Surfing is nothing really new in Scotland. Surfers have been striking out from the capital city of Edinburgh since surfing first arrived in the UK. But in the last ten to fifteen years it has somewhat taken off, it’s no longer a backwater, it’s a world class destination in its own right.

This is largely due to the waves around a town called Thurso on the North coast of Caithness. Thurso East, a righthand reef break is the most famous and through magazine exposure, and then the O’Neill Coldwater Classic world qualifying series event, it has popularised the whole area.

It’s not easy up there though, the weather is harsh and it changes continuously, so before you pack your bags and head north here’s five things you need to know.