Scotland is rightly considered one of the top countries in the world for outdoor sports, and now it seems even one of the more unlikely hobbies you'd expect to come to Scotland is proving massively popular here.
That's right, a Scottish location has just been named as one of the best places to surf around the globe. The study by ParkSleepFly analysed various factors such as Google searches, Instagram tags, coastline length, and average sea temperatures to reveal the best surfing spots around the world.
And the coastline at Thurso, on the Caithness coast, has been named as one of the best places to catch a wave, joining locations in places such as Australia, Mexico and Bali.
A spokesperson for the firm said: "Surfing can be the perfect way to connect with nature allowing us to view our oceans from a completely different perspective.
"For those dreaming of taking on the adrenaline rush that surfing brings, the surfing spot options are endless.
Read more: Surf's up! Plans for Scotland's first park for year-long surfing jump forward
"If you are not sure where to start your surfing adventure, and you need a little inspiration, then keep reading as we reveal the most popular surfing spots across the world."
Thurso, along with Saltburn in England, were the only two British locations included in the list, with February picked out as the best month to go surfing at Thurso.
According to the Thurso tourism site, prime surf season is between October and April when the water is even colder, with people from all over the world coming to try this surfing heaven that's quite understandably a bit of a hidden gem.
Rumour has it, a visitor to Thurso Castle was the first to take to the waves here back in the 1960s and its popularity has grown in the area ever since with the heavy, barrelling surf being described as being similar to what you expect to find in Hawaii by experienced surfers.
The Top 10 surfing spots in the world
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