Inside Edinburgh's new 'surf resort' with pizzeria, spa and luxury accommodation

Edinburgh is welcoming Scotland’s first ever inland surf destination as a massive £60m site complete with a wave pool and luxury accommodation opens its doors on November 11.

Located eight miles outside Edinburgh city centre in Ratho, the Lost Shore Surf Resort boasts Europe’s largest wave pool - expected to pull in both seasoned and beginner surfers.

The £60m destination is said to be the largest investment in Scottish sporting infrastructure since the 2014 Commonwealth Games and boasts state-of-the-art facilities for athletes and visitors.

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The resort’s wave pool is powered by Wavegarden technology which generates up to 1,000 waves per hour. The enormous cove - three times the size of Wembley Stadium’s pitch - occupies a former quarry in Ratho and spans 160 metres.

Ben Larg, a Scottish professional big wave surfer, put Lost Shore’s impact on the surf community in context. He said: “This is one of the best training facilities in the world for surfing and something we’ve never had before in Scotland.”

The athlete is sponsored by Red Bull and has surfed in Nazaré, Portugal where some of the world’s biggest waves can be found in the winter.

Ben continued: “This will be the biggest deal for Scottish surfing for years to come. In the next 5-10 years we’re going to see more professional surfers pop up in Scotland because of Lost Shore - in terms of access to good coaching and consistent waves.

“It’s super easy for loads of different surfers to fly in. There’s nowhere in Europe like that right now.”

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Surf lessons are offered on the site as well as surfskating - a variation of skateboarding that simulates ocean surfing on dry land - which allows surfers to fine-tune their technique or prepare for the water.

While surfing may be the main attraction, visitors can also enjoy a range of eateries, luxury accommodation, wellness treatments including facials and massages, a sauna, and a waterfront bar.

Edinburgh pizzeria Civerinos will be among the rotating selection of restaurants featured at the resort.

Onlookers can observe from the 250-metre beachfront while surfers catch over 20 wave types ranging from beginner to advanced.

Lost Shore is also committed to inclusivity in sport, partnering with charities such as Inclusive Surfing Scotland - which offers adaptive surfing - and The Wave Project - focusing on surf therapy to improve mental health for young people.

The resort is expected to provide a huge boost to the area with an anticipated 160,000 annual visitors - creating 130 new jobs and injecting £11 million into the local economy each year.

Stephen Leckie, Chair of VisitScotland, said: “This is not just big for the area or the county, this is big for Scotland. This is the biggest investment we’ve seen in Scottish activity tourism for 10 years.”

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