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kintyre | machrihanish kitesurf, wingfoil and windsurf spot

United Kingdom · Scotland

Spot currently openAdvanced level 55.43 | -5.72

Overview

Machrihanish has one of the longest beaches in Scotland, stretching nearly 5 km facing the Atlantic on the west coast of the Kintyre peninsula. This major kitesurfing spot offers full west exposure with quality waves and very consistent wind. The golden sandy beach is wide and open, perfect for kitesurfing. Machrihanish is renowned for its surf and kite conditions among the best in Scotland.

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Spot forecast for kintyre | machrihanish

Sunrise 08:03 · Sunset 18:11

Open-Meteo

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< 7 kn7–12 kn13–20 kn21–30 kn31–40 kn41+ kn Gusts Your minimum: 7 kn

Forecasts provided by Open-Meteo

Swell and waves

Swell and tides over 8 days. Premium members see the swell and tides over 8 days. Without a subscription: 5 days.

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Wave height: < 0.5 m 0.5–1 m 1–2 m 2–3 m ≥ 3 m

Swell data by Open-Meteo Marine

Tides

Heights above lowest astronomical tide, in the spot's local time. Computed 5.7 km from the spot.

6:0012:0018:006:0012:0018:006:0012:0018:006:0012:0018:006:0012:0018:00Tue 20Wed 21Thu 22Fri 23Sat 24 Now02:370.2 m07:220.7 m11:150.5 m12:460.5 m14:390.5 m18:511 m03:270.2 m08:220.7 m11:540.5 m13:360.6 m15:330.5 m19:270.9 m04:170.2 m10:180.7 m12:410.6 m14:140.6 m16:300.5 m20:020.8 m05:060.2 m11:580.7 m14:070.7 m14:280.7 m17:260.6 m20:340.7 m05:530.2 m13:010.8 m18:210.6 m21:010.7 m22:350.6 m
  • Tuesday 20 October Low tide · 0.2 m High tide · 0.7 m Low tide · 0.5 m High tide · 0.5 m Low tide · 0.5 m High tide · 1 m
  • Wednesday 21 October Low tide · 0.2 m High tide · 0.7 m Low tide · 0.5 m High tide · 0.6 m Low tide · 0.5 m High tide · 0.9 m
  • Thursday 22 October Low tide · 0.2 m High tide · 0.7 m Low tide · 0.6 m High tide · 0.6 m Low tide · 0.5 m High tide · 0.8 m
  • Friday 23 October Low tide · 0.2 m High tide · 0.7 m Low tide · 0.7 m High tide · 0.7 m Low tide · 0.6 m High tide · 0.7 m
  • Saturday 24 October Low tide · 0.2 m High tide · 0.8 m Low tide · 0.6 m High tide · 0.7 m Low tide · 0.6 m

kintyre | machrihanish: when to go?

Rideable days and hours computed for a minimum wind of 7 knots · log in to set your own (foil, twin-tip…)

Season · peak

455h

in June · 29 rideable days

The season runs from June to September, peaking in June: 27 rideable days a month and 455 hours of usable wind, at 16 °C. The low point is March, at 16.5 days.

Rideable days per month

0 10 20 30 January: 24 rideable days J February: 19.5 rideable days F March: 16.5 rideable days16.5 d M April: 20 rideable days A May: 20 rideable days M June: 29 rideable days29 d J July: 26 rideable days J August: 27.5 rideable days A September: 23.5 rideable days S October: 21.5 rideable days O November: 21.5 rideable days N December: 22.5 rideable days D 0 10 20 30 January: 24 rideable days J February: 19.5 rideable days F March: 16.5 rideable days16.5 d M April: 20 rideable days A May: 20 rideable days M June: 29 rideable days29 d J July: 26 rideable days J August: 27.5 rideable days A September: 23.5 rideable days S October: 21.5 rideable days O November: 21.5 rideable days N December: 22.5 rideable days D

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 55%13-20 knots · 39%21-30 knots · 6%31+ knots · under 1%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 55% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is January, at 7 °C. The wettest month is November, with 158 mm.

Monthly averages: kintyre | machrihanish
Monthly averages — kintyre | machrihanish — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month Rideable days Usable wind Temperature Rain
January 24.0 199 h 7 °C 100 mm
February 19.5 194 h 8 °C 99 mm
March 16.5 179 h 10 °C 108 mm
April 20.0 239 h 12 °C 105 mm
May 20.0 216 h 15 °C 92 mm
June 29.0 455 h 15 °C 98 mm
July 26.0 353 h 17 °C 68 mm
August 27.5 355 h 17 °C 148 mm
September 23.5 257 h 15 °C 122 mm
October 21.5 238 h 13 °C 143 mm
November 21.5 184 h 10 °C 158 mm
December 22.5 178 h 9 °C 157 mm

Photo gallery of kintyre | machrihanish

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Technical details of kintyre | machrihanish spot

N: Depending on conditions NNE: Not rideable NE: Not rideable ENE: Not rideable E: Not rideable ESE: Not rideable SE: Not rideable SSE: Depending on conditions S: Rideable SSW: Rideable SW: Rideable WSW: Rideable W: Rideable WNW: Rideable NW: Rideable NNW: Depending on conditions N E S W

The spot works with winds from S, SSW, SW, WSW, W, WNW, NW.

Depending on conditions: N, SSE, NNW.

RideableDepending on conditions Not rideable
Spot opening date · Required level
Spot opening date
Open all year round
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Parking

Free parking in the village of Machrihanish, with direct beach access. Also accessible from the Machrihanish Dunes Golf Club. The village is about 10 minutes from Campbeltown, accessible via the A83 road from Glasgow (about 4 hours drive).

Hazards

Beach very exposed to Atlantic swell - powerful waves possible. Longshore drift currents along the coast. Shore break can be violent. Cold water all year round. Rocks in some places at the ends of the beach. Offshore (east) wind can carry you out to sea quickly.

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Campbeltown Airport Airport2.6 kmsource aviationweather.gov

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