http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/activities/big-days-out/alton-towers/ Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:40:51 +0000 43200 http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/activities/big-days-out/alton-towers/the-sixth-bn-alton-towers-naturist-weekend-2011-r101 AT weekend is a roaring success

This year's weekend was one of the best we have ever staged, with mild weather even allowing for some nudity outside; last year’s favourites, Trident, again delighting the audience on Friday evening and the Saturday disco being described by some as ‘the best yet’ – and that’s saying something!

Full report to be posted here soon!]]> Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:16:06 +0000 c6bff625bdb0393992c9d4db0c6bbe45 http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/activities/big-days-out/alton-towers/the-fifth-alton-towers-weekend-2010-and-it%e2%80%99s-r65 Martin Warrillow reports on the fifth BN Alton Towers Naturist Weekend

I almost managed it this year; when I told our textile friends that my wife and I were going to the fifth BN Alton Towers Naturist Weekend, I almost got away without someone coming out with: “You’re not going outside on the rides in that weather in the nude, are you?”

This was our fourth visit to the winter highlight of BN’s calendar and every year the number of people offering that old chestnut has gone down – this time, only one person said it. Maybe in November 2011, I won’t hear it at all.
This year’s weekend attracted almost 400 BN members and with the weather proving considerably kinder than in 2010 and the activity programme more packed and varied than ever, fun and laughter was definitely the order of the day.

As usual, the Friday night action got underway with a 6 p.m. kick-off (sorry, kitoff!) and everyone was soon making new friends or putting faces to familiar names, either at the YBN get-together, the BN forum-users’ gathering or the BN regional gatherings. The latter proved an extremely clever idea, with guests from BN’s various regions encouraged to sit, drink and chat together for a couple of hours. As West Midlanders, it came as a pleasant surprise to Mrs W. and me that people whose faces we knew, but whose names had remained a mystery, suddenly turned out to live not very far at all from us. It certainly made for lively conversation, while out in reception,

BN photographer Steve Betts was offering people the chance to have souvenir photos taken for a small fee. The ice suitably broken and souvenir photographs taken, it was time for the pub quiz. I was quizmaster and if someone had told me beforehand that I would have to walk from end to end of Ma Garrita’s Bar reading out every question twice because of a microphone problem . . . I’d have agreed to do it anyway because it was so much fun. I hope everyone enjoyed it and at least I didn’t realise three days later that I’d got the answer to a question wrong. Believe me, that’s happened before! The highlight of the night for many was the appearance of our live band, Trident. They threw themselves into the action with gusto, got a great reaction with their party music and even let BN member Barry take over vocals for one song, which earned a deserved standing ovation. Late-night entertainment was provided by comedian Alexis Dubus. Alexis first came to BN’s attention at last year’s AT event, which he visited to research his show ‘A Surprisingly Tasteful Show About Nudity.’ Since then, he’s performed it at the Edinburgh Fringe and in London and was so keen to appear at this year’s AT weekend that we were his second show of the night.

Unfortunately, his dash from Runcorn meant he arrived too late for this weary couple, but I am assured by those who did watch him that he went down a storm!

Refreshed by a good night’s sleep, Mrs W. and I determined to enjoy a leisurely Saturday morning, reading the papers in the bar and watching the youngsters throw themselves around the Cariba Creek Water Park down below. But there was plenty going on for those who wanted it from Tai Chi and Sacred Dance sessions to Wii sessions, Wargaming, another successful MiTunes session and massages offered by Alton Towers’ trained staff.

Our main sponsors, Clover Spa, attracted a lot of attention with some body-painted models at their stand in reception and those of us who regularly enjoy the BN forum got a chance to put faces to names, as well as chew over some of the exciting new developments being planned by BN’s new media expert, Ed Shephard.

In the afternoon, there was more yoga, Asian dancing, aquarobics, face-painting and something which particularly interested me as editor of BN magazine, a workshop on dealing with the media.

One of the most important things BN can do is encourage more members to stand up, tell their friends and colleagues about naturism and be prepared to talk to newspapers, radio and television about our lifestyle. I am convinced that the more people we can encourage to do that, the more ‘normal’ naturism will seem – and the less we will hear the old chestnuts such as the one I started this piece with. The session was a huge success and I am sure BN members are becoming ever more ready to talk about what we do.

After a brief rest and the usual diet shattering meal in Flambo’s it was time for bingo, with Clive Edwards proving, as always, an excellent bingo-caller and then the traditional Saturday night highlight, Jim Russell’s disco.

With the sound system at the end of the bar, rather than in the middle, more people seemed to get involved this year and as with all BN disco events, smiling faces and happy voices made the night.

We happened to be sitting across the room from one couple who didn’t seem to stop smiling, laughing and dancing the whole night. When, 12 hours later, I found myself standing just behind and to the right of the lady in question for the traditional Sunday morning group photo, she told me that it was their first AT weekend and that they’d never enjoyed themselves so muchIf anyone ever asks me “Naturism – why?”, that couple will provide part of my answer. .

If Saturday night meant fun, Sunday morning was a little more sombre. As a member of the Christian Naturist Fellowship, I had it brought to my attention early in the autumn that the weekend clashed with Remembrance Sunday. Members of CNF had asked if a small act of worship could be organised, but I couldn’t see how it was possible. First, there is the organised chaos which is the group photo session, while the AT management always request that we are dressed and clear of the hotel by noon. I just couldn’t see how it could be done but CNF member Quin Hough, an ordained former member of the armed forces, pulled off a minor miracle.

More than 50 people, both clothed and naked, gathered in Ma Garrita’s bar for a moving 20-minute non-denominational service, which included hymns and readings and ended with a perfectly-observed two minute silence at 11 a.m.

The good news is that we are now so much a part of the Alton Towers calendar that the management have already agreed a date for this year’s event. The Sixth BN Alton Towers Naturist Weekend will be from November 18-20 2011. Mrs W and I will be there. If only we could persuade our one textile friend with the bad joke to give it a try.


Sponsors of the 5th BN Alton Towers Naturist Weekend



Many thanks to the variety of businesses who helped support the weekend of sponsoring, taking an exhibition table, advertising in the programme, providing items fo the welcome bag or donating a prize for the draw. They are:

Main Sponsor: Clover Spa - www. www.cloverspa.eu. Telephone: 0121 350 6836.

Ann and David James Travel - 0844 484 5058 www.capdagde.co.uk
Chalfont Holidays - 0845 045 0987 www.chalfontholidays.co.uk
Peng Travel - 0845 345 8345 www.pengtravel.co.uk
Cambium – 01494-488805 www.cambiumbene.com
Leucate Naturist Village - +44 1635 253618 - www.leucatevilla.com
Fig Leaf Villas - 00447824441999 or 0030 698 2453437 - www.figleafvillas.co.uk
Broadland Sun Association – 01508 492907 - www.broadlandsun.co.uk
Vigla Natura - www.viglanatura. Telephone: 020 8144 2166
Kalo-Kairi: Telephone: +306995384682; www.kalo-kairi.com

Thanks to all the members who ran activities or events over the weekend. We couldn't have dones it without you.]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:42:36 +0000 9766527f2b5d3e95d4a733fcfb77bd7e http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/activities/big-days-out/alton-towers/the-fourth-2009-bn-alton-towers-naturist-week-r64
November provided the opportunity; first, the International Naturist Federation Swimming Gala was being staged in Rugby and at that time, I worked for the company which owned the Coventry Telegraph, the newspaper which covered that part of Warwickshire. Would they be interested in covering the event if I told them about it? It meant taking the plunge, so to speak, but I did it and the results were rewarding. A page lead in the newspaper, some excellent pictures on their website and the total support of the friends and colleagues I involved.

Having told, why not tell them about the fourth British Naturism Alton Towers weekend, sponsored by Kiniki, seven days after the INF gala? Inevitably, there were the jokes about ‘you’re not going on the outdoor rides in the nude in this weather, are you?’ but I’d heard those 12 months previously.

So Mrs W and I had the good wishes of plenty of people as we headed for Alton Towers on that Friday afternoon – and a dashed good job it was, because the weather was appalling. A mild drizzle turned into a steady rain and then a near-monsoon as we approached North Staffordshire. Completely missing the ‘Stop’ sign at a T-junction in the road and then watching, frozen in fear, as a lorry came over a steep bridge 100 yards to our left is one of the more interesting things we will ever do in the name of naturism.

So it was with some relief that we arrived at Alton Towers to discover that many of the 400 guests had suffered similarly grim journeys. Having stripped off and flung our cases in our room, which was a comforting degree or two warmer than 12 months previously, the complimentary glass of red wine from Ma Garrita’s Bar did go down rather nicely. As did a good meal (this year’s new arrangements for paying for dinner seemed a success – no queues at all!) before we set off to meet friends old and new during an evening which flew by as we discovered just how hard some people work in the interests of British Naturism (and no, I haven’t been paid to say that!).

Board Games corner, fundraising for the BBC Children In Need appeal, a giant Wii screen, a crafts session, exhibitors and therapy and massage sessions offered by the venue continued throughout the weekend while Friday night’s events included the Young British Naturists gathering, a chance for BN’s forum users to put faces to names, the ever-popular pub quiz and to round things off, the Strictly Salsa session.

I really, really, had wanted to do the Tai Chi session at 8am on Saturday (OK, I might have settled for watching it) and I am sure Mrs W would have been up for BN president Angela Russell’s belly-dancing hour at 10am, as well as the yoga hour at noon. As it was, it was past 10am by the time we stirred and the rest of the morning was spent watching from the bar as our younger, fitter fellow naturists splashed around below us in Cariba Creek.

I looked in on Steve Betts’ photography session and found it a fascinating hour while Robert Mighall attracted plenty of interest with an illustrated talk about his book ‘Sunshine.’ The guided tour of the gardens at Alton Towers ran twice again this year while those who stayed indoors enjoyed MiTunes, a chance to let your fellow naturists hear your own favourite selections of music, both classical and popular.

As the new editor of BN’s magazine, promoting naturism is very much in my thoughts, so I had agreed to take part in a presentation by BN’s Commercial Manager (and main PR contact) Andrew Welch on BN’s work with the media.

My fellow joint-editor Tom Rowland , BN’s youth officer Leah Thomas and Kiran Mahay (who appeared nude during an arts installation in Trafalgar Square in London last summer as Lady God1va), formed a panel of experts to follow. Andrew and all did a wonderful job in explaining how important it is that naturists are not afraid to step out and publicise naturism – just as I had done over the INF gala.

While I had been thinking deep thoughts about naturism and the media, YBN were splashing around in Cariba Creek running the kids’activity hour, which was a roaring success.

Kiran and Leah had stressed the importance of female voices being heard within naturism and an hour-long session on Women in Naturism proved an interesting debate for the good number of female members who attended.

Teatime featured the childrens’ disco, a professional aquarobics session that may well have been as exhausting to take part in as it was to watch and two hours of body painting that produced some of the weekend’s most memorable images.

Saturday night, as always, was the highlight of the weekend for many thanks to Jim Russell’s naked disco although Mrs W and I watched from the sidelines this year; perhaps it was another 12 months of aging, or maybe I was still recovering from our near-miss with that lorry.

Indeed, we were in bed by the time the festivities ended but at least that meant we were up in time for the Sunday morning photoshoot. It’s that frantic hour when everyone hurls themselves around Cariba Creek one last time and Steve Betts and Andrew Welch do a magnificent job lining 400 people up for the cameras and the pictures that will help promote BN throughout 2010.

It’s a fantastic way to end the weekend and if non-naturists could see the fun everyone had during that hour, I am sure they would be converted on the spot.

I should offer thanks to everyone who played a part at Alton Towers – to Angela and Jim, Andrew, Steve and the rest of the BN team, the people who put on yoga, tai-chi and other events and everyone who helped ensure that the fifth AT weekend is already in the diary for next November.


Thanks to the following, who supported the event by sponsoring, advertising, exhibiting or donating raffle prizes:

Main Sponsor: Kiniki - 01782 611599 - www.kiniki.com/bn

Ann and David James Travel - 0844 484 5058 www.capdagde.co.uk
Chalfont Holidays - 0845 045 0987 www.chalfontholidays.co.uk
Peng Travel - 0845 345 8345 www.pengtravel.co.uk
Parasol Holidays – 01604-863300 www.parasolholidays.co.uk
Cambium – 01494-488805 www.cambiumbene.com
Dainti Jewellery - 07941 004279
Leucate Villa - +44 1635 253618 - www.leucatevilla.com
Fig Leaf Villas - 00447824441999 or 0030 698 2453437 - www.figleafvillas.co.uk
Suntreckers – 01473 410416 - www.suntreckers.org.uk

Martin Warrillow]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:40:52 +0000 fa7cdfad1a5aaf8370ebeda47a1ff1c3 http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/activities/big-days-out/alton-towers/the-third-bn-alton-towers-naturist-weekend-2008-r63 A perfect stress-busting break, says Martin Warrilow.

Do you want evidence of the healthy, life-giving benefits of naturism? Then picture myself and Mrs. W. dancing naked to the Village People’s YMCA (complete with all the movements) alongside about 100 other people in the bar of a hotel in Staffordshire in November, just four days after I had suffered a debilitating epileptic fit. Welcome to BN’s third annual weekend at Alton Towers.

We had pretty much ignored the first event in 2006 and thought hard about 2008 before deciding against it on grounds of cost. But as I became more and more involved in BN’s editorial team, we thought we really should give it a go at the end of a difficult year, during which I almost lost my job and was hit by a series of health problems, one of which was the above-mentioned fit on the Tuesday before we were due to go to Alton Towers on the Friday.

And boy, did we do the right thing! From the moment we arrived at 5 p.m. on the Friday to the moment we reluctantly put our clothes back on just before midday on the Sunday, this was the most perfect stress-busting weekend.

For the third year in a row, BN had exclusive use of Splash Landings, one of two hotels at the north Staffordshire theme park. Its main selling-point is Cariba Creek, a spectacular water park with a big swimming-pool, numerous scary rides and plenty of water-spraying gadgets, including an enormous bucket which I spent the entire weekend studying, but never quite had the courage to stand under. It’s probably great fun for textiles, but for naturists it’s heaven.

On arrival, after taking time to say ‘hello’ to all those BN faces that you know but have never spoken to, we found our very impressive room, then got ready for the countdown to 6 p.m. when the hotel became naturist for the weekend. As BN’s Commercial Manager Andrew Welch did the “Five… four… three… two…one”, I’m not sure I’ve seen so many people rip their clothes off and throw themselves into the water quite that quickly. Being middle-aged and careful, Mrs. W. and I took things rather more slowly, dipping our toes in the water for a swim before heading to dinner.

There has been criticism of the cost of the food on these weekends, and an ‘all-you-can-eat’ buffet may not be the right formula for a weekend that requires so much water-bound physical activity, but there was no questioning the range or quality of the food on offer, nor the friendliness and helpfulness of the restaurant staff when faced with 400 naked customers.

Having eaten well, we returned to the bar where an extensive range of activities was underway in a really friendly atmosphere. YBN were well represented and it was great to see so many enthusiastic supporters of the next generation of naturists. The users of the BN website forum were putting faces to names and using the hotel’s wi-fi connection that was available to all guests for free for the weekend. And the ‘Spot the volleyball’ competition in reception was raising money for the BBC’s Children in Need appeal. We took ourselves back to our childhood and played draughts - there were plenty of games dotted around in “Board Games Corner” - over a couple of glasses of beer before BN member Philip Carter provided the evening’s musical entertainment. Judging by what we heard the following morning, the fun went on into the early hours, but we retired to a good night’s sleep and even missed the t’ai chi session scheduled for 8 a.m. on Saturday.

Instead, we spent the morning lounging in the bar reading the newspapers (something we never get the time to do at home) and watching the youngsters hurling themselves around the water park below. The fact that we were doing it nude among several hundred fellow-naturists made it all the more special.

The more energetic of us could have done lots more, of course. T’ai chi was followed by crafts and photography workshops, while BN president Angela Russell entertained and impressed us by leading a belly-dancing workshop which I’m sure taught a number of ladies how to shake parts they never knew they had! The “NEC” – Naturist Exhibition Centre - including the BN shop and cinema showing naturist films continued throughout. Sacred dance, soca dancing, a Book SIG meeting and bingo were other popular activities. There were lots of activities for children, including YBN-run games and fun sessions both in Cariba Creek and the hotel’s games arcade, plus a disco and musical games in the bar.

After lunch we went on a guided tour of the extensive grounds of Alton Towers. The hotel management had promised that we could enjoy the tour in the spirit of the weekend, but grey skies and persistent cold rain meant coats and umbrellas were the order of the day.

As we live in south Staffordshire, less than an hour from Alton Towers, I was shocked at how little we knew of the ancestral home of the earls of Shrewsbury, and I am very grateful to our two excellent tour guides. We will certainly go back, and if BN ever manages to persuade the hotel to go naturist in the summer, we definitely want to do the tour again, only this time in the nude!

The tour completed, we thawed out with a couple of hours splashing around in Cariba Creek, and the sight of so many naturists of all ages, colours, shapes and sizes really enjoying themselves made us realise once again just how much naturism is becoming recognised and respected.

A special mention should go here to the staff at Alton Towers. They don’t have to do this and it must be a shock for ‘textiles’ to have so many naturally nude people around the place. But they seemed to enjoy themselves as much as we did and you never know…we might even have encouraged a few to try naturism for themselves.

Saturday night was the highlight of the weekend. We missed the pub quiz in favour of dinner (all that walking in the afternoon had made us hungry!), but the disco more than made up for it. With Jim Russell at the decks, we seemed to be jumping up every few minutes for a bop and dancing nude to YMCA was later described to me by Mrs. W. as one of the most enjoyable things we had done all year.

Sunday didn’t seem to go on long enough. After breakfast, we spent some time in Cariba Creek for the photo-shoot, but we were always conscious that the clock was ticking, and that shortly after the raffle with prizes including holidays was drawn we would have to get dressed and say ‘goodbye’.

Events like Alton Towers are a wonderful way of introducing more people to naturism, and once you get past jokes like ‘You’re not going on the big dipper in the nude in November, are you?”, friends will take an interest. Let’s hope Alton Towers episode four is just as much fun.

I’d like to thank everyone who helped in any way with the success of the weekend and in particular those who organised activities, my helpers and the staff of Alton Towers, who provided excellent service once again. Thanks also to the following, who supported the event by sponsoring, advertising, exhibiting or donating raffle prizes:

Ann and David James Travel - 0844 484 5058 www.capdagde.co.uk
Broadlands Sun Association – 01508-492907 www.broadland sun.co.uk
Chalfont Holidays - 0845 045 0987 www.chalfontholidays.co.uk
Peng Travel - 0845 345 8345 www.pengtravel.co.uk
Le Colombage - 0033 385 477978 www.lecolombage.com
Parasol Holidays – 01604-863300 www.parasolholidays.co.uk
Cambium – 01494-488805 www.cambiumbene.com
Rainbow Rentals – 0121-286 8181 www. rainbowsendmojacar
Dainti Jewellery - 07941 004279
Infiniti – 01548-561289 www.infinitinaturist.co.uk
Vassaliki – 020 8144 2166 www.vasnat.com
Lifestyle Press - www.barebeaches.com
Naturist Property Direct – 01206-384087 www.naturistproperty.com ]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:38:01 +0000 0777d5c17d4066b82ab86dff8a46af6f http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/activities/big-days-out/alton-towers/the-second-bn-alton-towers-naturist-weekend-2007-r62 Another blast of a weekend

Well, we’d looked forward to it for ages - that exciting feeling of still having a fab naturist event to go to before the end of the year, without the hassle of going abroad. And we weren’t disappointed. Alton Towers Splash Landings Hotel provided a great facility for a naturist weekend once again, with service to match. The attendance in 2006 had been less than commercially satisfying for the Alton Towers management, but a combination of great feedback from guests and vociferous demands by the staff to have us back(!) meant they gave us a 2007 date…and we booked all 220 rooms in the hotel. It shows that good events can start small and grow. No doubt word of mouth from those who went in 2006 helped to encourage others for this one. Thanks to all who spread the word.

For anyone not aware, or new to British Naturism, Alton Towers approached us in early 2006, suggesting an exclusive weekend for naturists at their hotel complex whilst the theme park was closed for annual maintenance. Naturally, we took them up on the offer and later that year around 275 BN members spent the weekend at the Splash Landings Hotel, which includes the most fabulous waterpark, Cariba Creek. For the second event over 450 of us made our way to Staffordshire to enjoy ourselves in the company of like-minded people.

As with the first weekend, this was a first BN event for many and others had joined us to be able to be there. Once again, we attracted a generally younger crowd with plenty of families and small children and 40-odd members of YBN. A venue of this calibre is never going to be cheap – and we know the room-rate meant that a lot of people felt it was pricey – but guests again commented on the excellent value for money that the weekend provided. In fact, the rate this year for two people sharing a room had been reduced by £50! Plenty of people made use of our “room-sharing” scheme and, as a result, perhaps had the best value of all.

Exclusive use meant that from the opening at 6 p.m. on Friday night to the close at midday Sunday clothes were not required anywhere in the hotel complex. Alton Towers were slightly caught out by the temperature outside, which sharply dropped to -1˚C on Friday evening after some mild days. The heating had been turned up in anticipation of our arrival, but it took a few extra hours to feel really cosy!

We were caught out too by the number of people who had taken the day off to make sure they didn’t miss anything. In 2006, many arrived late on the first day, so we had arranged only low-key activities for the Friday evening this time, but about 80% of guests had arrived by the time 6 p.m. came round. This year we’ll pack the first evening with activities, too! Cariba Creek was the first place many people went to, making the most of the rides, flumes, hot pools, water spouts and swimming areas, and cashing in their voucher for a free drink, courtesy of Alton Towers. Lots of hardy souls rode the flumes that take you outside, many taking full advantage of the welcome hot tub at the end of them. The Creek was busy all weekend and its own snack-bar Quenchers’ patio tables and deckchairs were always occupied. For many people this was a great place to unwind with a drink and a snack - and watch the naked world go by.

‘Calvero’ entertained people in the bar in his guise as Charlie Chaplin and there was much laughter. He also collected money for BBC Children in Need which event coincided with ours. By the end of the weekend we had raised £228.91. Fundraising for the charity was further enhanced by members of the Alton Towers catering staff producing their own version of a nude calendar, which they sold for £1 in the hotel shop. It was hastily put together after they had been inspired by the onslaught of naked eaters in the restaurant, but they say they’ll do it again with better planning for 2008 – good for them! You’ll find a copy of it in the forum in the downloads section. (Obviously, we can’t charge you for doing so but if you do download it, remember to put money in a charity box next time you can!)

YBN held their own “meet and greet” and were delighted to involve plenty of people over the weekend currently too young to join them in their own right, many of whom are now more keen to stick with naturism and to be YBNers as soon as they can. The 8-ball pool tournament masterminded by Peter Hockett was launched and got well under way and continued over the weekend with Les Jones emerging as the hard-fought winner.

The “NEC” (Naturist Exhibition Centre) was up and running as soon as the event began with Dainti jewellery, Vassiliki Naturist Club, BN’s holiday advisors and the BN shop spending time talking to people and showing their wares. We launched the new “100% Off” goods that weekend - see the shop page in this issue for details of how you can now get yours.Saturday started early with a t’ai chi session in the bar run by Nick Palmer, and after the inclusive breakfast (and with a break for lunch when it could be squeezed in) Allyn Edwards organised a Sacred Dance workshop and Chris Roberts and June Bentley tutored a life-drawing class that lasted all afternoon. Chris and June also brought easels and “donkeys” (an easel you can sit on) to make it easier for people to take part. A walking tour of the Alton Towers gardens is popular with guests in the warmer months and we were pleased to be offered one for our weekend. It was oversubscribed to twice the usual capacity, so our thanks to Alton Towers for simply arranging more staff, meaning that everyone who wanted to could take part. They also agreed that clothes could be dispensed with, but needless to say, everyone wrapped up against the bitter cold!

YBN organised a few activities for the children in Cariba Creek, including races, ‘find the duck’ and lots of fun with water pistols, with around 20 children joining in and chocolates as prizes. Kids’ competitions in the arcade included shooting games, air-hockey and the dance pad. The slots were fed from the YBN budget and each child was given £1 at the end to spend on the games as they wished.

Late afternoon included a bingo session in the bar (which was open all day for snacks and coffee, tea or something stronger) with lots of prizes and more entertainment for the little ones by way of their own disco. Fabulous prizes, including nine naturist holidays, were drawn in the raffle. After dinner was eaten and cleared away we packed the restaurant for the quiz – with a team of restaurant staff joining in – before exhausting ourselves completely at the disco.

Two members of the media joined us all weekend. Andy Mitchell, editor with Blackpool’s Radio Wave – and a member of BN since the summer, after a research project he did inspired him - made an excellent radio feature (available for download from the forum) and Jo Caird, travel editor with the London Student newspaper, wrote a two-page illustrated piece for a “market” that we definitely want to make our way into. Jo’s article also gave contact details for clubs and beaches in the South-East, so let’s hope she inspires lots of London-based students to give us a try this summer.

It seemed such a short time from breakfast to the end of the event on Sunday but we managed to have another t’ai chi session, a belly-dancing workshop and campaigning update and more purchases and chat at the NEC, and to gather for group photos in Cariba Creek.

It sounds like people’s feet would not have touched the ground, but there was plenty of time to laze around, too. What many people seem to get from such an event is the chance to spend time sharing experiences and relaxing with naturist friends old and new. The cry from many people at midday on Sunday was, “Can’t we stay?”

Thanks
Thanks to everyone who wrote in with comments and reports of their experiences. You’ll find lots of feedback from happy guests on the forum in the events section. Deserving of a special mention are all the volunteers (BN officers and members) who helped make it a great event, from working hard in the planning to playing their part over the weekend. We’ve since had more people offering help for this year’s event – if you have an idea of what you’d like to see, or can arrange an activity for us, please let us know. All the staff at Alton Towers were terrific, but big thanks to general manager Ian Parkinson for his foresight in allowing us once again to take the venue without BN having to pay any hire charge whatsoever, plus his creativity and determination to make it an event to remember; duty manager Jo for her attention and unstinting support (and for allowing a naked man to nip into her office every so often to make a Tannoy announcement!); and Tricia from reception who trawled her local shops on her way into work on the Saturday to buy something we needed and hadn’t been able to find.]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:35:46 +0000 82aa4b0af34c2313a562076992e50aa3 http://www.bn.org.uk/articles.php/_/activities/big-days-out/alton-towers/the-bn-alton-towers-naturist-weekend-2006-r61
For anyone not aware, or new to British Naturism, Alton Towers approached us in March, 2006, suggesting an exclusive weekend at their hotel complex whilst the theme park was closed for annual maintenance. Naturally, we took them up on the offer and around 275 BN members spent the weekend at the Splash Landings hotel. Nudity was permitted from 6 p.m. Friday until midday Sunday. We arranged all sorts of events and activities to keep people entertained, and the fabulous Waterpark – Cariba Creek – was open throughout, busy with naked people for the first time in its history.

For many people, this was their first BN event and others had joined us especially to be able to go – feedback from both groups was excellent. This also seemed to be an event that appealed to younger people, with plenty of families with small children and 20-odd members of YBN coming along. A venue of this calibre is never going to be cheap – and we know the room-rate meant that a lot of people decided not to attend – but guests commented on the excellent value for money that the weekend provided. Plenty of people made use of our “room-sharing” scheme and, as a result, perhaps had the best value of all.

It was wonderful to be able to wander fully naked anywhere at all times in November. People said that this aspect struck them most when walking naked into a conventional hotel corridor first thing in the morning, and when they realised that they did not have to get changed once they had been in Cariba Creek. The surfaces meant that even shoes were never needed.

Thanks to everyone who wrote in with comments and reports of their experiences. It would be impossible to publish them all, or mention everyone who helped in some way by name, but here’s a summary of this landmark naturist event. We also got some great feedback from last year's guests.

Cariba Creek Waterpark
The centrepiece of the hotel and the whole weekend for many, was Cariba Creek. Our exclusive use meant there were no queues on the various attractions. We paddled and swam in Lagoona Bay, were drenched under 1,000 litres of water from the Tipping Bucket, tried to avoid being sprayed with water from cannons and spouts just about everywhere, rode the Master Blaster – a “water-coaster” that took us up as well as down, whizzed down and around in the many flumes, drifted around the lazy river, were taken outside by the Flash Floods - not as bad as it seems even for November, as the heated pools were wonderfully warm, as long as you kept your shoulders under! It culminated in the steaming waters of the "Bubbly Wubbly" jacuzzi. Cariba Creek was also a great place to just sit, chat, watch the world go by and perhaps even nod off…

Daytime events
Our two guest speakers – Richard Hobday, author of The Healing Sun, and Alan Palmer, who wrote The Reluctant Nudist – both gave excellent and interesting speeches about their books, signing copies at the BN shop afterwards. Thanks to them both for giving up their time to entertain us. The naturist cinema show ran through the day on Saturday, showing four movies twice each during the day, allowing people to see the ones they wanted and not miss other activities. We were particularly pleased to be given permission by SCW Productions to show Craven Walker’s world-renowned film Travelling Light from the late 1950s – the first authorised public screening for 40 years. The bingo session was very popular and great fun, even if people were enjoying the antics of the caller more than the bingo itself! Kids and some intrepid adults played the Treasure Hunt, with Alistair winning an “adopt-a-turtle” prize from the Marine Conservation Society. An impromptu belly- dancing workshop attracted trainee dancers and a sizeable audience. Visitors browsed the exhibition hall tables all day on Saturday. It may have been a little cramped, but you certainly could not miss it! In addition to various BN stalls, displays and slide-shows, including YBN and the holiday advisors dispensing information, visitors found out more about Wirral Naturist Club, Abbey House Gardens, Red Letter Days’ Garden of Eden event, the Marine Conservation Society and Vassiliki, the new British-owned resort in Kefalonia.

Food and drink
No need to dress for dinner either, or breakfast and lunch for that matter. Food was delicious and plentiful and served buffet-style, which was perfect since it gave people a chance to mingle and share tables with whoever they chose. There was also a huge choice and you could fill your plate as often as you wished. The beach bar opened when the Waterpark did and the bar in the hotel was open 24 hours, making a convenient “collapsing” area for those who needed to relax and recuperate – whatever the time.

Nighttime entertainment
The Friday night coincided with BBC Children in Need and a “Spot the (volley) ball” competition was arranged, raising money for that good cause. Most people caught up with old friends and made new ones that evening in the bar, and the sound system led to impromptu dancing. Early Saturday evening saw the kids’ disco, with Jim Russell behind the turntables and Angela Russell dancing non-stop for an hour encouraging the kids to join in! Later, the pub quiz was an eagerly contested, sometimes heated, but always fun, activity in which most people participated. Thanks to Red Letter Days, the winning team took home a case of wine. The grand prize draw followed, with great prizes - including three holidays from Vassiliki naturist resort, David and Ann James Travel and Hotel Zum Walde - being handed out by President Pat Thompson. All guests’ names had been entered into a separate draw for many smaller prizes, which followed. Jim’s evening disco was a blast and a highlight of the weekend for many people. The way that events and dining had flowed into each other meant that people had not had time to put on their glad-rags (or probably didn’t want to, actually) and so, unusually, the disco was a naked affair. We danced to everything, sang at the tops of our voices and had a fabulous time, well into the night.

Staff
The staff of Alton Towers, from the senior management to the restaurant and Waterpark staff, were terrific. Helpful, welcoming and attentive to our every need. It is a top-class venue, run extremely well, and they really seemed to like having us there. They’d had some other “unusual” (their words, not ours) groups over previous weekends and told us that, despite their “fears” (their word again), they found us to be the nicest and most normal group. They commented that we were all so happy and relaxed that they concluded there was something to be gained by being a naturist, over and above the simple pleasure of being without clothes. The Waterpark staff said after the event that the next set of textile visitors seemed suddenly ridiculous in their costumes, and the security guards - brought in to man the door as it was an exclusive event – were delighted to tell us that never before had people made an effort to come up and speak to them. We feel that we changed many perceptions of naturism and naturists over the weekend and, have gained some new recruits - some of the bar staff recently went to a swim at Bramcote.

Each guest was given an exclusive British Naturism beach bag on arrival – look out for them on the beaches this summer.]]> Sat, 07 Jan 2012 11:32:51 +0000 bd4c9ab730f5513206b999ec0d90d1fb