Rodiles

Rodiles is Asturias's most celebrated wave, a river-mouth sandbar at the estuary of the Villaviciosa ria on Spain's green northern coast. Backed by a pine wood and a broad beach, it is regarded as one of the finest and most powerful breaks in the country.

The signature wave is a long left that peels off the estuary sandbar, forming fast, hollow, barrelling sections when a clean north or north-west swell meets the right tide. On its day it is a serious, high-quality wave for experienced surfers. The wider beach also offers more ordinary beach-break peaks that suit intermediates, while beginners are better served on smaller days or at gentler beaches nearby.

Autumn and winter deliver the groundswell and the offshore southerly winds that shape the sandbar at its best, and the wave is very tide-sensitive, working through specific stages of the tide. Summer is usually too small for the left to fire.

The setting is beautifully natural, with the beach and estuary forming part of a protected reserve backed by eucalyptus and pine. The cider-making town of Villaviciosa lies just inland, offering places to stay and eat, and a car park sits behind the beach. Level access across the sand is easy, though the quality of the wave depends heavily on swell and tide aligning.