We've had a terrific start at the first summer camping site we opened - British Naturism Sunfolk and look forward to welcoming people to our newest...
Click here for booking details for both - see you there!
News and Articles
News and articles about BN and the wonderful world of Naturism
We've had a terrific start at the first summer camping site we opened - British Naturism Sunfolk and look forward to welcoming people to our newest...
Click here for booking details for both - see you there!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-8601689/ULRIKA-JONSSON-says-British-hung-baring-heatwave.html
Picture: Colin Brundle
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Naked Munro bagging. I never really thought it was either practical or possible. And yet, there I was on a remote mountain in the Scottish Highlands, sitting naked on a trigpoint.
Munros are Scottish mountains over 3000 feet high that I and many others have an addiction for. I am officially a 'bagger', trying to climb all 282, and the Highland weekend at Loch Ossian gave me the perfect excuse to explore some new areas in the week before and climb some more mountains. I'm usually up in Scotland in the depths of winter as I love the mountains in their snowy coats, though this clearly doesn't present the ideal conditions for naked hiking! Summer in Scotland can be just as problematic - the famous midges, the notorious Scottish weather, but both were kind to me on this trip, and I was finally able to take the plunge and try some naked rambling. I chose one of the remotest areas of Scotland for my first naked walk; Fisherfield, in the far north near Ullapool, and wow, it didn't disappoint.
I set out from the roadside in just a sarong and a t-shirt - the track climbs from the road quickly, so I was soon able to remove both as I walked along in beautiful sunshine with stunning views of a rugged mountain called An Teallach. I saw only one person on a walk through stunning scenery to the Shenival bothy, and another walker who passed me on a lower track, possibly deliberately avoiding the strange naked person in front of him! I saw no-one else, and, other than donning my sarong as I approached the bothy, I was naked the whole day.
At around 4pm I reached the summit of my first Munro, Ruadh Stac Mor. An hour later, I was on my second, A'Mhaighdean and then headed for the third, Beinn Tarsuinn. Astounding views surrounded me over the Summer Isles back towards An Teallach and over to Torridon. In 25 years of walking in the Highlands, it was one of the best days of walking I've ever done. The atmosphere was beautifully clear, with sun glinting off the lochs and the distant sea and quartz sparkling on the mountain sides. It was awe inspiring.
At around 7pm I was climbing along the winding ridge to the last summit of the day thinking that I would go the whole day without wearing a stitch, but as I came to the end of the ridge I saw two figures on the summit. I wasn't quite ready to meet them without a stitch on, so I quickly donned shorts and t-shirt, and joined them on the top. If the two women had seen I had been naked just moments before, they certainly didn't mention it and we exchanged pleasantries and each went on our way. My day ended with a high level camp at 800 metres with a beautiful sunset over the Fisherfield Munros. A fitting end to a perfect day.
The following day I was greeted with a huge mountain thunderstorm, so I waited out in my cozy shelter, but it left the day damp and cold so there was no more naked walking that day. I did, however, chalk up my third Munro of the trip the next day, Ciste Dubh north of Cluanie Inn in Kintail, before heading down to Tulloch station ready to catch the train to Corrour the next day to meet up with the British Naturism crowd at Loch Ossian. A very enjoyable weekend with friends old and new and plenty more naked walking ended with a cracking meal at the Station House restaurant. A perfect end to a week of naked firsts.
I’m sitting in a room full of people I’ve never met before in my life. The last sun rays of the day are filtering through the windows in the roof, causing an ethereal glow above us. The floor is an exquisite mosaic of tiles and eight chairs are arranged in a hexagonal pattern around a fountain in the middle of the room. Unfortunately, there is no water, which would have been welcome given that the temperature in the room is almost forty degrees. The humid atmosphere is heavenly, but it can turn hellish if you forget to drink plenty water. It’s like a scene in a Michelangelo painting of various naked deities in earnest discussion. The reality is a little different. The seven other naked people sitting around the fountain may not have godly powers, but their diversity in appearance is something to behold. To my right are three men of varying middle ages that are clearly not new to their surroundings. One of them sits in silence with his eyes closed while perspiration runs down his forehead. The two others are engaged in conversation, only looking up whenever somebody comes in. Sitting next to them is a young couple: the man is a classic Adonis figure with muscles in all the right places, while the woman has the kind of figure that I’ve only ever seen on the top shelf of magazine racks. Next, a young man with lots of tattoos sits with a nonchalant expression while watching everybody around him. And finally, to my left is a young, slim girl around my age who is making clear by her body language that she’s very nervous. Perhaps, like me, she’s come to the weekly swim at the Arlington Bath Club in Glasgow for the first time and is navigating the many contrasts found by first-timers as they get comfortable around other naturists. What contrasts? For me – a single male in his 20s at the beginning of his naked journey – the biggest one is between common perception of Naturism from those who have never tried it and the actual experience.
When I was younger, I enjoyed being naked in the house when my parents were out. I would dare myself to run around the garden and came to an unspoken agreement with the cat to not tell my mum what I’d been up to in exchange for an extra treat or two. At that age, nudity was my little rebellion, and my upbringing had enforced the idea that people that took their clothes off were unusual and most likely had ulterior motives. I was overweight until my late teens and had big insecurities about how I looked, but despite all this, I was fascinated by the idea of being naked among others. Just before summer this year, I had a friend to stay for the weekend and he wandered in while I was in the shower (I live alone and had forgotten to lock the door that time!). We ended up staying naked with each other all day – indoors, as it was a day of typical “Scottish summer” weather! For some reason, it felt completely natural to have that sense of openness and shared vulnerability while we nakedly watched Lord of The Rings. I was hooked. I wanted more. I was conflicted between wanting to dive into Naturism and my perceptions that refused to sink. I feared being made fun of for the imaginary life ring of blubber around my waist, or of getting excited in full view of all those present. I plucked up the courage to go to the local naked swim in Aberdeen. I remember sitting in the car with fears and questions swirling around my head. “What if it’s just me and a bunch of old men touching their gherkins? What if they point and laugh? What if I walk in naked and they’re all clothed? What if there’s somebody I know? Will they notice the stretch marks around my thighs or that I forgot to trim my toenails? Will there be people having sex at the side of the pool?” It took all of five minutes inside for all of these questions to evaporate. I found myself with about twenty other perfectly normal (albeit naked) people. Once the slight shock of seeing a naked woman twice my age for the first time wore off, I almost forgot I wasn’t wearing swimming trunks. The rest of the group were all very approachable and enthusiastic about having nudity as a regular feature of their lifestyle. They talked about saunas, hotels, festivals, campsites, cruise ships, holiday resorts and even bike rides where nudity was allowed, or even mandatory. It was almost overwhelming listening to them and it forcibly ripped away my false perceptions. “Why had I never found about all this before? Why had it taken me so long to get my feet wet and dive in?” I’ve since decided that the contrast between perception and reality has caused the UK to be afraid of naturists. We don’t fit the common social categories that are usually determined by age, gender, nationality and income bracket. Naturism unites people by the simple fact that we have a human body. Naturism is one of the very few communities where we could be in the presence of bluechip billionaires, BMW salesmen, bank tellers and buskers all at the same time without knowing! Yet naturists are seen as somewhat odd, eccentric oddities that gain the kind of response reserved for moments like when Barbara Windsor’s clothing falls off in a Carry On film for the umpteenth time. Naturism is a Susan Boyle among a competing selection of lifestyles: made fun of by many of “The Uninitiated” until they experience things first hand. Speaking of which, I will have my first Alton Towers event with BN later this year. Who knows what experiences I’ll have and what contrasts will come to light during this next landmark in my Naturist journey!
Edward Shearer
Photo credit : Richard Stacey
The paper called BN for a comment but our response didn't make it into the article. What did make it was the body confidence boost she got from the experience. She told the Star "Doing Normal People has been quite an empowering thing because I had to accept very early on that really there was nothing I could change about the way I looked. I thought, 'Oh, my gosh, I feel so liberated. Maybe I'll be a naturist'."
The programme did contain a lot of simple natural nudity including some full frontal male shots. However, it was more famous for its plethora of sex scenes which became a favourite joke on BBC's Dead Ringers. Daisy told the Star how much they had been helped by a special “Intimacy Coordinator”. She said "We were really lucky that when we filmed them, we had a wonderful intimacy coordinator called Ita O'Brien and she is just amazing”
The BN comment that didn't make it into the article was nice. We told the Star:-
“We’d certainly encourage Daisy to decide to continue being naked, unscripted and outside of the studio. Despite what people might think, Naturists are also 'Normal People' from all walks of life and backgrounds.”
Our title - with apologies to Truman Capote and his novel “Breakfast at Tiffany's"
Join us tonight for The Forum Live when we talk about BN's Women in Naturism campaign with a panel of Naturist women including campaign co-ordinator Donna Price (@nakedfreestyler) and Linda Webber from US Naturist federation AANR.
If there's a woman in your life who doesn't currently share your passion for clothes-free recreation then this could be a great opportunity to invite her along and inspire her...
Next Saturday is the first of the month of August which means we will be running our monthly life drawing class. Remember there is a 40% discount on the ticket price for BN members.
The first weekend of the month means that we'll host our monthly 'Women Uncovered' session, open to all BN/INF women.
See the list below for all the online events we're running this week or visit our events website for all the details.
All community sessions (the orange events below) are included as part of your British Naturism membership - we also welcome guests from the INF too.
Lifestyle Sessions (in green below) are open to all with a 40% discount for BN & INF members. They also come with free cancellation & transfer to another session, up to one hour before the start.
Not a BN member? Come and join us here - it costs less than £4 a month. If you attending regular online sessions you'll save a fortune - and gain many other membership benefits.
A very large number of members provided feedback on the draft strategy, proving how highly volunteers are regarded. At the EC meeting this week, we reviewed an updated version of the Volunteering Strategy, amended to incorporate the feedback and we are pleased to announce two key resolutions:
1) The formal adoption of the Volunteering Strategy that will guide decision making going forward
2) The creation of a new position of Volunteering Officer on the Executive Committee
Volunteering is of such importance that it is essential that the Volunteering Officer is part of the top-level discussions, and therefore fitting that it should be an EC position.
The even better news is that John Gelder, the brain behind the strategy, accepted the invitation of the Executive Committee to fill the role. John has extensive experience in advising voluntary organisations and a vision for how much more we can achieve as an organisation with the correct structure in place, so is certainly the person for the job. Many will also know John for his work on organising and leading walks in the Eastern Region, so his naturist credentials are beyond doubt.
I won’t attempt to talk about the finalised policy or future plans here, I expect the policy will be added to the downloads section soon and John will reveal his thoughts in due course.
It just remains for me to invite everybody to welcome John to the role and congratulate him on the work already done.
We’re also delighted to welcome Linda Webber (pictured below) who performs a similar role for the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) a federation in the US that works in a similar way to BN in the UK.
We’ll hope to hear from many other active, Naturist women too.
This session is not just for women by the way, and if you are one of those men whose female partner goes and does something else during The Forum Live most weeks, perhaps this is the opportunity to suggest she joins in. There is no obligation to be naked.
Book your place as soon as you can!
Nudefest is British Naturism's largest festival and is famed for its entertainment, activities and social community - offering a thinned down version just wouldn't be the Nudefest we all know and love. Nudefest will be back in 2021.
For the full announcement please read Nudefest Organiser Nigel's forum post here.
Well, now you can, thanks to British Naturism's pop-up camping initiative.
There are two great opportunities to hitch up the caravan, pop up the tent or dust off the motorhome.
West Sussex - 10 -31 August
Hertfordshire/London borders - 1 August - 5 October - at our very own British Naturism:Sunfolk site
Itching to book? Find all the details here...
Photo by Nick Karvounis on Unsplash
A major feature of the village will be a state of the art pool complex with “WOW Wave Ball”, no less than two four-storey flumes and a 50 metre pool that can be divided into different sections. The local Council are certainly on the ball and Councillor Robin Wood seemed on the crest of a wave when he told the “Derbyshire Live” reporter that the new complex would be ideal for naturists swimming sessions if such a demand existed.
Councillor Wood was reported as saying: "As an institution we wanted to give residents something extra, instead of just a 50m pool, it's a leisure pool as well and we are asking 11-year-olds how they would like it to be decorated as they will be using it the most. I think it'll be worth the wait, it'll be so much more than just a pool, the pool itself will be very flexible as we can divide it into three sections and have different things on at different times for marginalised groups.
"So we could have a women's only swimming session, there's a possibility even of a nudist swimming session because there has been a demand for that so all of that can be accommodated without closing the whole pool."
It is a rather impressive project with work continuing throughout the Covid crisis and seems to be reasonably on time and budget. Apart from the “nudists welcome” message another interesting feature is that the exterior cladding will change colour depending on the sun's position.
Image from the INF Gala 2019 courtesy of Vincent Mottez
Jonathan is the editor of Outdoor Swimmer magazine, the only printed magazine in the world dedicated to swimming outdoors. He is a year-round swimmer with a particular love of very cold water. He has competed in ice swimming competitions around the world, including a winter triathlon that involved skiing instead of cycling! He is a qualified open water coach with a particular love of introducing new swimmers to the open water. His next challenge is to complete some classic British long distance swims, such as Windermere. When not injured he also loves trail running and swimrun. You will see from the main image that he is no stranger to skinny dipping.
Outdoor Swimmer recently ran an excellent feature on BN's Great British Skinny Dip and illustrated it with uncensored images - the rest of the media world, take note! Jonathan has kindly agreed for us to reproduce it in the next issue of BN magazine.
I'll be talking to Jonathan about his work on the magazine and outdoor swimming generally, and will ask him to let us know about the best places. We'll also talk about skinny-dipping and the GBSD and how we could work together. Our plans for 2021also include working closely with the British Heart Foundation, where the idea of charity skinny-dips has excited many of our contacts, around the country.
It's going to be a good one...please book your place as soon as you can!
We really want to help them too and have many ways in which they can promote themselves using the British Naturism network.
If you are a resort, or you have a favourite resort that you would like to support, come and talk to us about raising awareness and letting people know that the doors are open again for business.
We 're keen also to offer free opportunities at this torrid time for reaching our network and community. We’ve been in touch with our regular advertisers and have heard the good news from those listed below that they are open for business and looking forward to welcoming you!
Bare Necessities - Naturist Cruise Company
https://cruisebare.com Tel : +44 512 499 0405
Clover Spa - Naturist Spa and hotel in Birmingham
https://www.cloverspa.co.uk Tel : 0121 350 6836
Croft Country Club - Naturist Club in The Fens
http://www.croftcountryclub.co.uk Tel : 01354 638445
Cypress Cove - Naturist Resort in Florida
https://www.cypresscoveresort.com. Tel : +44 407 933 5870
Domaine De La Gagere - French Camping Resort in the Morvan/Burgundy area
https://la-gagere.com/en/ Tel : +33 3 86 30 48 11
El Portus - Spain's premier Naturist resort
http://www.elportusuk.com Tel: 00 44 (0) 7774 955138
Grottamiranda - Italian resort in Puglia
https://www.resort-naturista-grottamiranda.com. Tel : +33 6 75 98 52 23
Magnolias Natura - Naturist Resort, South of Gran Canaria
https://www.magnoliasnatura.com. Tel : +34 928 770 122
Max’s Garden - British camp site in West Sussex
https://maxsgarden.net. Tel : 07766 826972
Vritomartis - Naturist Hotel Resort on the Greek island of Crete
https://www.vritomartis.com Tel : +30 28250 91112
Contact us at advertising@bn.org.uk. Find details and rates for all advertising opportunities with BN on the BN advertising webpage.
That's the topic for next Monday's session. It's always an interesting one, how each of us became aware of social nudity, the activities there were, the places to visit, the vast, global community of like-minded people. Some of us had to dragged kicking and screaming into it, some of us couldn't wait to be part of it. Many stumbled across a beach on holiday to discover that no one was wearing a costume or were introduced by a friend or relative. Whichever it was, we're all here now and loving it!
Our session next Monday (13 July) will feature breakout rooms, where you will meet others and you can tell them all about your journey, and learn about theirs...
Book your place now - it's free!
Our online programme continues to grow, and to inspire, entertain, inform, get people fitter and bring them together. Naturists from all over the world are joining in.
Visit www.events.bn.org.uk/onlineevents to find out all about:
British Naturism Community Sessions - such as interviews, presentations and discussions, the naked pub and naked coffee morning, book club, cookery session, special chat groups for families, young Naturists and Women, life drawing and occasional special events.
Community sessions are included as part of your British Naturism membership - we also welcome guests from the INF too.
NKD Lifestyle Sessions - such as aerobics, fitness, yoga, meditation and laughter yoga
Lifestyle Sessions are open to all with a 40% discount for BN & INF members. They also come with free cancellation and transfer to another session, up to one hour before the start.
Not a BN member? Come and join us here - it costs less than £4 a month. If you attending regular online sessions you'll save a fortune - and gain many other membership benefits.
We were quick out of the starting blocks with our biggest and best Bournemouth event on record, swiftly followed up by a really successful Blackpool event, only to be faced, then, with the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic. What initially looked like a few bumps in the road turned into a completely unexpected roadblock...
For a community organisation like British Naturism, events are an integral part of what we do and I am pleased to say after some blood, sweat and tears we have managed to get through it so far - CV-19 has actually allowed us to be better at bringing us all together than ever, with our Online Events. I would like to say our they came from a highly detailed roadmap and had been planned for ages, but the reality was that I saw an opportunity and grabbed it. I was backed by the directors and EC and most importantly the British Naturism membership came in their droves to support. Looking back – why had we not done this before!
I am really pleased too that we have managed to keep the online events going – what is very clear is that the British Naturism community is strong and our online events have really added value to the community and the membership fee.
As we start to ease out of lockdown it is my role within British Naturism to make sure physical events start to happen again, that they are safe and in line with the government advice. It is important for British Naturism to do the right thing and lead by example. There is a fine balance to be struck between what can and cannot be permitted, and also to consider financial risk so we are not gambling with members' money.
Despite what people may think, the Government advice on events is very clear. It is under constant review and because of my background in the events industry I am well connected. I receive almost daily updates on current advice and solutions from various industry bodies and associations.
I have produced an advice sheet for anyone organising an event and am available to chat and help with Covid-secure risk assessments. This download can be found on the BN Events Website.
Below I have provided an update as to the current status of our British Naturism events. Unfortunately there are a few events that are unable to run but there are some great (albeit smaller) opportunities too.
Ten Pin Bowling – Postponed – new date to follow Windermere Retreat – Postponed to 2021 Families Meet-ups – restricted numbers and now only run as camping opportunities (Max's Garden 7th-9th Aug / SWOC 14th-16th Aug) Meal & Skittles – numbers now restricted – very few places left NKD Festival – Postponed to Aug 2021 Splashdown – Awaiting government advice on Waterparks Waterworld – Awaiting government advice on Waterparks The Gathering - Cancelled, hotel in administration - please see BN forum for advice on claiming money back Nudefest – Currently booking and under review Llama Park Visit - Currently booking and under review Highlight Walking Weekend – One room available – Currently booking and under review Alton Towers – Only 10% of rooms remain - Currently booking and under review A few smaller socially-distanced member-led and regional garden events and walks are going ahead – all have been risk assessed by myself or the event organisers and have Covid-secure procedures in place.
Finally, some good news, most will be aware that British Naturism acquired The Sun-Folk Society near St Albans earlier this year. We have been making some changes and improvements to the site and I am pleased to say that from August 1st through to October 5th British Naturism: Sunfolk will be open for members. Initially we will be taking camping bookings and nearer the time we hope to be able to offer day visits too. Unfortunately due to CV-19 restrictions we can’t open in the way we had hoped, but opening as a campsite is well within government guidelines and we hope members will take the will take the opportunity to get some much needed fresh air.
Bookings for Sunfolk will open in a couple of weeks – please join the mailing list at www.sunfolk.bn.org.uk to be advised.
As an organisation it is important we get the balance right – I know many people will be frustrated by the cancellations and changes but the safety of our members, volunteers and staff is paramount.
We look forward to seeing you all once again – hopefully in real life and not just on a computer screen.
Mark Walsh
BN Events Manager
Photo: Broken Fence Photography
Next Monday (6 July) my guests will be members of the BN Holiday Advice team, and especially the team leader Andy Wyman.
We'll learn more about this FREE service to BN members, how it works and the kind of information the team can provide to help you have the greatest Naturist holiday ever! If you are new to the world of Naturist holidays (and there are opportunities around the world) it's a great way for you to find out what you may be missing, and decide where you will go...
Book your (free) place now!
I think British Naturism provides a comprehensive service to naturists, especially those wishing to get together with other naturists. I had no idea before joining how much was available!
Both my wife and I have been members since 1984 and we want you to know we think the magazine is the best it has ever been.
The quality and level of contact via email, post and the website is very good. The online events during 'lockdown' have been a brilliant innovation.
Totally satisfied. I am a new member and new to naturism, but absolutely love it, and wish I'd done it years ago. Everyone I have met is lovely. I would like to go on my first UK holiday this year.
Over the last few years there has been a steady drip drip of BN doing this, BN doing that, all good positive things, the final straw in getting me to join has been this Corona Virus and the positive action taken by BN, I refer to the online activities, the chat group, naked yoga etc which were highlighted to me by friends
This morning I’ve been taking a walk around the website, what a fantastic resource you guys at BN have built that I’ve been missing out on, thank you!
These events are so good I’m going to burn all my clothes and enjoy nothing other than the company of the amazing naturist community. Thank you for making lockdown so bearable.
Hey, thanks for the great online pub evening! It was great to meet so many people. Haven't been able to have a good chin wag for a while now. Looking forward to the next one!
First time joining the session and I must say thank you to BN and to Georgia. I have tried Yoga a few times in the past and each time said I would not return. This class was much different. Thank you and I will be back to give it another go. This poor body sure does need it!
Now I get the chance to model and draw. Never done either before so just booked and very excited. Thank you for all the great activities BN are organising. It really helps.
The explosion of euphoria at the end of today’s aerobics class was wonderful to be part of and epitomises what these Zoom sessions mean to everyone. The joy of life laid bare, literally. Thanks Sheryn and everyone in the BN team
Monday night discussion - I also found it fascinating and thought it was a really worthwhile area of research. I had always assumed that prevailing attitudes to the human body were damaging, but were not recognised as such because they were so normal within our society. In fact people who are or who try to be comfortable with their bodies are sometimes assumed to have a problem. I can see how Dr West's research could be really helpful to some people in signposting a way to be more at ease with themselves and others.
I really enjoy Pam's Kitchen. I used to bake and cook a lot when I was young. Got married and my wife took over cooking duties. Now I am enjoying nude cooking again.
Just finished today’s fitness session with Roy...Now I’ve recovered I’m going to complete my application to join the SAS - I figure that it can’t be any tougher than that (or perhaps I’m just not that fit!)
We have been naturists for many years but only joined BN just over two and a half years ago and have never looked back. We hope you find what you are looking for here, all we can say is, our experience of being BN members has been nothing but a positive one and we wish we had joined earlier.
Ready to join them? Find out all you need to know, here...
An article in the UK’s version of the Huffington Post piqued our interest. It said, ‘We may open up conversations with our daughters about how they feel about their bodies, but when was the last time you did this with your son? The number of men admitted to hospital with eating disorders has risen by 70% in the past six years and male sufferers – and the people around them – may not recognise their symptoms due to persistent gender stereotypes. According to a survey 55% of 18-year-old boys surveyed would consider changing their diet to look better and 23% believed in a perfect male body.’ We spoke to some young Naturist men to get their views – and their own interesting stories.
What Makes Naturists Different? by David
In the mainstream media, in adverts and even clothing catalogues, I’m used to seeing chiselled abs and bulky biceps. I wouldn’t say I’m affected by this much nowadays, but subconsciously, I suppose the expectations and expected standards are still there to a degree. I can easily imagine other boys or men aspiring towards these sky-high targets, or in other cases, suffering disappointment and depression when they realise that it’s not within their reach. Does that sound familiar? If we added some ‘size zero’ into the mix, we’d have the same kind of dilemma for women. Nonetheless, the objectification of guys in the consumer world is just as real – it’s just been lagging behind until now. It’s commonly believed that males don’t talk to each other about their feelings that often. We all know the stereotypes about Brits with stiff upper lips. The same goes for men who bottle up their emotions and refuse to ask for help, even when it’s right in front of them. Asking for directions is one scenario that springs to mind. So, it’s understandable that men still don’t talk a lot about their emotions. We’ve made progress in the last couple of decades regarding mental health issues which allow people to reach out and get the support they need. Still, not everyone is going to have the same kind of supportive friends or family around them. What makes Naturists different?
Any social Naturist will know how open and accepting the community is. With everyone on equal grounds and without fear of being judged, they can accept themselves as who they are. Once that feeling of self-confidence is in place, outside media has less impact; those images can be separated from the ‘reality’ of what ‘average’ people look like. It’s no surprise that we continue to get confirmed studies showing that naturists are happy, healthy people. But is that a prerequisite, or is it a consequence of adjusting to the lifestyle? Having been a casual observer for two years and a proper member of BN for three months, I wouldn’t say I know enough people to be sure yet, but I would wager that it’s a mix of both, depending on each person’s particular background. I’ll tell you a little about mine.
Most of my life, I didn’t really have a chance to think objectively about male body image. I was mostly resigned to the fact that it wasn’t something I’d ever have to worry about or aspire to, mostly due to my skin conditions. Since I was a young child, I have suffered from dermatitis and eczema over my whole body, making it sore, red, itchy and flaky. No matter what kinds of treatments, creams and diets my family tried with me, nothing seemed to work. In the last three years, things had improved significantly; naturally after the age of 16, with improvements in medication and medical advice. So with the first hurdle overcome, I decided it was finally time for me to focus on the other thing holding back my self-confidence: my figure. I’ve always been skinny because of high metabolism, so unlike many men and women who want to shed the pounds, I was always struggling to put on weight. After putting more care into the food I ate and finally making the move to start working out at the gym, I finally got a taste for what it’s like to have some body confidence. I can lift twice as much as I could when I did no exercise, and I think it shows. Some people would still call me ‘skinny’ which does irritate me slightly. Their perception of ‘average’ is probably higher than it should be, either due to those aforementioned ideals, or perhaps when compared to their friends who put in four times as many hours in the gym as I do. I often wonder what the motivation is for the others around me when I’m there. Are they still unsatisfied with their appearance, despite being able to bench-press their own weight? Are they addicted to working out? Or is it a perfectly rational, healthy hobby? I can’t tell. Thankfully, I’m undeterred, since all I’m aiming to do is satisfy my own goals.
That was the time when I decided it was time to join the group of people I admired the most; those who were happy to be themselves and nothing more. I’ll freely admit that by this point, after a lifetime of social anxiety and self-pity, all I really wanted was peer validation. I was delighted to finally have some (I know I would have joined anyway, regardless of my appearance). From the first dozen swims at Naturist London, I got over the shyness and anxiety of showing my skin in public. Beyond that, I took part in the ZSL Streak for Tigers twice, raising money for charity, having fun and making friends while doing so. Now, as of this summer, I’m a YBN member and I’m not looking back...
As a Mediterranean island, it is the sun and the sea that are the main attractions. It is pleasant to swim practically all year round. However, despite this and the great hospitality afforded by the islanders, Malta is not renowned as a nudist friendly country.
First of all, there is a provision in the criminal the law, enacted in 1933 that has never been updated to modern times, which still makes any public nude expression unlawful and subject to criminal prosecution. There are signs on many beaches that topless bathing is strictly prohibited. Many blame the vociferous Roman Catholic religious spirit of the islanders which is so intertwined with their cultural life as one of the main reasons why many Maltese have never felt comfortable with public nudity. However this argument does not seem to hold water when considering that the Maltese have slowly become more secular and liberal in their approach, especially during the last decade when divorce and same-sex marriages have been legalised. While abortion, euthanasia and legalisation of cannabis have lately become more open to public discussion, the issue of nudity remains shunned from any public discussion and even from the political agenda. The Maltese media also does not help much to the cause, for it tends to report in a sensational manner any instance that it comes across of someone in the nude.
One possible reason that might explain why many Maltese feel reluctant to come out in the open on public nudity is that with a tiny population of only 494,000 inhabitants, every native on the island can easily be traced to his roots once his family and work connections becomes familiar. Furthermore, the small size of the islands which amount to a total of no more than 317 km2 (246 km2 for Malta, 67 km2 for Gozo and 3.5 km2 for Comino, less than the 380 km2 surface area of the Isle of Wight), makes it one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Consequently, Malta can afford very limited spots to enjoy privacy in a natural state.
You will, however, find many open-minded Maltese who are tolerant and even practice it cautiously themselves in secluded remote areas or in their privacy of their boats. There are a quite a number of Maltese each year who also go on Naturist holidays abroad.
There are two beaches, that are known as unofficial nudist beaches and suitable owing to their quiet and peaceful secluded location.
Qarraba Bay in Malta is located between two popular textile beaches in the North Western part of the island - Riviera Martini (near Ghajn Tuffieħa) and Ġnejna Bay. It is only accessible by foot or by boat and can be approached from either direction of Riviera Martini or Gnejna Bay, though it is strongly recommended not to slide down the dangerous clay slopes as many often do. The safest option is to take a boat trip from Ġnejna Bay that is offered by a boat operator known as Gnejna Water Sports. It involves only a two-minute ride and costs about €4 inclusive of return.
Ghajn Barrani is situated in Gozo between Marsalforn and Ramla l- Hamra. Similar to Qarraba Bay, it not easy to reach and you need the guidance of someone experienced with the whereabouts. This beach can best be reached from a path in Xagħra and requires a 15-minute walk down a narrow path that winds through some bush scrubs and steep slopes. You need to be fit and agile to make it and you might feel frustrated, if during the peak summer months, you find your privacy invaded by textile swimmers or by boats anchoring by after all the hassle to reach it.
Amongst its treasure trove of heritage and culture, Malta also offers visiting tourists impressive attractions of the megalithic pre-historic temples, the baroque capital city of Valletta, the Grand Harbour and the fortified three cities surrounding it, the walled medieval citadels of Mdina and Victoria, and baroque churches dotting all the islands and located in the centre of many picturesque towns, villages and squares.
The Maltese Naturist Association
The MNA was set up two years ago and is a member of the International Naturist Federation. It has been specifically founded to encourage more local naturists to come together and help any foreigners visiting the islands to find any naturist opportunities that could be available. Members of the Association can also recommend persons who can offer Naturist boat trips for a group in a discreet manner.
https://inf-fni.org/federations/m-malta-naturist-association/
Victoria is an academic economist and Fellow at the University of Cambridge, where her latest book was “The Sex Factor: How Women made the West Rich” (Polity, 2019). But she’s also known for using her body in art and protest, whether to challenge assumptions and stigma about women’s bodies, to confront sexism in economics, or to fight Brexit.
She has posed nude for artists including Anthony Connolly, with nude portraits displayed at the Mall Galleries in 2014 and 2019, and has given naked performances at, amongst others, the Dartington literary festival and the Cambridge Juncton theatre.
She believes that academics should not only embrace the power of words but should also push social boundaries in order to reveal and confront practices and policies that are harmful and unnecessary. Freedom is the theme that unites much of her work and her utopia is a world in which every woman is free to do what she wants with her own body.
I'm sure our session will be interesting and stimulating. Please book as soon as you can, over on the BN Events website...
Marking these four planetary cusps between the seasons is a fine thing. It helps keep us a little more in tune with the most basic elements of our existence on this planet. It helps connect us with nature and its cycles. An opportunity to slow down and pause for a moment, to be still and watch, listen, feel. For many of us, a part of naturism is a connection with nature. A small freedom from society to embrace things that are a bit more natural.
But no need to get too serious. These four seasonal gateways - the equinoxes and the solstices - are a jolly good reason for celebration. And they have been celebrated through the mists of time, going way further back than the roots of our modern religions. People using their knowledge of nature to mark the rhythms of the seasons. A time to plant, a time to reap, a time to store, a time to look forward with hope. And how better to celebrate such things than in our most natural state - naked, of course! Perhaps with a thought, with verse, or with music. Roll on 22.42 hours for the summer solstice on the 20 June, 14.30 for the equinox on 22 September and to the turn of winter at 10.02 am on 21 December.
Olly Watts
British Naturism was formed in 1964 when two societies - the British Sun Bathing Society and the Federation of British Sun Clubs - decided to combine forces. Naturism in the UK started well before that, of course, with some of the clubs still around today. It won’t be long before some of them celebrate turning 100!
It’s a great excuse for a party and for members to feel proud of being the current torch bearers for this great organisation…but it’s so much more than that.
British Naturism at 60 will provide us with a terrific platform to promote ourselves and this wonderful world; the past, the present and the future.
It’s a long way off, but we’re launching the project now to give us maximum time to gather ideas and suggestions, formulate the strategy, and find as many people as possible willing to help make it all work.
Come and join in a discussion to kick it all off on Monday (22nd June) evening, hear a little of the history of BN, and share your ideas on how we celebrate this great milestone...book your place now
Picture: Morgan Lane on Unsplash
At British Naturism we believe that a naturist lifestyle is beneficial to everyone, whatever their age. As a result, we welcome people of all ages to our events. Simple human nudity does not need to be limited to over 18s. Thousands of families – some into many generations - around the world have discovered this and know that there are many benefits to family life and to the well-being of children by being brought up in a naturist family.
We've revised and updated our webpage dedicated to Families in Naturism and it has plenty of information and other resources - check it out!
