Another one of Northern Ireland's massive spanning beaches, Portstewart Strand is a two-mile long sandy beach. It's huge, and actually has a few lineups in here, due to some unique formations surrounding the beach. The Strand actually ended up getting rented out by the Game of Thrones film crew to get some shots here, if you're into that at all.
Seems to be surfable at most ends of the tide, but would probably prefer a rising, like most beaches do.
This spot is actually owned by the National Trust, which means the parking is paid. Last time I checked, it was £8.50 for the day. Parking is right on the sands of the beach.
Public outdoor showers are just down from Harry's Shack.
This is the main beach break, basically anywhere along the beach that you can find a spot. It really just depends on the sandbanks where is good, which can be fickle.
This line is basically anywhere in the middle of the other two lines, Bailies and Barmouth.
Just over the rocks from the main portion of the beach, is a little separated portion of the bay known as "Bailies". Not sure why it got this name.
Tends to have a few hazardous rocks, one notoriously right in the middle of the bay that's pretty easy to hit into.
At the west end, where the River Bann enters the Atlantic, there's some rocky piers that have been constructed on both ends of the river as it enters the sea.
These act as a break for the waves or something to bounce off of, depending on the angle. Much more powerful and hollow, so beginners are recommended to head to the much more easy to ride waves than this.
Current conditions: 7/10 rating, 1.06m swell, 16mph wind, 7s period.
Clean and aligned