I tried surfing at Edinburgh’s Lost Shore Surf Resort and know I’ll be back for more

It’s probably more unusual to say there are going to be guaranteed world-class waves at a former quarry in Ratho. But that’s what the newly opened Lost Shore Surf Resort provides - limitless waves in a state-of the-art wave pool that is three times the size of Wembly football pitch. The largest inland surf resort in Europe no less. 

The landmark development on November 11, but I was lucky enough to attend the media day earlier in the month where I joined a group of journalists in the water to experience the customisable waves for myself. 

Lost Shore Surf Resort in Ratho near Edinburgh opened on November 11 | Lost Shore

I had been a skateboarder in my teenage years and occasional snowboarder when the opportunity came along, but I had only surfed a handful of times - the last time I had been on a surfboard I think Gordon Brown was still Prime Minister. 

At this point my main concerns were if I had maintained any sense of balance in my late 30s and the strength of the waves - but mostly, I was hoping the water wouldn’t be absolutely baltic. 

For over a year I had been curious to see what the 60-acre development would look like on completion - and Lost Shore’s facilities certainly met the hype. Several professional surfers were in the water showcasing their skills when I arrived, a group from the Surfskate Academy were skating around the 250-metre beachfront - I felt like I had travelled much more than 12 miles from Edinburgh’s city centre. 

The surrounding quarry walls make for a unique backdrop and it was exciting to roam the resort visiting the range of luxury accommodation, restaurant and waterfront bar and the Spear Sauna that is located on the far side. 

Lost Shore surf lessons cost £60 for adults and £50 for children for a 90-minute session | Lost Shore

It was then time for the lesson to begin. After getting equipped with all the required gear, the lesson starts on land where we practiced various surf fundamentals - from positioning on the board, to standing up and how to signal to instructors if you need assistance. 

Once everyone is clued up, or at least says they are, it’s time to venture into the water - and one of my concerns was immediately put to bed - the water was fine. I don’t know if there has been a considerable development in wetsuit technology in the last 15 years or if it was because the weather was remarkably warm for day in early November, but nevertheless - this was a great start. 

The pool is shallow enough that you can walk with your board to the midway point of the pool - much easier than wading out in the sea. I couldn’t wait for the waves to start.

The sound of the wave machine is one of excitement as you hear a muffled high pitch sound from the far side of the pool. Seconds later the waves are coming every 10 seconds or so. 

My first attempt at trying to catch the wave didn’t go to plan - I didn’t take off as I thought I would. An instructor nearby said that was because I was positioned too far forward, and right enough, my next attempt was a lot better after moving further down the board, this time staying on the board all the way to the shore and managing to stand up.

It was a great feeling. I rushed back to the middle of the wave pool, getting tips from instructors before catching the next wave. 

After about five to ten minutes - it’s hard to measure the time accurately when you’re having that much fun - there is a pause in the action. This allows you time to get back to a prime position before the next batch of waves - provided you have the energy. I was pretty exhausted already.

A session at the soothing Spear Sauna costs £10 for 30 minutes and £18 for an hour | Spear Sauna

Over the 90-minute lesson there is plenty of time to ride a decent amount of waves. As everyone in the group was either brand new to the sport or had limited experience, the waves were designed for beginners, but these were perfect to learn the basics. 

When the lesson came to an end there were smiles all round. It was a highly memorable experience and especially satisfying to pop up and stand on the board for the duration of a wave. And despite exhaustion kicking in early, I always felt determined to get back to midway point, ride another wave and make the most of my time there. 

After returning our equipment, a few of us tried out the Spear Sauna which looks out over the resort. What sets it apart from most saunas is the view from inside - a panoramic outlook of the cove is much more tranquil than facing a wooden wall. There are also ice buckets outside for cooling down if you need to. 

Lost Shore offers two types of surf lessons - Beginner and Improver - with waves customised to the surfer’s skill level and experience. The website states the Improver lesson will help surfers ‘control the trajectory of their board and trim along the open-face of the wave’. It sounds great but I’m not quite there yet. But after spending time in the water and getting to grips with the basics I know I’ll be back for more.

For more information about all the facilities at Lost Shore including Spear Sauna, and to learn more about upcoming events and seasonal offers you can visit the Lost Shore Surf Resort website.