Cleethorpes
Vast shallow sand at the mouth of the Humber — flat, forgiving and next to some very serious tidal streams.
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● Spot · shaded: the wind directions that work here. It is not a riding area or a permitted kite zone. Two fingers to move the map.
Location & launch
Know before you go.
- Launch
- Huge flat sand at the mouth of the Humber, with promenade access and a long walk out at low water.
- Wind
- NNW · N · NNE · NE · ENE · E · ESE · SE winds work here.
The shaded area shows the wind directions recorded as working here. It is not a permitted kite zone or a safe launch boundary. Check local signs.
Local rules, hazards & spot guide
Need to know
The things that catch people out here.
- You are at the mouth of the Humber. The streams are strong and the shipping is constant — stay inshore of the channels.
- Extremely shallow and flat, which makes it a genuinely good learner beach on the right tide.
- The walk out at low water is long, over sand and mud.
Conditions
- Best
- Works
- Offshore
- Works in
- NNW, N, NNE, NE, ENE, E, ESE, SE
- Best in
- N, NNE, NE
- Offshore (careful)
- S, SSW, SW, WSW, W, WNW
- Wind quality
- moderate
- Water
- Flat
- Depth
- standing
- Best tide
- Mid tide
- Spring range
- 6.3 m
- Beginner
- Ideal
- Intermediate
- Good
- Advanced
- Workable
Hazards
Most serious first. The level is in words as well as colour.
- high
current The Humber estuary carries some of the strongest tidal streams in England, and heavy commercial shipping.
- high
shipping Immingham and Grimsby traffic uses the Humber channels.
- medium
tidal cutoff Enormous flats that cover quickly.
Access & rules
- Launch
- Huge flat sand at the mouth of the Humber, with promenade access and a long walk out at low water.
- Permit
- Not required
- Insurance
- Third-party liability expected
- Tuition
- Permitted
- Facilities
- toilets, cafe, shop, pub
Parking
- Cleethorpes seafront and Humberston Fitties
paid
Safety
Who is around if it goes wrong. None of it makes the water safe.
- Lifeguards
- Seasonal cover on the main beach.
- RNLI
- Cleethorpes RNLI
- Nearest A&E
- Diana, Princess of Wales Hospital, Grimsby (~15 min)
- Water quality
- Designated bathing water — good
The spot
Cleethorpes and the Humberston Fitties give an enormous expanse of shallow, flat sand at the mouth of the Humber. On the right tide it is one of the more forgiving learner beaches in the north of England, and there is space for everyone.
The Humber itself is the caveat. Its tidal streams are among the strongest in England and the estuary carries constant commercial traffic into Immingham and Grimsby. Stay well inshore of the channels, and allow for the long walk out at low water.
Sources
Where this record came from, and how confident we are in it.
- Windfinder — Humberston
Checked 2026-09-07 · coordinates, wind
- Kite Addicts — Cleethorpes
Checked 2026-09-23 · wind
- UK Windsurfing beach guide — Cleethorpes
Checked 2026-09-23 · wind
Verify locally. Coordinates 53.5442, -0.0038. Conditions, access arrangements and beach rules change; check them on the day before you rely on anything on this page.