Lost Shore Surf Resort at Ratho named the best surf park in the world by a US surfer

Edinburgh's inland surf resort has been named the best surf park in the world, according to one well-travelled American surfer. Writing for the visitor attractions industry title Blooloop, lifelong surfer Mike Goldys, from Baltimore, Maryland, ranked Lost Shore Surf Resort at Ratho first out of the 27 wave pools he had visited.

Lost Shore only opened in 2024, but it beat competition from Japan, the Netherlands, Germany and Hawaii to take top spot. The Wave in Bristol was the only other UK entry in his top nine.

He praised the wave pool itself, along with the accommodation and food. Of the 27 wave pools he visited, he wrote, only four offered on-site accommodation, while Lost Shore has more than 50 units around the pool, from hilltop lodges to waterfront pods. He also highlighted the Food Hub, with its three kitchens, and the surfskate lessons on offer.

The resort sits in a former quarry and is home to Europe's largest wave pool, about 25 minutes from Edinburgh city centre. In 2025, it welcomed more than 200,000 visitors, including 70,000 surfers and 10,000 accommodation guests, from more than 67 countries.

Founder Andy Hadden said it was not every day you are recognised as the world's best and that it was incredibly humbling. He said the team set out to build more than a wave pool, creating a destination that brings people together through adventure, wellbeing and world-class experiences.

The summer brought another big moment, when Hawaiian brothers Jeff and Dave Hubbard, the most successful riders in bodyboarding history, held a day of coaching sessions at the resort. It was the first time they had coached together at a UK wave pool, and participants got video analysis of their riding afterwards. Dave told The Edinburgh Reporter that bodyboarding has no real rules: as long as you are having fun, you are doing it right.

The resort and canteen open every day from 8am, with waves running while it is light, and there is also a sauna and spa studio for those who would rather watch.

Surf sessions, stays and spa treatments can be booked on the Lost Shore website.