Surfing La Salvaje

Barinatxe, better known as La Salvaje, is the wild beach between Getxo and Sopelana, under tall cliffs.

It mixes sand and reef: the beach tends to give lefts and the reefs better rights. It works on all tides and at almost any time of year, which is why it's one of the busiest spots near Bilbao. On good days the crowd can be a hazard in itself.

It's open to most north-west swells, so it's often working when the more sheltered beaches nearby are small. The sand moves a lot, and the best peaks change from month to month.

Getting down to the beach means a walk down from the clifftop car park. In summer there are lifeguards and plenty of swimmers, and in winter the local crew from Getxo and Sopelana is out on every good swell. If the crowd is too much, Sopelana, just north, has more room.