Naturists / Nudists or whatever they are called.

[WhaleMusic]

Am I wrong to wonder what on earth is going on with these people with their bits out? I’m on holiday and they’re walking around bold as brass with their parts on display. I wasn’t expecting this when I went to the beach. There don’t seem to be any rules that say it isn’t OK. I asked a lady in one of the beachside shops.
Fully expecting to be shouted at here by the way Long time Mumsnetter but can’t for the life of me find my old login details.

I have seen a few 'old people' on naturist beaches or even in 'sun clubs' as they are often called. I have however seen a mix of people, models wanting an all over tan, families enjoying a relaxed time, children included, people that are recovering from surgery and simply wanting a quiet place to relax, and folk with skin problems that improve with sun.

Swimming without clothing that sticks to the skin, rides up, falls off is much more pleasant than being clad in lycra.

Now that I am old I stay covered up for fear of offending anyone that doesn't have a body and is therefore not familiar with how they look.

It must be nice to come home and not have a huge pile of holiday laundry to contend with though.

I am surprised that the OP did not do their research before going. Not exactly a secret that on their location there are clothes optional or nudist beaches.

As for why, well a sauna is unpleasant with clothes and swimming without a costume is comfortable. Of course in the UK clothes optional spas or beaches are so rare that they attract those who are immature to gawp or hassle women, and then they wonder why younger people especially younger women are rare in clothes optional locations.

Pretty sad that so many people find the human body so repulsive.

My one experience of a nudist beach at the age of 20 with my boyfriend, was giggling whilst he had to lie on his stomach until his erection went down.

Personally I like a bit of nudity but I'm a wuss in the cold, so can't imagine its something I'd ever do in this country

I am surprised that the OP did not do their research before going I can honestly say, I have never researched whether I will encounter naked people on holiday. Is that something that everyone else does? I feel quite silly now if that is the case. I have never come across nakedness on any of the holidays I’ve been on in my 40-odd years on this earth. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it, I was just surprised and it’s still fresh in my mind as it was this afternoon.

Here in Deutschland there are many, many areas in parks and beaches where nudity is allowed. Young people and old go there and do their thing. As an uptight Brit I avoid such places like the plague but fine that they’re there for those who want it.

Probably a load of German tourists, they are very relaxed when it comes to nudity. I've only been to a sauna in Germany once before but there were a few people my age (20s) going about naked so it's not just old people that like to strip off

'Pretty sad that so many people find the human body so repulsive.'

The human body is fine, stranger's genitals not so much.

In cologne there is a cable car that goes over a naked spa garden. Look down and see everything. In Austria you won't be allowed in the spa area of a hotel if you are wearing a swimming costume. Finland has mixed sex and ages saunas naked. In Netherlands people strip off for a poolside shower etc etc etc. Honestly it really is just brits who get worked up about this.

I've never understood it either OP.

Perhaps swimming naked, or at least just in bikini pants, might be nice.

But wandering around naked in front of a bunch of strangers, possibly pervy strangers, just find it bizarre.

Even in the most primitive tribes they cover up a few bits!

But why do people enjoy doing it? What is wrong with a swimming costume.

Swimming naked feels wonderful! I'd be too self-conscious about all my flabby, saggy bits to go naked on a beach these days, but I used to love it. It feels so free, and natural.

I’m far to immature to visit a nudist beach, I wouldn’t be able to stop giggling! I personally think people look better with clothes on (myself included) and can’t imagine being that confident to be naked in public. Each to their own though.

Sir Bernard Jenkin is Parliament's best known naturist. You might like to ponder that when you next see him on the news.

WhaleMusic I went to Fuerteventura in the 1990s and even without the internet, the holiday brochure and then the hotel reps advised that there were parts of the beaches where people were naked.

Where I live, Argyll in West Coast of Scotland, so not exactly Florida temperatures, we will have 140 naturists here for 6 days.
They book out one of the bigger hotels and have been coming here for years.
It's blooming cold this week, so rather them than me!

I went fuerteventura. Beautiful beach but we couldn't use it because my teenage ds and dd were horrified and wouldn't go on there. Ruined the holiday tbh.

I'm a member of a naturist club (incidentally, I don't care for the word 'naturist') and we use a local pool and steam room once a week. Completely private, members only, apart from the lifeguards who are pool staff. Mainly adults but some children come with their parents.
All shapes and sizes.

I haven't been to a nude beach for nearly thirty years - Plakias, in Crete. But I haven't been away on holiday for absolutely years. I wouldn't hesitate to go to a nude beach again but I draw the line at out-and-out nudist resorts, nude hiking and so on.

Grim, grim, grim. I don't want to see strangers' naked bodies.

When I read your opening post I thought you must be in Fuerteventura. I went there a few years ago and couldn't believe the nudies strutting up and down the beach usually wearing a rucksack or in the case of one older lady a chain belt around her waist. I think it's popular with back to nature Germans.

To this day, I have never forgiven my parents for subjecting me to naturism, don't do it to your kids, believe me there will be perverts amongst even the most family orientated clubs, I ended up having counselling sessions later in life to get over the four years I was subjected to it, age 10 to 14.

Bonkersblond So sorry to hear that, that’s truly awful. I am the OP by the way, I seem to have been banned for some reason (I certainly can’t login anymore on my original username). I’m baffled as to why this might be. Have I offended someone? Genuine apologies if so.

You might not like it but it can't really be "wrong", can it? It's the most natural state you can be in, surely. That said, no one would be unreasonable to feel uncomfortable about it, considering it'll be one of the few times you ever see strangers unclothed.

I used to think whatever floats your boat about this. A naturist beach wouldn't bother me. But a work colleague told me the naturist 'club' they are in runs 'teaching sessions' for the children in masturbation where 'you can watch'. There's no age range specified, just up to families there if their child attends. He's single, but most people attend as families. I'm very broadminded, but to me that was a step too far & abusive.

WhaleMusic2 thank you, it's quite an emotive subject for me, but I'm certainly not offended.