Summer Surf & Yoga Escape in Cantabria, Spain

Cantabria is Spain's green north coast, and Oyambre is a protected reserve with a mountain on one side and the Atlantic on the other. The camp is set up so you can walk to the surf, and the wave at Oyambre is a forgiving beach break that suits beginners and improvers. Instructors are in the water with you every session, and all coaching staff hold ISA, ASI, SGB or FCS surf qualifications plus professional lifeguard certification (SLSGB), so safety cover is real rather than nominal.

A standard week comes with five practical surf lessons of 90 minutes each, plus a theory session covering water safety, surf etiquette and how to read a swell. Equipment — soft-top boards and wetsuits — is provided free during lessons. If you're an intermediate or advanced surfer, you're welcome to bring your own board (check your airline's sports luggage policy first), and there are plenty of beginner-friendly soft-tops on site if you'd rather travel light.

Days follow a loose pattern rather than a rigid timetable. Surf coaching happens in the morning when the wind is usually lightest, then lunch, then free time. Optional extras run through the week: yoga sessions, beach volleyball, sunset sessions, and occasional live music at camp. There are also guided trips off-site, with San Sebastián, Biarritz and Comillas all within reach for an afternoon or day out.

What separates this camp from a generic surf school package is the camping side of it — bell tents, tipi tents and mobile homes set up in the reserve, so the whole group is together on site rather than dispersed across local hotels. That's what makes the evenings work: shared dinners, beach bonfires, and everyone around the same fire pit.

The camp is aimed at adults. Guests are typically 18+, though 16- and 17-year-olds can join with parental consent or by travelling with a parent or guardian — worth emailing the bookings team about before you pay. The bookings office is staffed Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm UK time, by their bookings manager Justine, so queries are answered by a person rather than a form.

Group trips are a big part of what they do. If you're coming with mates, a university group or a social club, group bookings tend to bring the per-person cost down and they'll put a package together around your dates. Solo travellers are common too — the camp is set up so people pair up for lessons and eat together, which takes the awkwardness out of arriving alone.

What's included

- 7 nights on-site accommodation (bell tent, tipi tent or mobile home) - 5 practical surf lessons (90 minutes each) - 1 surf theory session (water safety, etiquette, swell reading) - Surf equipment hire during lessons (soft-top boards and wetsuits) - Use of beginner-friendly camp boards outside lesson times - Daily yoga sessions - Beach volleyball and organised camp activities - Sunset sessions and beach bonfires - Group dinners at camp - Access to on-site camp facilities - Optional guided excursions to San Sebastián, Biarritz and Comillas (sign-up basis)

What's not included

- Flights to and from Spain - Airport transfers (arranged separately) - Travel insurance covering surfing as an adventure sport - Meals away from camp during excursions - Personal expenses and drinks - Surfboard carriage fees on flights - Optional extras not listed as included