Lost Shore Surf Resort: The Ultimate Review

Or how I developed a wave pool addiction with my 10-year-old son in Scotland

Three days. Five sessions. One wreck of a father on the return flight. This is my ultimate review of Lost Shore Surf Resort in Scotland: logistics, costs, the wave itself, the accommodation, and everything I would do differently if I go again. Spoiler: I am going again.

From Belgium to Scotland

A mini trip to Edinburgh with my 10-year-old son. As a Belgian, you can easily fly to Edinburgh from Charleroi or Brussels South, usually with Ryanair. We scored cheap flights at good times, departed from Charleroi in the morning, and thanks to the time difference, were already at the resort by 11 am. Not bad for a quick trip to catch a wave.

What you must not forget: the UK is no longer in Europe . Therefore, you need an international passport, as well as an ETA (UK Travel Authorization). This costs €24.31 per person and is linked to your passport. As long as your passport is valid, your ETA remains valid too.

At the airport, we took a taxi, and it turned out to be surprisingly well-organized. Someone is waiting for you, asks for some info (handy, because we had a large board bag), notes down your name, and three minutes later they call you up and a van is ready. Cost: about 40 euros.

Arrival: hidden in a quarry with history

Lost Shore is located just behind an industrial park, but you won't notice it at all once you're there. It is hidden in a deep pit, formerly a quarry where the cobblestones for Edinburgh's streets were extracted. So, a piece of history, included free with your surf trip.

The reception was incredibly friendly. We couldn't check into our cabin until around 4 pm, but there was space to safely leave our luggage until then.

Food and drinks at the resort

Lost Shore has a large bistro, which includes a pizzeria. My son was very hungry, so I quickly ordered two pizzas. I didn't look properly, because one pizza is actually already a family pizza. Next time I'd be better off just ordering slices.

The restaurant itself was definitely worth it, with a nice menu. My son has a milk allergy, and to my surprise, there were several vegan options so he could enjoy a good meal too. Because we had our own cottage and wanted to avoid accidental milk spills, we ended up doing most of the cooking ourselves. So I didn't test the menu exhaustively.

Cooking for yourself does mean going to the supermarket. We had an Uber within 10 minutes, and there is a Lidl a few kilometers away. If you want to stay longer or go on excursions, a rental car at the airport is probably cheaper, but keep in mind that you drive on the left in the UK. It always takes a bit of getting used to.

The surf sessions: prices, levels, and queues

Towards evening, we were able to do our first session. Lost Shore has 9 different options, and for each option, you choose left or right:

Oddly enough, the price increases along with the level. I suspect that has to do with the number of people per session. I did Barrels, High Performance, and Turns to Tubes myself, and was never in the water with more than 6 people. My son did Cruiser Plus, Turns, and Maneuvers, and was often with 10 or more.

Kids always get a discount. And if you book a second session on the spot, you can even get up to 50% off, although I'm not sure if that always applies, and you do need to keep a close eye on whether sessions are fully booked.

The guidance and safety provided by the lifeguards were top-notch: a short, clear briefing, a lifeguard at the take-off zone, one on the pier in the middle, and a tower keeping an eye on everything. There was also a great vibe in the water itself, with tips from the "locals".

Which wetsuit do you need?

We were there the last week of August, so the water was at its warmest. And even then, it was still only 18 degrees. I had prepared for cool and some wind (typical Scotland), and opted for a 4/3 wetsuit. In hindsight, perhaps a bit too thick. I also always wear booties in a wave pool to protect my feet from the concrete bottom, but on warm, sunny days, that combo was just a little too warm.

Please note: the morning and evening sessions will definitely not have any sun anymore. If you go in the other three seasons, be sure to bring a thicker wetsuit. By the way, Edinburgh is located further north than you might think—think around the latitude of Copenhagen, so quite far north.

Wear a helmet (and don't underestimate the wall)

What I absolutely recommend: wear a helmet. During one of my sessions, someone went down head first and came up with a huge bump on his forehead. It didn't look good. So put your ego aside and put on a helmet.

And it’s not just the bottom that’s tricky, but the wall at the take-off as well. The WaveGarden Cove technique pushes waves sideways into the pool, and that collision with both the bottom and the wall makes for a nice take-off. I actually found that quite okay in every session: even in Barrels, the wall isn't extremely fast, so you have time for a first setup turn before the barrel section starts. As long as you don't fall, the wall isn't a problem.

But if you do fall, the next two waves will really push you towards that wall. That is different from being in the sea; not necessarily very dangerous, but it feels creepy to be pushed towards a wall. A feeling you don't know from the ocean. So just be careful.

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Isn't all that concrete tricky for your board?

Absolutely, and the wall plays a role here too. If you go over the falls, or push your board away at the last moment, you instinctively push yourself away from the wall. Specifically: you are pushing your board *towards* the wall. If you cannot keep your board with you on the next two waves, there is a good chance it will hit the wall.

At the same time, in those glorious waves, you naturally want to use your own board to get the most out of it. So I would still always bring my own boards, even though Lost Shore has its own surf shop with an impressive rental arsenal: a whole range of Firewire and Slater Design boards.

Bring your own boards or rent them locally? Add the board fee to your flight, plus the more expensive taxi and the risk of damage, and renting simply wins. If you do damage a rental board, they charge a standard fee of 10 pounds, a very fair price. My advice: rent locally.

What kind of wave pool is Lost Shore exactly?

Lost Shore opted for WaveGarden technology. Their first generation was the WaveGarden Lagoon, which used cables to pull a wavefoil underwater, installed at Surf Snowdonia (Wales), which has since closed. Next came the WaveGarden Cove: a system with paddles on the central pier. There are now more than 10 worldwide, including The Wave (Bristol), URBNSURF (Melbourne & Sydney), Alaïa Bay (Switzerland), Wave Park (South Korea), Praia da Grama & Beyond The Club (Brazil), and thus Lost Shore.

But Lost Shore is special: with 52 modules (104 paddles), it is the largest in Europe and one of the longest Wavegarden piers in the world. That translates directly to rides of 15 to 20 seconds, considerably longer than at smaller wave pools. And behind those paddles is software too: Lost Shore runs on the latest Wavegarden updates, accounting for more than 20 different wave types, from steep barrels for pros to gradual foam heads for beginners.

How does that Wavegarden Cove technique actually work?

The central pier contains dozens of modular units, each with two independently controlled paddles. These push the water away on either side to create waves that break both left and right simultaneously. Because the paddles do not move simultaneously but in a cascade, a gradually propagating swell is created. This avoids vacuum and turbulence at the rear. The software digitally adjusts speed, power, and frequency per wave for each level. As soon as the swell flows away from the pier and hits the gradually rising seabed with artificial sandbanks and reefs, it rises and breaks like a perfect surf wave. The result: up to 1,000 clean, adjustable waves per hour.

The Kurv versus the hilltop lodges

We opted for a Waterfront Kurv: a small cabin with one bedroom (double + bunk bed), an extremely spacious bathroom (where you can even fit surfboards), and a small kitchen/living area. I really can't say anything wrong with the Kurv; everything you need is in tip-top condition. Except for the social aspect: we were lucky with warm and sunny weather, so we mostly lived outdoors. But on a cold, rainy day, with wet wetsuits that need to dry inside, it gets tight with four people.

There are other options, of course. Sitting waterfront is nice, everything is close by. But if you want to see your friends surfing, you have to go outside. You still have a bit of a view on the wave on the right, but it's not ideal.

The hilltop lodges, on the other hand, are next level compared to the waterfront options. However, it involves a walk of about 700 to 800 meters—not much in itself, but definitely noticeable when you have to go up and down with boards a few times a day. And certainly count on rain and wind in Scotland. Even from the car park, you’ll easily be lugging heavy board bags and a suitcase 300 to 400 meters. I was glad when I got there, so renting on-site is definitely worth considering.

I also checked Airbnb, but there really aren't many options within a small radius of Lost Shore, and they certainly weren't cheap.

Are you combining this with a visit to Edinburgh?

I certainly regret that we didn't take the time to visit Edinburgh. But it didn't fit into our hit-and-run schedule: 3 days including the flight, of which 5 sessions were squeezed in—the maximum achievable for me. I was a wreck when I got home. From the plane, however, you did have a beautiful view of the Highlands, the city, and the sea coming deep into Scotland. I had already decided to come back even before we landed.

Edinburgh city centre is only 15 to 20 km away, by the way, so combining a day trip is very feasible with more than 3 days.

Recovery, relaxation, and non-surfers

Lost Shore has its own wellness center and a beautiful sauna with a view of the spot. Since I wasn't on a romantic trip with my wife, but an all-you-can-surf trip with my son, we skipped the wellness. There were also yoga sessions, surf-skating lessons, and some other side activities.

For non-surfers, I thought it was a missed opportunity that you aren't allowed to watch from the pier or next to the pool. My son was in the water and there was no way to communicate during the session; I would have loved to give him some tips. The same goes for friends who surf: the only option is to watch from the concrete beach, and that is quite a distance from the wave. Just like in the sea, really.

The atmosphere: hardcore surfers, families, or both?

A great mix. There were certainly hardcore, extremely good surfers from all over the world. Andrew Cotton was walking around when we were there, and the Norwegian national surf team uses Lost Shore as the official National Performance Centre for their Olympic preparation. There were also impressive surfers from Santander (Spain) in the water; the level in the performance waves was amazing to see.

But at the same time, there were also a lot of families, surf camps for kids, and the Edinburgh Surfskate Academy used the area around the wave pool for lessons. A wonderful mix, but definitely real surf. Great.

Biggest windfalls and setbacks

The length and quality of the waves were beyond expectations; that was epic. The location, a 15-minute taxi ride from Edinburgh Airport, is also a bonus: it makes a short trip a lot easier. And because accommodation, board rental, restaurant, and sauna are all on-site, you can get by with a mini suitcase if you're doing a short trip. Next time I'll bring less; traveling lighter is simply more pleasant.

There weren't any real major disappointments. Just paid a learning fee. Next time I'll approach it slightly differently.

Frequently Asked Questions about Lost Shore Surf Resort

How far in advance do you need to book sessions and accommodation?

Given the popularity of the level and time slot system, and the option to book a discounted second session on-site, it is smart to book your main sessions in advance and leave room for an impulsive extra session as soon as you see which slots are still available.

Is it strictly checked whether you are surfing at the right level?

Based on the group sizes I observed—a few people in the higher levels (Barrels, High Performance, Turns to Tubes) compared to 10+ in the entry levels—the system seems to regulate itself via the lineup. The briefing and the lifeguards are clearly keeping a watchful eye on safety.

Approximately how many waves do you catch per one-hour session?

That depends heavily on the number of people in your session. In the higher levels, with a handful of surfers, we clearly got more turns than in the busier entry sessions.

How does an artificial wave feel compared to the ocean?

Predictable in timing and power, that is the big difference. But the wall at the take-off and the way you are pushed towards that wall during a drop is a feeling you don't experience at sea. See the section above about the wall.

What do you do in typical Scottish weather, rain and wind?

Everything you need is located on the domain itself: food, board rental, sauna, and wellness. On a cold, rainy day, a smaller Kurv does get stuffy faster with wet wetsuits inside, so keep that in mind when choosing your accommodation.

Who would highly recommend this trip, and how many days is ideal?

For everyone from absolute beginner to advanced surfer, the mix of levels and crowd is exactly what makes it special. With 3 days and 5 sessions, I reached my limit; if you want to combine Edinburgh as well, count on more days.