Thurso East

Surf kayaking at Thurso East

Thurso East is Scotland's prime surfing venue on the north coast of Scotland.

Thurso East is located at the mouth of the River Thurso, overlooked by the remains of Thurso castle. The reef is made of layers of Caithness flagstone (the same stone that paves the Strand and much of Paris).

Thurso East is a fast reef break and has hosted many international competitions. The reef holds swell from 2 ft upwards of 15 ft and is primarily a long walling right-hander with several barrel sections depending on tide and swell direction (Just N of W is best, to N makes it less hollow and more fun). When conditions are right there can be a crowd, but not always, local surfers dominate the peak. Thurso East came into the spotlight in 2006 when it was used to host the inaugural O'Neill Highland Open WQS surfing competition. The event was won by British surfer Russell Winter. The site also played host to the O'neill Cold Water Classic competition in both 2009 and 2010.