Get shreddy: London is officially getting its first ever surfing lake

an aerial shot of the projected new lake

(Image credit: Surf London / Crest Experiences)

published 29 September 2025

Ever felt like the only thing stopping you from becoming a fully fledged surfer dude is the proximity to an actual ocean? Well, your luck may be about to change. No more will you be chained by the shackles of a suit and tie, which restrain you from donning a full wetsuit, as you could soon be surfing in London - and we don’t mean on The Thames.

Plans for an inland surfing facility in the Lea Valley have been approved by Enfield Council’s planning committee. The Surf London scheme is set to land at Pickett’s Lock and will see a new lake built across parts of the Lee Valley Gold Course and Lee Valley Camping Park. To accommodate the 140-acre new lake, the golf course will be reduced in size, plus extra parking too.

an image of the projected new site showing the lake and a board walk beside it

The project is costing around £50 million according to Crest Experiences, the investment group behind the new lake.

The site takes less than an hour to get to via National Rail, with a 46-minute train from Liverpool St to Ponders End, so Londoners can be a full beach bum without needing to rent a campervan - although maybe don’t try and shoehorn a surfboard onto a full carriage at rush hour. However, the group has plans to create new pedestrian and cycle routes to and from Surf London, giving Londoners easy access to their brand-new surfing and wellness venue.

Surf London will be an oasis of well-being, leisure, and health, with its very own man-made beach that’s specifically designed for surfing, meaning you won’t have to waste any time scouring the dreaded surf forecast ahead of time. The technology continuously guarantees the best waves possible - similar to the likes of The Wave in Bristol, where the waves are tailored to each different level of surfer, from novice white water warrior to pro.

It’s not just surfing either, there will also be an activity zone, food and drink, plus camping options if you don’t fancy taking the train after a gnarly day out.

Whilst the plans were confirmed on Tuesday, 16th September, the plans are still awaiting approval from the Greater London Authority, so it will probably be a good while until you can take to the waves IRL, or even a project finish date.

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Hermione Blandford is the Content Editor for Shortlist’s social media which means you can usually find her scrolling through Instagram and calling it work, or stopping random people in the street and accosting them with a mini mic. She has previously worked in food and drink PR for brands including Johnnie Walker, Tanqueray, Gordon's, The Singleton, Lagavulin and Don Julio which means she is a self confessed expert in spicy margaritas and pints, regularly popping into the pub in the name of research.

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