West Coast Surf Shop in Abersoch dresses Llŷn's surfers for winter

When the autumn swells roll into Hell's Mouth, the surfers of Llŷn know where to go for a warmer wetsuit. West Coast Surf Shop has been in its building on the high street in Abersoch, at the southern tip of the Llŷn Peninsula, since 1995, and built its first website shortly after.

"We are a real surf shop not just a mail order company," the shop says, and advice is part of the service. Anyone unsure about a surfboard, wetsuit or other product is encouraged to get in touch before they buy.

The shop specialises in action sports wetsuits by Rip Curl, C-Skins and Patagonia, with summer and winter suits for men and women, along with plenty of wetsuit accessories. On the clothing side it stocks Patagonia and Rip Curl clothing for men and women, Ray-Ban and Bloc sunglasses and Archies flip flops.

It also keeps a range of surfboards for beginners and experienced surfers, from mini mals and longboards to performance shortboards, along with second-hand boards and piles of bodyboards.

The shop runs Hell's Mouth Surf School from May until November, and for those who would rather skip a lesson, surfboards and wetsuits can be hired by the day or week.

In summer the shop is usually open every day from 10am to 4.30pm, but it closes on Wednesdays and Sundays outside the school holidays. Winter opening is a little more relaxed. The owner keeps shorter hours and admits he goes for a surf if it is half good, so customers are advised to ring his mobile, and he checks email daily and can send orders the next day. The shop also offers a surf report and forecast and local surf pictures on its website.

Hire costs £15 a day or £50 a week for a surfboard, and the same for a wetsuit. Goods ordered online are delivered free over £75, normally within one to three days in the UK, while surfboards cost £30 to send and go to mainland addresses only. The shop also offers a price match guarantee.

For anyone heading to Hell's Mouth this winter, a thick hooded wetsuit is the one piece of kit that matters most, and the shop is happy to advise on what will keep you in the water longer.

West Coast Surf Shop is on Lon Pen Cei, Abersoch. Shop online at westcoastsurf.co.uk, call 01758 713067 or email surf@westcoastsurf.co.uk.