UK Naturism
Naturism in the UK
Information, inspiration and guidance for naturists and those curious about this natural way of life.
Naturism in Britain
The UK has one of the longer continuous naturist traditions in Europe. The first dedicated naturist club, the Moonella Group, opened on the south coast in 1924, and by the 1930s Britain had a small but organised naturist movement with its own clubs, a national body and, eventually, recognised beaches. That history matters: UK naturism isn't a recent import or a fringe curiosity — it's a hundred-year-old, self-regulating community with its own etiquette, its own case law, and tens of thousands of active members today through organisations like British Naturism.
What's changed more recently is attitude, not law. Naturist beaches that were once tolerated informally are now, in several cases, formally recognised by local authorities. Naturist swim sessions have appeared at ordinary public leisure centres up and down the country. And a wider, slower cultural shift — more open conversations about body image, mental health and the pressures of curated social media — has brought a steady stream of newcomers to naturism who aren't approaching it as members of an established subculture, just as people looking for a different relationship with their own bodies.
Boris Naturi's own writing sits inside this UK context as much as the wider international one — his books draw on European naturist culture broadly, but this section exists specifically to answer the practical questions a UK reader actually has: where to go, what the law says, and what to expect on your first visit.
Resources & Organisations
- British Naturism — the UK's national naturist organisation: club listings, events and safeguarding guidance.
- International Naturist Federation (INF-FNI) — the global federation of national naturist bodies.
- NaturistLinks.org — a directory of naturist beaches, clubs and resources.
- What Is Naturism? A Beginner's Guide for UK Readers — our own introductory article.