Naturist Camping

With naturism growing in popularity, particularly on the continent, more and more campsites are catering for nude recreation.

Alan Rogers has compiled details on over 100 naturist campsites in the UK and Europe, each of which offers a positive environment in which to enjoy nudist leisure.

What is naturism?

It’s all about the freedom of nature and the right to be yourself and enjoy your leisure time as you wish, without harming others or impinging on their right to enjoy themselves as they wish.

Naturist camping holidays are about going beyond appearances, physical differences and stereotypes. As such, the ethos on campsites for nudists promotes being yourself, feeling good and respecting others while enjoying the same high-quality facilities and activities offered on other campsites.

The benefits of naturism

British Naturism points out that the human body was not designed to be wrapped up in clothes. Nudity, they say, brings real benefits to mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. Body image issues can be addressed and aided and, with everyone on the same terms, it’s easy to relax and feel free.

Sunshine and fresh air on the skin can only be beneficial and conducive to a sense of wellbeing. And the act of removal of clothing is akin to peeling away layers of social conformity and all the associated worries and concerns that each person carries with them.

In short, naturism is about reconnecting with nature, as well as oneself. It allows freedom of expression and the freedom to be yourself, without the distraction of clothing and all the signals and statements clothes can bring. You are reduced to the real you and when in the company of others in the same state it is liberating and empowering.

Naturist campsites

Many of our listed sites are surrounded by woodland or contain privately owned beaches, making them ideal for visitors who are both new to, and experienced in, nudism. They’re the perfect setting in which to make friends with like-minded individuals and relax in a welcoming, amicable environment.

Today there are many more people that enjoy naturist campsites than one would at first think. Some are dedicated naturists who practise their way of life wherever they may and who in the UK may well belong to clubs of like-minded people. For others, especially those who have enjoyed sunbathing on one of the many designated naturist areas on European beaches and feel comfortable with it, the logical next step is to try a holiday in a naturist village or campsite.

This growing number of ‘holiday naturists’ clearly enjoy the relaxed atmosphere prevailing on naturist sites. If they are not members of British Naturism they can pick up a naturist card on the first site they visit.

The rules are simple: respect for the environment and for other visitors. You are encouraged to strip off but, in reality, it is up to you, except in and around the swimming pool where there is always a ‘no clothes’ rule. Clothes do tend to label people and without them, there is a relaxed informality and sense of equality often missing in today’s ‘designer society.’

We feature some 70 naturist campsites in our naturist guide and have been impressed by the friendly welcome and cultural aspects of their entertainment and range of activities – classical music beside the pool, walking trails to discover local wildlife or book-binding classes, for example. Most campsites make an effort to provide good entertainment and to make your holiday memorable; on the naturist sites in particular this is usually achieved quite elegantly without the frenzy that sometimes pervades more commercially-minded sites.