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Poole Harbour

One of the largest natural harbours in the world and one of the finest kite spots in the UK. Exceptionally sheltered flat water inside the harbour — particularly around Whitley Lake (waist-deep, calm) — outstanding for learning, foiling, and progression. Works in a broad range of directions; use local judgement for the right launch point within the harbour. Rideable at any tide; low tide can be very shallow and muddy in places. About 2 hours from west London — feasible day trip. Schools & shops: Poole Harbour Watersports, Easy Riders, The Watersports Academy, Poseidon Kite School, Flow Watersports.

ParkingLaunch area🚻 Public toilets (Banks Road, by Jazz Café)☕ Jazz Café (Banks Road)🏄 Poole Harbour Watersports — school (opposite Tesco Express)🏄 Easyriders Beach Club🏄 The Watersports Academy (Sandbanks Hotel beach)🏄 Flow Watersports — kitesurf, wing foil, windsurf & SUP school (Banks Road)➤Today's wind direction (WSW ~9 kt at low tide ~20:52 (window 17:52–21:12 BST)) 🚗 Directions • Open in Google Maps: Parking • Launch area • Public toilets (Banks Road, by Jazz Café) • Jazz Café (Banks Road) • Poole Harbour Watersports — school (opposite Tesco Express) • Easyriders Beach Club • The Watersports Academy (Sandbanks Hotel beach) • Flow Watersports — kitesurf, wing foil, windsurf & SUP school (Banks Road)
Region
Dorset
Skill level
Beginner OK (flat water)
Best tide window
Any tide (low can be shallow/muddy in places)
Launch (what3words)
///taken.even.entire — precise launch spot
Bathing water
The bathing water at Poole Shore Road Beach is rated Excellent. (EA)
Windguru
Windguru forecast →
Tide station
Poole Harbour
Tide data
UKHO Admiralty — 6-day coverage (BST)
Wind data
Multi-model composite: AROME-FR 1.3km + UKV 2km own the first 60 h; ICON / Zephr-HD / IFS-HRES / GFS extend to the end of day 7
Last updated
Page rebuilt: 19 July 2026 00:22 BST
Forecast data: 18 July 2026 23:29 BST
Tide data: 18 July 2026 23:31 BST
📏 Tide heights — next 7 days (chart datum at Poole Harbour)
Sun 19HW 00:45 2.2m · LW 08:25 0.5m · HW 13:15 2.0m · LW 20:50 0.9m
Mon 20HW 01:05 2.1m · LW 09:10 0.7m · HW 13:40 1.9m · LW 21:40 1.1m
Tue 21HW 01:10 1.9m · LW 09:55 0.9m · HW 13:45 1.8m · LW 22:30 1.2m
Wed 22HW 01:35 1.8m · LW 10:50 1.1m · HW 14:15 1.7m · LW 23:35 1.3m
Thu 23HW 02:15 1.6m · LW 11:55 1.3m · HW 15:15 1.7m
Fri 24LW 00:45 1.3m · HW 03:15 1.6m · LW 13:15 1.4m · HW 22:00 1.9m
No measured beach/groyne height for this spot yet — log a beach report to add one.
🧭 Wind directions
Poole Harbour — large enclosed harbour; launch to suit the wind, so a facing bearing does not apply. Broad curated list trusted wholesale.

Next 7 days at Poole HarbourBest of the week: Sat 25 Jul, ~16 kt around 13:00–15:00 BST (viable — a powered-down 12 m session) — gusty (+9 kt). Lighter option: Fri 24 Jul ~14 kt — marginal — larger kites (14 m+). AROME and UKV 2km agree (within ~0 kt) over the next 60 h — confidence good (lead model here: UKV 2km).

Windguru forecast

7-day forecast

Wind scale: <10 10–11 12–13 14–15 16–19 20–29 30+ kt ⚠

Multi-model composite: the first 60 hours come from AROME-FR 1.3km and UKV 2km (AROME first, UKV filling its gaps); beyond 60 h the best available of HARM-DK 2km → ICON 2.2km → Zephr-HD 2.6km → IFS-HRES 9km → GFS 13km extends the table to the end of day 7. Temperature blended from GFS. Tides from UKHO Admiralty (BST, 6-day window). Always verify on Windguru.

Sun 19 Jul

HW 00:45 2.2m LW 08:25 0.5m HW 13:15 2.0m LW 20:50 0.9m
Sub-kiteable — peak only 10 kt. Peak wind only 10 kt from WSW in the tide window. Below the kiteable threshold for almost every rider.
Time
Wind
Gust
Dir
Cloud
Temp
06:00
9 kt
14 kt
↙ ENE
100%
17°C
09:00
5 kt
12 kt
← ESE
100%
17°C
12:00
7 kt
10 kt
↖ SSE
100%
18°C
15:00
7 kt
11 kt
↗ WSW
100%
20°C
18:00
9 kt
12 kt
↗ SW
7%
20°C
21:00
8 kt
12 kt
→ WSW
—
19°C

Mon 20 Jul

HW 01:05 2.1m LW 09:10 0.7m HW 13:40 1.9m LW 21:40 1.1m
Sub-kiteable — peak only 8 kt. Peak wind only 8 kt from SE in the tide window. Below the kiteable threshold for almost every rider.
Time
Wind
Gust
Dir
Cloud
Temp
06:00
5 kt
10 kt
↙ NE
28%
17°C
09:00
6 kt
12 kt
↙ ENE
—
20°C
12:00
8 kt
12 kt
↖ SSE
—
20°C
15:00
9 kt
13 kt
↑ SSE
—
21°C
18:00
8 kt
11 kt
↗ WSW
28%
21°C
21:00
6 kt
9 kt
↗ SW
71%
19°C

Tue 21 Jul

HW 01:10 1.9m LW 09:55 0.9m HW 13:45 1.8m LW 22:30 1.2m
Marginal — ~11 kt, big kites only. Peak ~11 kt SE in the tide window. marginal — big kites (15 m+)/foils — most riders won't get planing; 15 m+/foil specialists only.
Best window detail — 06:57–12:57 BST (UKV 2km hourly)

Hourly UKV 2km wind for the 2-hour tide window (★) plus an hour either side, averaging ~3 kt in the low-tide window.

TimeWindGustDir
07:00 ★3 ktg4WSW
10:00 ★1 ktg3SW
13:009 ktg13SSE
Time
Wind
Gust
Dir
Cloud
Temp
06:00
6 kt
13 kt
↗ WSW
2%
17°C
09:00
6 kt
13 kt
↗ SW
—
19°C
12:00
10 kt
14 kt
↖ SE
15%
20°C
15:00
7 kt
9 kt
↗ SW
23%
22°C
18:00
8 kt
12 kt
↗ WSW
16%
21°C
21:00
7 kt
11 kt
↗ WSW
38%
20°C

Wed 22 Jul

HW 01:35 1.8m LW 10:50 1.1m HW 14:15 1.7m LW 23:35 1.3m
Sub-kiteable — peak only 7 kt. Peak wind only 7 kt from SSE in the tide window. Below the kiteable threshold for almost every rider.
Time
Wind
Gust
Dir
Cloud
Temp
06:00
4 kt
6 kt
↘ NW
97%
16°C
09:00
2 kt
8 kt
↓ NNE
99%
19°C
12:00
6 kt
13 kt
↑ SSE
100%
21°C
15:00
7 kt
11 kt
↗ WSW
88%
23°C
18:00
9 kt
13 kt
↓ N
52%
23°C

Thu 23 Jul

HW 02:15 1.6m LW 11:55 1.3m HW 15:15 1.7m
Sub-kiteable — peak only 10 kt. Peak wind only 10 kt from SSE in the tide window. Below the kiteable threshold for almost every rider.
Time
Wind
Gust
Dir
Cloud
Temp
06:00
7 kt
16 kt
↙ NE
34%
15°C
09:00
5 kt
12 kt
← E
29%
18°C
12:00
8 kt
9 kt
↖ SSE
22%
19°C
15:00
10 kt
13 kt
↗ SW
31%
20°C
18:00
9 kt
15 kt
→ WSW
58%
20°C

Fri 24 Jul

LW 00:45 1.3m HW 03:15 1.6m LW 13:15 1.4m HW 22:00 1.9m
Marginal — ~13 kt, big kites only. Peak ~13 kt SW in the tide window. marginal — big kites (15 m+)/foils — most riders won't get planing; 15 m+/foil specialists only.
Time
Wind
Gust
Dir
Cloud
Temp
07:00
3 kt
6 kt
→ WSW
—
18°C
10:00
4 kt
7 kt
↗ SSW
14%
22°C
13:00
11 kt
17 kt
↗ SW
100%
23°C
16:00
14 kt
13 kt
↗ SW
100%
25°C
19:00
13 kt
18 kt
↗ WSW
66%
23°C

Sat 25 Jul

No tide data
Good session — ~20 kt WSW in the green window (16:00–16:00 BST). Working direction (WSW) with ~20 kt for 3 h inside the tide window. GOOD — the 9 m sweet spot.
Time
Wind
Gust
Dir
Cloud
Temp
07:00
10 kt
14 kt
→ W
100%
17°C
10:00
13 kt
18 kt
→ W
100%
21°C
13:00
13 kt
19 kt
→ WNW
98%
20°C
16:00
20 kt
26 kt
→ WSW
88%
24°C
19:00
13 kt
18 kt
↘ NW
85%
21°C
Tide times: UKHO Admiralty predictions via Admiralty Tidal API. Times in BST, rounded to nearest 5 min. Wind & temperature: Windguru multi-model composite (AROME-FR + UKV 2km for the first 60 h, then ICON / Zephr-HD / IFS-HRES / GFS out to day 7). Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Important: Forecasts are model-derived and may change. Always verify on Windguru and check local tide tables before you go. LKSA accepts no liability for decisions made based on this forecast.