Come on in, the surf's up in sunny Scarborough

You don’t necessarily think of our humble shores as being a magnet for surfers due to the chilly sea temperatures – let’s face it, most of us would prefer to go for a swim in the aquamarine waters of the Mediterranean than go for a dip in the North Sea.

However, the huge popularity of famous warm-water surf locations around the world has resulted in overcrowded seas and beach resorts.

This has led some people to look elsewhere for quieter locations far from the madding crowds and taken them to places such as Norway, Iceland and Canada, and also the UK, prompting a growing interest in what’s known as cold-water surfing. Cornwall has long been a popular haunt for surfers and increasingly so, too, are stretches of the Yorkshire coast. Scarborough, for instance, has some world-class waves thanks to its unique location.

The town faces east and low pressure pushes the northerly swells down and when the coastline gets westerly winds, these hold the surf up longer.

So for people such as James Denton, a surfing instructor at Scarborough college, seen here enjoying an afternoon surfing in the town’s North Bay, it’s an ideal spot to ride the surf. Plus, there’s the added bonus of having the brooding Scarborough Castle as your backdrop.

The seaside town isn’t the only surfing hotspot along the Yorkshire coast. Both Cayton Bay and Staithes are rated by surfing aficionados as among the best spots in the country.

There’s scope for skilled surfers and novices with the best time for beginners being the autumn months when the waves tend to be more consistent and the beaches are less crowded.

For those who are more adventurous and experienced, the winter months offer the greater allure as this is when the waves are likely to be at their biggest. But either way, it seems the surf’s up, folks.

Camera Details: Camera Nikon D3’s, Lens Nikon VR 70-200mm, Aperture f/7.1, Shutter Speed 1/640s, ISO 200.