Liencres / Cantabria / Spain

Situated west of Santander the quiet beach of Liencres is an excellent spot for surfers, wind surfers and kite surfers of all levels and abilities. This spot doesn't get too crowded even during the summer, so it is possible to surf all year around here. The best time of the year is during the summer (April to September) when the thermals appear.

Liencres boasts a lovely clean white sandy beach of medium size. There are no hazards on the beach and for kite surfers, it is possible to take off and land here without too much trouble. To find it you drive westwards out of Santander and follow the signs for Liencres and the beach.

The wind direction is pretty changeable here and can be anything from east to south to north west depending upon the season. During the summer you can pick up some great thermals. The wind speed hovers around the 8-10 mark,  however during the winter it is possible to see gusts in excess of 25 knots and this is not uncommon. The water quality at this spot is crystal clear and has waves most of the time, ranging from small (around 1 meter in height) to medium (around 3 meters in height) so this can be a good spot for surfers.  The water temperature falls somewhere between 10-18 degrees therefore a long 5mm wetsuit is probably needed during the winter.

There is parking here, but not a great deal else. The town of Liencres is a 10 minute walk just around the bay and this has a small selection of shops, bars and restaurants. If you want a bit of nightlife, then head back towards Santander.

There is really not too much to worry about here, except to be mindful of swimmers and bathers in and around the water during the summer months.