10. Mullaghmore, Ireland We begin on the north west coast of Ireland on the Mullaghmore Peninsula in County Sligo. Named after the Irish saying ‘An Mullach Mor’ which means ‘The Great Summit’, the tallest ever wave recorded here was 67 feet, generated by a complex weather system nicknamed the ‘The Viking Storm’ in 2011. It was reported at the time that some surfers had suffered bruising as well as broken bones and surfboards.

9. Jaws, Hawaii Think big-wave surfing and more often than not the north shore of Maui will be one of the first places which springs to mind. Regarded by many as the benchmark for giant waves, it’s where surfing’s bravest (and craziest) flock to under the watchful and fearful eyes of spectators from the cliffs above. Shane Dorian holds the record at Jaws (also known as Peahi) for his paddle wave that was recorded at an insane 57 feet.

8. Cloudbreak, Tavarua, Fiji Bigger is not always necessarily better (or more terrifying) and those who have surfed this sheltered reef a few miles away from Tavura Island can testify. But what this spot lacks in size (waves usually max out at 20 feet) more than makes up for in speed, with the reef shallow and sharp. Cloudbreak is favoured by the surfers for perfect, barrelling long waves and it’s sheer ferocity, which, with one wrong move can result in some nasty consequences.

7. Mavericks, California An old favourite among big wave surfers, Half Moon Bay remains a popular place for thrill-seekers to test their fear threshold to the very limits. It was back in the early 1990s that Mavericks emerged as the next big wave destination, soon establishing itself as the place to be as surfers from around the world descended on the Bay. Mavericks remains an iconic surf spot, attracting up and coming surfers and veterans of the sport.

6. Cortes Bank, California A wave so mighty (and utterly terrifying) they even wrote a book about it. ‘Ghost Wave - The Discovery of Cortes Bank and the Biggest Wave on Earth’ was written by Chris Dixon and tells the story of this giant in the surfing world and those who have attempted to conquer it on a surfboard. It’s been called the ‘Everest of the Sea’, situated around a hundred miles west of San Diego. Harrison Ealey is believed to be the first person to surf the wave that breaks above the bank, but it was Shawn Dollar who broke Shane Dorian’s world record for the biggest paddle-in wave when he hit the dizzy heights of 61 feet in 2013.

5.Pipeline, North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii Only the brave (and slightly deranged) dare to tread these waters, considered to be the world’s deadliest wave, Pipeline in Hawaii is where surfers come to earn their stripes. There was a time when it wasn’t considered surfable, breaking fast, hollow and so steep it seemed nigh on impossible. But as technology changed, and surfboards became shorter and lighter, Pipeline was the place to be for tube riding. It remains a popular destination for surfers, looking to gain the ultimate accolade by riding this beautiful but deadly beast.