View through the dune grass to the blue sea and beach at Camber Sands

Kitesurfing, surfing & watersports at Camber Sands

Camber is widely regarded as one of the best kitesurfing beaches in the UK: a wide, flat, sandy bay with shallow water, flat-water lagoons at low tide and some of the most reliable winds on the south coast.

Whether you have never held a kite or you are packing your own quiver, this is the beach. Three licensed schools teach here, hire is a two-minute walk from the kite zone, and Beachside Cottage is a short walk from the sand with a garage for boards, kites and buggies, a washer dryer for wetsuits, and parking front and rear for the van.

Who it suits

Complete beginners (the shallow, shelving sand and flat lagoons are ideal for learning), independent riders looking for reliable wind, families who want a gentler paddleboard or sailing session, and anyone who just wants to watch the kites at the Broomhill end with a coffee.

Kite zone: Kitesurfers use the eastern end of the beach, from the chequered flag towards the MOD range at Dungeness (marked with a hut and red flag), around two miles of open beach. Power-kite flyers can use the whole beach. Schools teach in a dedicated zone away from swimmers.
Tides: Launching is tide-dependent: around high water the beach narrows and the schools pause sessions until the sand is exposed again. Check the tide before you plan a session and follow the schools’ advice. BBC tide tables
Safety: Never launch or paddle near the harbour mouth (strong currents). Keep clear of the lifeguarded bathing zones and the red-and-yellow flags. Wear a buoyancy aid for SUP and kayaking. Beginners should always learn with a licensed school rather than heading out alone. In an emergency call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
Season: Kitesurfing runs year-round in wetsuits; Rye Watersports’ lake-based sailing, windsurfing, wing foiling and SUP lessons run from mid-March to the end of October.
Parking: Broomhill Sands car park (TN31 7SB) at the eastern end is closest to the kite zone; currently free with a height barrier. Camber Kitesurfing at 123 Lydd Road is a two-minute walk from the zone.

Kitesurfing

Camber’s south-west-facing bay lines up with the prevailing wind and benefits from summer sea breezes, which is why it is often called the UK’s home of kitesurfing. Lessons follow the British Kitesports (BKSA) syllabus, from a first trainer-kite session on the sand to multi-day courses that take you to independent riding. Nearby Greatstone is used by the schools as a second beach for different wind directions.

The Kitesurf Centre

On the beach at the Broomhill endSince 2007Kitesurf, wing foil, kite buggy, landboard, SUP

The UK’s largest kitesurf school, located directly on the beach, with a shop and demo kit. Runs beginner tasters, weekend and week-long courses, land-based kite buggy and landboarding lessons, SUP and wave sessions, and equipment hire. thekitesurfcentre.com

Camber Kitesurfing

123 Lydd Road, CamberSince 2002Lessons, hire, surf & SUP & kayak hire, e-bikes

One of the longest-running kite schools in the UK, two minutes’ walk from the teaching zone, with a shop, hot shower and toilets. Kitesurf, wing foil and kite buggy lessons; hire of kitesurf kit, wings, buggies, kayaks, paddleboards and surfboards (plus bikes and e-bikes for anyone who does not want to get wet). camberkitesurfing.com

Rye Watersports

Northpoint Water, near RyeSince 1986Sailing, windsurf, wing foil, SUP, kitesurf

A family-run centre teaching sailing, windsurfing, wing foiling and paddleboarding for adults and children on its sheltered coastal lake (mid-March to end of October), plus BKSA kitesurfing lessons at Camber Sands and Greatstone. Ideal for families and nervous beginners. ryewatersports.co.uk

Sand dunes and marram grass at Camber Sands with the sea beyond — Wide, flat and shallow: the shelving sand and low-tide lagoons make Camber forgiving for beginners.

Surfing

Honest answer: Camber is a kite beach first. The bay picks up small-to-medium waves when there is swell in the Channel, a mellow beach break that is ideal for a first go rather than a surf pilgrimage. The water stays shallow a long way out, which is good for confidence. Foam surfboards (with fins and leash) can be hired from Camber Kitesurfing; wetsuits are extra, buoyancy aids free. Hirers must be confident swimmers, and surfing here is weather-dependent, so check a forecast and ask the shop about conditions on the day.

Paddleboarding, wing foiling and kayaking

On calm days the sheltered bay barely ripples, and shallow water eases first-timers in gently. Hire boards and kayaks in the village, or learn on the flat lake at Rye Watersports. Avoid paddling out on a strong outgoing tide, especially near the estuary; tell someone on shore how long you will be; and keep clear of the swimming zones and the kite zone. Wing foiling has grown quickly at Camber and all three schools now teach it.

Land kiting

Low-wind day? Kite buggying and landboarding lessons run on the sand at the western end of the kite zone, and are a brilliant introduction to kite control for older children and adults alike.

Official information

The Kitesurf Centre: lessons, courses, hire and beach zones
Camber Kitesurfing: lessons, kit, surfboard, SUP, kayak and e-bike hire
Rye Watersports: lake-based sailing, windsurf, wing and SUP; kitesurfing at Camber
RNLI: beach and sea safety
Rother District Council: beach zoning and car parks

Beachside Cottage · Camber Sands

Rinse off, stow the kit, sleep a short walk from the sand

A garage for boards and kites, a washer dryer for wetsuits, a hot shower, parking front and rear, south-facing decking to debrief on, and the beach a short walk away.

Check availability →See the cottage

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