Of particular pride for Hadden is Surf Lab, an alliance with nearby Edinburgh Napier University that will undertake specialised research – already it has funded the world’s first surf therapy PhD on the same campus. Besides that, Lost Shore will be the first to have a surf school offering courses in meditative surf therapy.
“It’s a little bit like the accomplishments of the Scottish Enlightenment,” added Hadden. “At least, that’s how I see the future.”
Whatever that might be, and whatever people say or think, it’s unlikely the scene in Scotland will return to what it once was: days of fickle surf and frigid bones. And this sentiment is one VisitScotland, the country’s national tourism organisation, agrees with.
“Our coastline has a wealth of opportunities to catch waves, from Coldingham Bay in the Scottish Borders to Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides, and, of course, Thurso in the Highlands,” said Cat Leaver, head of brand and global marketing (this is her official title). “So, it’s not surprising surfers are seeing Scotland as a go-to destination. Prior to the pandemic, trips consistently grew each year. And with water wellness an ongoing trend, no doubt some of those visitors will have gone surfing.”
The call to surf is real, then. With Scotland’s storm-ridden coast a place to come and ride marbled blue waves, watch the sea suck and wheeze with orchestral intensity, and wonder, if just for a moment, that this might be the start of some kind of endless summer.
—
Join more than three million BBC Travel fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
If you liked this story, sign up for The Essential List newsletter – a handpicked selection of features, videos and can’t-miss news delivered to your inbox every Friday.