Magheroarty beach.....only 10 minutes drive from the cottage 

 Situated right on the very north west tip, this part of Ireland has some of the most unspoilt and beautiful beaches in the whole country. Windsurfing here is truly magical, and very much off the beaten track.
Magheroarty is just one of many fantastic beaches on the west coast. It is a big, horse-shoe shaped beach with Ireland's biggest sand dune at the very end. The main beach boasts a superb reef break at the top end of the beach, just upwind of the pier. This reef is suitable for windsurfing or surfing, and in both cases you can launch right off the end of the pier!
On the main beach good waves are almost guaranteed, and the further you go down the beach generally, the bigger the waves get.

Beach faces: North / North-west

Best wind direction: South-west to West is port tack, cross-off and cleanest on the reef. South-west going South works better on the beach break. North-west is cross-on and offers good jumping.

Best direction for waves: All of the above wind directions ideally with a West or North-west swell.

Not good: South-east or East winds are unlikely to bring waves unless there is still a decent ground swell.

Tide: Mid tide flood up to high water.

What’s on the bottom: On the beach to the right of the pier is all sand. The reef to the left of the pier is obviously boulders but they are not the worst and the rip leads you out into flat water.

Any hazards?: Just don’t go too far upwind on the reef as at the very top there are some pretty big rocks. As always make sure your kit is in good nick. Lifeboats and helicopters have been called out before up here to rescue broken-down windsurfers!

Other water users: Surfers on the reef, and the odd kitesurfer. More likely to see seals and dolphins. Tory Island ferry twice a day and local crab/lobster boats.

Suitability/levels: Beginners to Advanced. Beginners go at the top end of beach where the waves are much smaller. If the waves are too much then on a high tide you can head to the inside lagoon for blasting or freestyle.
There are also loads of other beaches for both beginners and advanced, all within half an hour's drive. For the serious sailor and surfer, try Bloody Foreland and Falcarragh.

Wipeout factor:It can feel like ‘survival at sea’ stuff. If it’s too windy, just wait a while, the weather round here usually changes every few hours.
In a big blow, it is not uncommon to have sets closing out the whole way across the bay to the island offshore. That's well over a mile so you need to be a pretty confident sailor in these conditions and have a strong mast!