News and Articles
News and articles about BN and the wonderful world of Naturism
British Naturism will, of course, be attending the meeting and we thought it would inform our contribution if we asked our members to let us have their views on the subject, and so next week's Forum Live (Monday 13th February, 19:30 GMT) will play host to what promises to be a lively and wide-ranging discussion on the subject.
Join on the night via the BN shop
Photo by Tim Rüßmann on Unsplash
British Naturism would be powerless without the many volunteers who give their time and energy to the organisation for free, from senior management positions, steering the organisation into the future and ensure the provision of a valuable service to members, to people who make sure events run smoothly, take on a national or regional role, work on the efficiency of this website and the members' forum and many, many other important tasks.
The more volunteers we have, the better, and our ability in this area has improved immeasurably since John took on the role. There is a comprehensive section on the forum about volunteering enabling every member to find out more about what volunteering entails, how to come forward or make your experience and skill set known to others, and descriptions of roles we're seeking to fill.
Come and find out more about it - and be inspired to get involved. Access the session via the BN shop.
Thanks also to John for stepping in at short notice when our planned guest was unavoidably unavailable.
A big thank-you to all the venues that host recurring swims all year round. Watford, Spectrum, East Sussex, Wigton, Dover, Northampton – I’m lookin’ at you! There are also listings for Shap Lido and Petersfield Open Air Swimming Pool in the summer - if you can bear (bare?) to wait!
And let’s welcome back the beach swims! There are five Ringstead Bay Beach Days throughout June, July and August. There’s St. Anne’s Carnival Beach Day and East Sussex Naturist Beach Day both in July, with the Great East Skinny Dip is on in September. You’ll find more information on these and all the dips on the GBSD website as well as a host of other resources.
Remember, we throw off our clothes and jump in the water for many reasons – including the sheer fun of swimming naked – but one of the best is to raise funds for our charity partner, the British Heart Foundation.
Supporting BHF is also a great reason for disrobing and wandering around various magnificent grounds. And here’s more great news! Tickets are now on sale for three Naked Heart Walks:
Powderham Castle, Devon - 20 May
Cross Morecambe Bay - 11 June
RSPB Rainham Marshes, Essex - 23 July
Stay tuned for more information on these two NHWs:
Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park, Yorkshire - 1 July
Knebworth House, Hertfordshire - 10 August
I wouldn’t be surprised if more NHWs popped up. But if you don’t see any Naturist events in your neck of the wood, worry not! You can make them happen, even if it’s simply by sending us a venue suggestion - for walks or swims.
As always, the highlight was the evening entertainment that included The Abba Reunion Tribute Show taking a break from their West End tour and music from the original 60’s band, Union Gap.
The reason we are able to get these acts is that they hear there is an opportunity to perform at a Naturist event and jump at the unique opportunity. Naturism is cool and more than one of the star guests this weekend dipped their toe in. The Bournemouth weekend was Naturism at its finest.
Look out for more BIG events at events.bn.org.uk
As with all our events - even in the winter - guests can spend the entire weekend without clothes. They can also expect a full programme of daytime activities and nightly entertainment. It's a perfect cure for the winter blues.
It's an event - like most BN events - that has been sold out for ages. Check out the full programme of events for 2023 and make sure you don't miss any of the others.
Have fun, everyone!
Photo by Dami Akinbode on Unsplash
It's a brand new - and rather splendid - location: Powderham Castle in Devon.
It takes place on Saturday 20 May - tickets are available now!
As with all Naked Heart Walks this year it will be clothing optional to allow the maximum number of people to decide to participate and raise valuable funds for our charity partner, BHF. We're confident that many that start dressed will be happily stripped off by the end!
Regular visitors to BN's website will know that our online classes were the big success of the lockdowns, gaining us massive media coverage and new members, including many from overseas! Sessions are divided into 'Community' which are free to attend for BN members and those from overseas federations, and 'Naked Fitness' which are open to all, but attract a small fee.
Whether you are a regular at the classes, have been to one or two, or have been wondering if they are for you, do come and hear more about them and what class attendees can expect. You'll find the full schedule and links for booking in the BN shop.
You can join this session on the night from the BN shop too.
The holiday runs for 7 nights from 26th April to 3rd May 2023 and will be hosted by BN members Roy and Jan. Group activities and gatherings will be arranged.
Spaces are limited and so book your accommodation as soon as you can. Note that guests will arrange their own travel and other aspects of their trip.
Find out more on the BN events website
First, check out the GBSD calendar. There are already recurring swims listed for the entire year along with, so far, three women-only events: Club Naturel Ladies-Only Clothes-Optional Swims on 27 January and 3 February, and the Lancashire Sun Ladies Only Event on 16 May.
We know that many other venues, including Naturist clubs, are planning their dips, so bookmark the page and keep checking back. If you'd like updates and information straight to your inbox, why not sign up for our newsletter? You'll find the sign up at the foot of each page at greatbritishskinnydip.co.uk.
If immersing your naked body into water isn’t your thing, maybe strolling clothes-free through gorgeous gardens, woods or estates is!
You’re in luck! There are already five Naked Heart Walks lined up - all great opportunities to enjoy nude recreation and raise valuable funds. This year's Naked Heart Walks will be clothing optional to allow the maximum number of people to decide to participate and raise valuable funds for our charity partner. We're confident that many that start dressed will be happily stripped off by the end!
Tickets are now available or will be very soon for:
Powderham Castle, Devon - 20 May
Cross Morecambe Bay - 11 June
Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park, Yorkshire - 1 July
RSPB Rainham Marshes, Essex - 23 July
Knebworth House, Hertfordshire - 10 August
And there’s always room for more! Remember, we’re dipping and walking to support the fantastic work of the British Heart Foundation, so the more events, the more money raised to keep everyone heart-healthy.
And another reminder: Most of the people who find and arrange all the amazing activities British Naturism offers are volunteers. If there’s nothing going on in your area, get involved! You can make an event happen, even if all you do is send us a venue suggestion.
Building partnerships with other bodies and authorities is key to the normalisation of Naturism, so something we should all be involved with. Therefore, there will be lots of opportunity for discussion and idea sharing as we seek new relationships.
Join us on Monday 23rd January at 7:30pm via the BN shop
It's a walk we've done before, the famous cross Morecambe Bay walk where walkers start in one county and finish in another!
It takes place on Sunday 11th June - tickets are available now!
As with all Naked Heart Walks this year it will be clothing optional to allow the maximum number of people to decide to participate and raise valuable funds for our charity partner. We're confident that many that start dressed will be happily stripped off by the end!
Mandy and Janey are members of Club Naturel and have written about their experiences in Naturism.
Mandy
My first experience was three years ago when my partner, Pete, asked me if I’d like to go to the Club Naturel swim one Friday evening. Being a plus-size lady with arthritis, little or no confidence and low self-esteem due to a bad past, I wasn’t sure if I could. Pete is so supportive and never puts pressure on me, he even said if we got to the pool and I changed my mind we would come home. On arrival at the pool we were greeted by friendly members. I was extremely nervous and I walked out of the changing room with my towel wrapped around me to hide my body but soon realised that no one was looking at me. Once I was in the pool I felt much more relaxed. I noticed how non-judgemental everyone was, unlike when you go to a textile pool where people point and laugh at you. To swim as a Naturist was very exhilarating. I left that evening actually feeling good about myself and felt my confidence and self-esteem had gone up a notch.
Since then Pete and I also do Naturist fishing, combining the two things I enjoy. To be sitting beside a lake, enjoying the sun and tranquillity of it all and to catch carp as a Naturist is fantastic. All the worries of body image go away and I completely relax.
Becoming a naturist has done so much for my self-confidence, I would definitely encourage ladies to try it. No one is judging me; they accept everyone for who they are.
Janey
I like the idea of a ladies-only, clothes-optional swim because it’s an event for us ladies to socialise, exercise, relax and make new friends. I always say, ‘try swimming, using a sauna or a Jacuzzi wearing a costume, and then try it without. What a difference in comfort you will feel; no cold, wet clingy costume.’
Fact: we are judged in every aspect of our lives by the clothes we wear, at work, at home, socially, relaxing or swimming.
Fact: As a Naturist we talk to the person, not the body, so no judgement is being made on how we look. We all look different, but we are all the same as Naturists.
I have a colostomy. Those who wear clothes say it’s a hidden disability. WHY? Not for me it’s not. I’m a Naturist. It’s not about how my body looks, but who I am as a person that counts. Whether you have had something added, removed (or not) from your own unique body don’t let it stop you from feeling the freedom away from clothes.
So, if you have a female friend, wife or partner who may be interested in coming along to these swims, please let them know. Facilities include a heated indoor pool, Jacuzzi and sauna, showers, changing cubicles & toilet. Swim sessions last for two hours and cost £5 a head (payable on the day).
Afternoon session on Friday 27th January from 2 - 4 pm.
Evening session on Friday 3rd February from 8 – 10 pm.
Attendance is limited to 20 ladies per session. Please make enquiries and bookings via email, to clubnaturelevents@gmail.com. Directions to the venue will be provided after booking.
In fact, it's more than that as Laurent is involved at a local level with a club in Paris and the International Naturist Federation (INF). He's a busy man.
I'll be finding out how things are going with each of those organisations and hear more about the work Laurent does. As the picture shows, Laurent organised a series of naked visits to the Hyperrealism exhibition recently and was delighted to welcome over 1000 naked people, many of them of a younger age and many trying social nudity for the first time. We'll hear more about that too.
Join us on Monday 16 Jan at 7:30pm, via the BN shop
Encourage acceptance and participation in Naturism across the nation and beyond Promote greater understanding of Naturism and Social Nudity Promote the benefits of Naturism including body confidence and wellbeing Raise funds for our charity partner British Heart Foundation As we enter our eighth year of the campaign, we are looking forward to smashing all records - for the number of venues, the number of dippers and the amount raised.
Last year we counted over 100 events with many venues hosting naked swimming sessions for the first time. Many of them are doing it again - keep an eye on the GBSD calendar and sign up for the newsletter at the foot of each page on the GBSD website for more info!
You'll see some events already listed and first up, this coming Sunday is the skinny dip in Northampton, hosted by the Northampton Sun Group. Never tried it before? Now's your chance - you're assured of a warm welcome, and you'll wonder why you ever wore a swimming costume in the first place...
Martijn and Richard are well-known to Naturists everywhere as the operators of Gran Hotel Natura in Fuerteventura, which sadly closed a few years ago despite having become one of the world's most popular nude holiday destinations. We'll reminisce about that too.
Join me at 19:30 GMT on Monday 9 January via the BN shop
The Forum Live and all 'Community' online events are free to members of BN and overseas Naturist Federations. If you are not a member, you can join here
In the meantime, you can read about Petit Hotel Natura in the latest BN magazine (log in required) in an article written by Sarah and Mark, who also provided this news story's picture - thanks!
We can't reproduce the image owing to copyright issues but we've selected that we can use that features John and Donna who appear in the image and who took part in a feature in the late summer.
Donna has previously been British Naturism's Women in Naturism campaign co-ordinator. Donna told BN, 'We were very pleased to see that one of Fabio’s images of us made it into this selection. Goodness knows what the very many illustrious people also featured, felt about ‘rubbing newsprint shoulders’ with a couple of naked non-entities! It was an interesting day, being the hottest one we had last year and try as we might we couldn’t get Fabio to strip off, despite him melting visibly!'
And you don't have to wait to get started - British Naturism's flagship week-long, activity-packed festival week is now open for booking. It takes place in Somerset from the 3rd to the 9th of July.
Nudefest combines an incredible line-up of daytime activities with nighttime entertainment in multiple on-site venues. There's always something to do, and something new, and at the heart of it is our great British Naturism community.
However, it's turned out to be another good year for British Naturism and with around ten days of the year remaining we're extremely close to seeing an increase in our numbers once again. If you are not a member - or know someone who isn't - you can help us by joining today.
British Naturism is a very active organisation, run by volunteers, where we all work together to make life better for all Naturists across the UK. We have a huge event programme, run a website with masses of information for existing Naturists and newcomers, maintain a high profile in the media to keep Naturism in the public eye, produce a quarterly magazine with news, views, features and articles on Naturism both at home and abroad, support and promote Naturist clubs, swims and other venues, engage in research projects to show the outside world how attitudes are changing. We are well aware that what members want from their national organisation differs from person to person. We maintain such a broad scope so that everybody can feel they are deriving personal benefit from at least one area, while contributing to the promotion of something that we all value.
If you prioritise benefits, the 25% discount that membership grants to event bookings immediately pays for itself. For myself, I joined British Naturism because I believe that self-acceptance through Naturism can make the world a better place for many people.
If you believe, like me, that being naked is normal and we should be free to be nude in a variety of circumstances and environments without fear of discrimination or aggression
If you believe, like me, that the educating the general public about the benefits of wholesome clothes-free recreation is important for progress
If you believe, like me, that more places for Naturism need to created, and existing ones protected
If you believe, like me, that Naturism is stronger when the community works together
...then please consider joining us, or renewing your membership, or encouraging someone new to become part of it, and being part of our future.
You can rejoin right here and now.
Thank you
Mark Bass
President of British Naturism
Our Naked Heart Walks are fabulous days out BUT are intended to raise money for British Heart Foundation's valuable work. There are two ticket prices therefore:
Pay £15 to participate and pledge to raise £50 for BHF, or
Pay £25 to participate which sum includes a donation to BHF of £10
This year, to encourage even greater numbers of walkers, the walks will be clothes-optional.
Image: Tony O'Brien
Join in our online events - from yoga to a pub quiz night, and interviews to fitness classes. Check out the calendar of regional events and swims Raise money for our national charity, British Heart Foundation, at a Great British Skinny Dip or Naked Heart Walk Read over one hundred articles on our news pages about a wide variety of Naturist and Naturist-related subjects Visit goodtimes.bn.org.uk and discover how amazing and vibrant our community is checkout the volunteering pages on the BN website. If you're logged in you can jump straight to the current opportunities on offer Learn about our many campaigns, including inspiring, first-person stories from Women in Naturism Follow us on social media - we're active on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter Sign up for our regular newsletters and get information straight to your inbox The members' side of our website (login required) is chock-full of interesting stuff. Naturists from the UK and beyond are currently discussing and debating a variety of topics - not all related to Naturism - and finding information, viewing event and other images, reading blogs and more. It also contains a variety of interesting and useful downloads including full copies of BN Magazine back to 2004! It all comes free as part of a British Naturism annual subscription.
We’re unable to return to the same venue for the 2023 bash - and this is where you come in! Can you suggest other suitable venues? If so, please get in touch.
Let’s make sure this Naturist gem finds a new home for 2023!
We were delighted to offer it as the prize for a silent auction at our recent Alton Towers event and even more delighted when Andrew and Amanda bid close to the value of the cabin ($7500).
It gets better. Andrew and Amanda said:
We got married on Tuesday 6th December and we saw the auction for the cruise and thought what a lovely honeymoon it would make for us. On that basis we decided that if we did not win the prize at the auction we would simply book the trip anyway. The British Heart Foundation is Amanda’s favourite charity as her father was one of the very early heart transplant patients and enjoyed quite a full life following the operation. With both of those factors in mind we decided to offer pretty much the full cost of the booking which is what we were prepared to pay as the money would go to BHF (A double bonus for us). So thank you so much for providing this opportunity.
Kat Whitmire from Bare Necessities said:
We’re so very happy the auction was such a success and very happy to have been a part of it!
Emily Lyle from British Heart Foundation said:
We are so grateful to Bare Necessities and to Andrew and Amanda for this incredible donation for our charity. Your generosity will enable us to fund more research into heart and circulatory diseases.
Research we’ve funded has shown that technology developed using artificial intelligence can identify people who are potentially at high risk of a fatal heart attack at least five years before it strikes. Other cutting-edge research we fund explores using stem cell ‘patches’ to heal heart tissue. We fund research that aims to translate scientific findings from the laboratory into advances in human health in the form of new treatments that reach people in hospitals and homes across the UK. Our research brings hope to the 7.6 million people living with these conditions, thank you for giving them the best gift.
We're going to do it again, and this time in advance of the Naked Heart Walk at Devon's Powderham Castle and we need a good mix of volunteers to bare all on what is likely to be a chilly Winter day, probably in January.
If you can help, or would like more information, please get in touch. Thanks!
Our planned two-week holiday at Grottamiranda in Puglia, Italy was postponed from 2020 to 2021, and then again to 2022 owing to COVID restrictions, but, finally, we were able to visit this June. Having retired early at Easter, we decided that rather than flying, we would take advantage of not having to rush back to work and turn our holiday into a road trip, sightseeing and visiting some spas on the way down, and collecting some wine on the way home.
After a brief stop in Reims, we arrived in Switzerland for city breaks in Bern, Lucerne and Zurich (don’t miss the Lindt factory tour with unlimited chocolate tasting), all beautiful old towns to walk around. Bern has the great free outdoor textile Marzili Lido complex, which apparently has separate men’s and women’s sections for nude sunbathing, although we didn’t look for these, being a couple; and strong swimmers can brave the river Aare and float downstream round the city in the strong current. Close to Marzili we visited the Hammam & Spa Oktogon which gets its name from being built on the octagonal base of the City’s first gas boiler dating back to the 19th Century – it has a central pool with a 13 metre domed roof and galleries for rest areas in an Arabic style.
It has a curious set up from a Naturist perspective in that swimsuits are not allowed, but you are required to wear a hammam sheet in the steam room, pool and relaxation areas, though not in the areas for scrubbing, soaping or rasul, and in practice the sheets float up in the pool to reveal all anyway. The experience follows a numbered route that takes you through a traditional hammam ritual, starting with a herbal steam room to open the pores, then a room to scrub your skin with a Kese exfoliating glove; relaxation in the pool; a second, hotter, herbal steam room; a room to soap your body; and finishing by relaxing on hot stones. We paid extra for the treatment to follow this where you cover your body with the soothing mud, then relax in a steam bath, before showers above wash you clean. Massages are also available. Finally there is a rest area with free tea and water, plus a pricey delicatessen for light bites. Overall a very relaxing experience.
When we stayed in Lucerne we took a day trip via a boat across the lake to Weggis and then a cable car (expensive) to the top of Mount Rigi and the Mineralbad & Spa Rigi Kaltbad. The spa is a stunning, modern architectural textile pool complex, with an outdoor infinity pool that has an amazing alpine vista, and a downstairs spa area, but unfortunately only the sauna is Naturist, not the steam room, flotation pool or relaxation area. We booked a package which included a couple’s massage. Whilst limited from a Naturist perspective, we felt this was well worth the visit when taking into account the journey and the view.
After leaving Zurich, we crossed over into Germany, driving through the Black Forest to Baden Baden. From a previous visit to the area, we recommend a side trip to Badenparadies Schwarzwald at Lake Titisee, with 6 pools and 12 saunas.
The highlight of Baden Baden is its two spas – the famous Friedrichsbad and Caracalla Therme. Friedrichsbad is a Naturist Roman-Irish bath, following a 17-stage ritual where your body is gently warmed-up, soaped, brushed (soap and brushing currently suspended due to COVID restrictions), steamed and then gently cooled-down in pools, the highlight of which is the beautiful central domed pool room; before you dry off, apply body lotion and move to the rest area for tea, all of which takes 2 – 3 hours. This all takes place in an iconic Renaissance style building, with two symmetrical wings containing the baths, meeting in the central pool. Whilst there used to be certain days when men and women were separated, one wing for each, although still with the ability to join together in the middle, when we visited one wing was closed and currently all sessions are mixed.
By contrast, a three minute walk away is Caracalla Therme, a modern, textile swimming pool complex with a large Naturist spa, for an additional cost, which has a good range of saunas and steam rooms, a jacuzzi, rest areas and an outdoor sunbathing terrace. The spa area is accessed via a spiral staircase from the main pool area and as you enter there is shelving for you to leave your swimsuits. Baden Baden should be on the Naturist spa bucket list for the opportunity to experience these two completely different spas.
We then travelled North of Munich to Therme Erding which claims to be the largest sauna paradise in the world, with multiple indoor and outside saunas, ranging from the intimate Rose Pavilion that seats about eight, through to huge saunas like the Russian Banja that can seat over 100. Each of the saunas has a different theme, with a full aufguss programme, perhaps the most unusual being the sauna with a bread oven. There are also steam rooms, together with a huge indoor pool, with swim-up bars open all day, that extends into an outdoor pool and lazy river. Erding can also be used as a base to explore the local area which has plenty to offer – on this or previous trips we have visited Munich; Dachau; Regensburg on the Danube, a UNESCO world heritage medieval city, where we had lunch in Wurstkuchl, the world’s oldest restaurant which has been serving sausages since 1146; and two of “mad” King Ludwig’s famous castles - Herrenchiemsee New Palace, modelled on Versailles and Neuschwanstein Castle, which featured in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Suitably refreshed, we then began the rest of our journey down to Puglia, driving through Austria and staying at Hotel Gruenauerhof in Wals near Salzburg, which has a modern Naturist spa with two saunas, a steam room, relaxation area and sun terrace above its textile pool, and its own farm ensuring excellent produce for its restaurant.
Image credit: Carolus Thermen
