who are the top Scottish surfers?

Chris noble and Chris Clarke, There’s a few others but I’m shit with names, but Noble is king of the point.

 

5• What else makes Scotland a good travel destination?

There is always a mad Scotts man that you will end up drinking with you what ever night you go out. Steve from Why Not bar is a legend so if your there make friends with him and you’ll have a good time, but the best part is searching for new spots, there are so many slabs and points still waiting to be surfed.

 

6• Where does Scotland sit in your list of worldwide surf destinations?

It’s up there in the top five for sure. There’s some sick waves, good people, and its uncrowded.

 

7•  Any funny Scottish stories?

Yeah I got hundreds, but you know the saying, what goes on tour stays on tour ! Unlucky,

suppose I could say about Egor kicking cow shit at me.

 

 

MATT CAPEL

 

1• What's your favourite wave in Scotland, and why? 

Thurso is my favourite wave. It’s as good as anywhere when its on!

 

2• Describe the best conditions you've had at that spot. When was that session?

I’ve had it pumping about 5 times. The one time that sticks out is the session after the UK pro tour event last year. It was 6 ft solid kegs with long walls for turns.

 

3• When did you first hear about/ travel up to Scotland?

I first heard about Scotland through the Newquay boy’s, they were going on about it, saying it’s like indo but in your steamer.

 

4• What else makes Scotland a good travel destination?

All the castles and culture.

 

5• Where does Scotland sit in your list of worldwide surf destinations?

I rate it right up there as one of my favourite places in the world.

I could definitely live there but would need to take a really hot chick up with me as there are no chicks and nothing else to do when it goes flat!

 

 

OLI ADAMS

 

1. What's your favourite wave in Scotland, and why?

Baggies. Its not only my favourite wave in Scotland its my favourite in the world.

It  holds a special place in my heart because,  a few years ago Al Mckinnon and the Gill took me and Russ Mullins over there. They showed us this ridiculous slab that they thought might be just about makable. They wanted someone to try it. I was only about 18 then so it was good that I was with Mullins, who is a nutter. After finding out that it actually was just about makable. It turned out to be the heaviest and most amazing wave I had surfed in the world. Baggies has taught me so much about barrel riding over the years and I’m truly greatful for that.

 

2. Describe the best conditions you've had at that spot. When was that session?

The best session was last week after the WQS. Everyone had left,  it was just me and Josh Hughes out with not a cloud in the sky. Perfect, heavy 4-6 ft a frame barrels. Not many people know this but on the right day the rights can be better than the lefts. This day was like that. Full on fall in behind the peak and get a long stand up pit before being spat out just in front of the rocks. We were out for three hours, I reckon we were getting a good barrel every five to ten min’s so work that one out! Definately the best surf of our lives. yeha!

 

3. Biggest waves surfed up there?

Probably this one day after the BPSA two years ago. Thurso was 6ft and pumping but everyone from the comp was out there so I went to baggies to try and get some bigger barrels. When you get out there it’s always so much bigger than it looks from the land and I would call it a good 6-8 ft. I had one wave that day that was for sure the biggest wave I’ve had out there. This one massive wide one came in and it wasn’t my turn but everyone let it go and for some reason my arms started paddling as fast as they could for it even though my head was saying no. I’m so glad I went because it was the biggest adrenaline rush barrel I’ve had, I can still remember it clearly to this day.

 

4. When did you first hear about/ travel up to Scotland?

I’d known about Thurso East since I was a little grom but I didn’t realise that there were world class waves all over Scotland until I first went to a contest there when I was 17.

 

5. What else makes Scotland a good travel destination?

Its such a beautiful place and to be honest I actually enjoy the cold climate aspect that goes along with Scotland.

 

6. Where does Scotland sit in your list of worldwide surf destinations?

It’s my number one for sure, I can drive there without catching a ferry, the waves are unbelievable and have great variety and the crowds are managable to say the least.

 

7. Scotland or Indo?

Scotland any day. indo is to crowded and sketchy as fuck.

 

8. Scotland or Ireland?

Both are amazing but i feel more at home in Scotland.

 

 

MICAH LESTER

 

1. What's your favourite wave in Scotland, and why?

Thurso East for sure, everyone is wrapped up with the slabs but at the end of the day Thurso is a perfect long reef with a serous barrel and its a right!

 

2. Describe the best conditions you've had at that spot. When was that session?

I’ve had a few and its always around the UK pro tour event. My best day out there was probably the contest day of the last UK pro tour event last October. It was pumping, only four guys in the water, and I won money for surfing perfect waves all day.

 

3. Anything up there scare you?

I’m always scared of swallowing nuclear particals

 

4. When did you first hear about/ travel up to Scotland?

Oh years and years ago, but I never got up there until I did my first contest, about four years ago.

 

5. What else makes Scotland a good travel destination?

It’s good when there’s waves but you have to know the tides and winds for each break, otherwise you'll miss it. If there’s no waves there are a few touristy things to do and its beautiful, but when its raining and flat its a shit hole.

 

6. Where does Scotland sit in your list of worldwide surf destinations?

Top 5, only because I can drive there, I got sick wetsuits and I know the correct charts to go on.

 

7. Scotland or Indo? Why

Indo in boardshorts, no redheads, cheap and consistant.

 

8. Scotland or Ireland?

Scotland, whiskey over Guinness.

 

ALAN STOKES

 

1. What's your favourite wave in Scotland, and why?

My favourite wave has to be Thurso East, there are so many good waves up there that are world class but even with all the new spots being found Thurso on its day is just amazing, just a perfect right point with heavy tubes, that’s my cup of tea.

 

2. Describe the best conditions you've had at that spot. When was that session?

I’ve had so many good surfs at Thurso, it all seems to just blur into one long barrel and that cant be a bad thing, although the ten point tube ride I got last year in the quaters was special just a perfect wave.

 

3. Could you live up there?

No I couldn’t live there. I think the magical thing about the place is that its so far away and there aren’t that many surfers around.

 

4. What else makes Scotland a good travel destination?

Me and fryer went snowboarding up there last year. That’s a pretty good reason to go there. You can snowboard near Inverness at Avimore and be in the surf two hours later, amazing!

 

5. Where does Scotland sit in your list of worldwide surf destinations?

Now I think about it I’m claiming it as my favourite surf destination, that is until the weather turns ugly and I drive home.

 

6. What are the locals like?

I think the local people in Scotland still resemble the Vikings that landed there years ago, big characters ,very warm and welcoming, people with massive heartly laughs, but you wouldn’t want to drop in on them.

 

7. Do you worry about the radioactive particles that have been found around the Sandside area ?

I think if I surfed there every day I would be worried about the radioactive particles, its a shame because Sandside is a beautiful beach and there’s this sign saying if you surf here your nuts will drop off, nothing like a good reality check.

 

EGOR HARRIS

 

1.What's your favourite wave in Scotland, and why?

Brimms bowl. Perfect mechanical back door right slab. Amazing clear tubes when its on, and very fun. Nice place to hang out and wait for the tide.

 

2. Describe the best conditions you've had at that spot. When was that session?

There’s been accouple of dawny sessions. Very cold, thick, round, clean barrels and an amazing sunrise. Nice frosty plums.

 

3. Best surfers out there?

Chris Noble and Andy Bains rule Thurso East. Chris Clarke and aussie Rick are loving the slabs and are charging.

 

4. When did you first hear about/ travel up to Scotland?

Nigel Semmens first told me about Thurso East when I was a grommet. First went when I was 12.

 

5. What else makes Scotland a good travel destination?

Its a big , big, road trip and there’s always fun along the way. Deep fried bananas.