Surfing
The British big wave surfer's new video series explores his passion for the west-Ireland coastline.
Andrew Cotton: Wild Atlantic Way is a miniseries that follows the Devonshire surfer as he seeks out the best spots on Ireland’s stunning west coast. Why not make this summer an unforgettable one, and surf some of Andrew's favourite spots with your friends?
Give your summer wiiings! Play the Spot the Cans game and you could get an exclusive 5-can Red Bull pack for you and your friends.
The Wild Atlantic Way is a 1500-mile tourist route that runs from Donegal in the north to Cork in the south. For Andrew, it’s more than just a coast road; it’s a route that connects some of the most alluring surf spots in the British Isles.
Wild Atlantic Way was my dream assignment
Below, Andrew explains why he loves surfing in Irish waters and the essential piece of kit he can't do without…
Hi Andrew – tell us about the Wild Atlantic Way series
Wild Atlantic Way was my dream assignment. Being able to just go and have some fun was great. I’ve been coming to the west coast for over 10 years, so I know some of the local [surfer] guys. I just told each of them to take us somewhere special to them; this trip wasn’t about the best waves, it was just about being off the beaten track and seeing places that I’ve never seen before. A touristy adventure!
Tell us about the places featured in each episode
For the first one I met with Conor Maguire in North Donegal. He took us to a secret-ish spot. There was nobody there and we just surfed by ourselves. He took us to Slieve League too, which are the tallest sea cliffs in Europe. We went for a hike on the cliffs, the skies cleared and the sun came out – it was an amazing and beautiful afternoon.
In episode two we visited Olly O’Flaherty in County Clare [in Mid-West Eire]. The Clare coast is famous for big waves but we went to beaches that you wouldn’t really surf, like the Burren, which has a huge array of rock formations that go into the surf. Olly also took us to the Cliffs of Moher, which are a huge tourist destination.
Episode three we shot in the south-west in Dingle, County Kerry with Tom Knox. I’d never met him before but I’d heard of him. He showed us a few really fun point breaks in Dingle. We had an amazing night out there, too – there is loads of live music and there are cool and quirky pubs. We had a beer in a bike shop and a DIY store. Every shop had a bar in it, no matter what it was. It was very different to the ruggedness of Donegal.
What is it that you like about surfing in Ireland specifically?
Ireland is unique. It has every type of wave. On the Wild Atlantic Way road you go past every surf spot imaginable; we met really nice peeling points, nice beach breaks, and dangerous heavy slabs for big waves. It has everything for a surfer.
Nowhere challenges the breadth of your skills like the west coast of Ireland. Even when the surf’s massive, there’s always a little wave you can find. You have to do a lot of driving and semi-know where you’re going, though, which is why we hooked up with a local guy in each spot.
How were the conditions?
Variable! Overall, we’ve been lucky. While we’ve seen snow, torrential rain and wind, we’ve also had two of the clearest days I’ve ever seen in Ireland. We spent two or three days in each location, and we had one beautiful day in each section, so we got all our beauty shots.
I took an outdoor changing robe …[if] you don’t want to get out of the car to get changed because it’s cold, the robe can be the edge to make me do it!
What kit did you take?
I took two standard short boards, two wetsuits with boots and gloves. That was it. Oh, and an outdoor changing robe! When it’s freezing and you’re sitting in the car and you want to go surfing, but you don’t want to get out of the car to get changed because it’s just so cold, the robe can be the edge to make me do it!
You’ve been surfing off the coast of Ireland for 10 years. What is it that keeps dragging you back there?
Despite those bleak moments where it’s pissing down with rain, there always seems to be a moment where it’s worth it. Like at Slieve League in Donegal; the surf wasn’t good, but you walk up a hill and there’s nobody about. It was so clear and you could see the whole coastline.
It can be howling and windy and snowy, but then you drive round the corner and see glimpses of gold.
