Rest Bay works pretty much up to high tide but is best around mid tide. There is a rip here which pulls you towards the cliffs on the left-hand side, but the beach is fairly safe.

It's a beach break and pulls up onto the rocks near the shore as the tide moves in - so you need to be aware of these when paddling in and there is also a boat ramp to be aware of. On bigger swells this can act like a reef causing waves to break inside and onto it.

The beach here holds waves up to 6ft+ on good days and, more often than not, has nice hollow sections at low tide around the cliff. Being a beach break, the banks can shift and vary in quality but the best ones can usually be found towards the golf course.

Beginners should try and stay infront of the car park and be aware of rips as the tide pushes in. Nowadays the beach gets very busy on good days, so make sure you abide by the surfing rules! Don't drop in and try and stay out of the riders way, if they're up and riding. Paddle across the wave into the white water if necessary!

Check out some some surf shots from the classic Oct 2005 swell.

Visit www.porthcawlsurf.co.uk for daily surf images of the local breaks around Porthcawl.

Check out Mike Davies' photos of surfers at Rest Bay.