Just a short message to wish all those viewing my blog a “Happy New Year” and Best Wishes for 2018.
Hopefully during the year we can again push the case for non sexual “natural ” nudity and show people just how normal naturism is.
At the same time share knowledge on other topic as well as preview the kind of photography that you can take in place near to you.
Let’s hope 2018 is a good one !
Along with all the camping gear,provisions,clothing and essentials,I packed my camera bag which contains my Canon EOS 1200D and four lenses. I took it out on at least three occasions during our trip to Cornwall in August and here are some of the best shots with notes of where and when they were taken.
The Lost Gardens of Heligan
The Flower Garden
More from The Lost Gardens of Heligan
Polperro
St.Germains & Caradon Hill
The views form in and around Tintagel Castle
Carnglaze Caverns
Downderry Beach
We got to Looe around 5.30 and for a while it looked like the weather was turning for the better so we parked up,crossed the bridge and headed into this quaint historic fishing port.Looe is situated on both sides of the River Looe. The two towns are joined together by a bridge across the river. In medieval times East Looe and West Looe were separate towns.
East Looe includes the harbour and the main shopping centre. West Looe is quieter but also has shops, restaurants and hotels. They are joined by a seven arched bridge, built in 1853. This replaced a much earlier bridge from the 15th century and there are still buildings of this period in the town.
It has been a holiday resort for more than 200 years, and has relayed more heavily on the tourist industry since its pilchard canning factory closed in the sixties.
We walked around looking for somewhere to eat before settling for a fish and chip supper. While we were eating the heavens opened and we made a mad dash back to the car get absolutely soaked in the process.
When we arrived back at the campsite we got out of our wet clothes and headed to the bar for drinks rounding off our final evening.
Tuesday started in glorious sunshine so there was no need to get dressed straight away,we had a leisurely breakfast also in glorious sunshine before get down to packing all the gear away. We had got everything packed, the tent down, we were just about to fold up the tent when this big black cloud came quietly along depositing a months rain in a matter of minutes. Having nothing to shelter in, we both stood naked under the hatchback door as the rain lashed down.
Having no time to dry the tent we rolled it up,packed it away,had a quick shower before getting dressed and heading for home. We left around 12.30 and had a good journey home arriving back in Essex around 7.30pm. With all the gear quickly unpacked we had dinner then relaxed with a beer,before turning in as I had to go back to work the next morning.
Saturday dawned bright but blustery and with the forecast inclement we headed off and visited local places of interest.We first visited a nearby village called St.Germans this is a village which stands on the River Tiddy around 5 miles away.It takes its name from the priory that is generally associated with Saint Germainus, although the church may have been associated initially with a local saint, who was gradually replaced by the 14th century.This magnificent and ancient Norman church is adjacent to the Port Elliot estate.
Next we moved on to Bodmin Moor to a place called Caradon Hill. The hill afforded us some lovely views across Cornwalls countryside so we managed to take some good shots of the views as well as the goats who were wandering about. With the weather turning warmer we returned to Carbeil for some relaxation and a night in the bar. During which the rain reappeared.
Sunday was all together different,deep blue skies and bright sunshine greeted us so we decided it was time to visit Downderry’s unofficial naturist beach about 10 minutes walk from the campsite. We set off equipped with towels sunglasses and beach shelters but without sunscreen which we’d not needed up until then. To get to the beach we walked to the end of the lane and through the footpath directly opposite this leads to the main beach. Turning left you go past the last of the beach front houses then over the big rocks immediately after that.
This is where the naturist beach is genuinely understood to start.There are numerous rocky outcrops providing good screening, making this a beach “Ideal for Naturism”. The first small shingle bay is mainly for clothed families. The second is more sandy and more for naturists. The third bay is in the words of one beach user “Paradise, a huge expanse of sand, not many people”.We clambered over these and met a elderly couple clambering gingerly downs path from the cliff tops.
The tide was in blocking access to the coves further down the beach however as we were on the naturist beach we didn’t lose any time stripping off. After days of inclement weather it’s was surprisingly warm so being nude seemed the best way to be. The other couple went for a swim in the sea which was perishingly cold, then they clambered on to two large neighbouring rocks to sunbathe.
We stayed here for around two hours and more naturists turned up waiting for the tide to go out. There were also some dog walkers who you felt were there just to prove some sort of point but they left before the tide went out. Once it had we moved around two hundred yards up the beach and set up our beach shelter by which time the lack of sunscreen was being to tell.
After a further couple of hours we’d decided to grab some food so we upped sticks and walked backed to the campsite to have a sandwich. Feeling the effects of the sun we both fell asleep until it was dinner time by that time we’d decided to go to the Smugglers Inn in Seaton. The food was let’s say only average but it filled a hole and still feeling weary we turned in early to watch a Bill Bailey DVD which was only average too.
After being greeted by the host a charming lady called Kerry we went to our pitch which was sited next to a fast running stream. After taking off our clothes we set to work putting up the tent and setting up all our camping furniture, which although not vast just about fitted into the car. We didn’t really have to leave anything behind apart from the microwave and the airer which we’d deemed this time as unnecessary to take.
We’d arrived at Carbeil at around 11.30am which mean our journey had taken just over six hours which was good as we’d not really got held up anywhere. After putting the tent up we then relaxed with a beer in the bar,which was definitely refreshing .We then spent the afternoon sunbathing before going off to explore Downderry on foot.
We stopped the “Inn on the Shore” perch high on the cliffs where we enjoyed more refreshing drinks of the alcoholic kind and had a nondescript meal as they’d run out of many menu items. We walked slowly back along the coast road and retreated back into the bar on site for a pleasant evening during which I was introduced to the delightful “Cornish Knocker” ale. The first day was over and it was time to retreat back to the tent and see if we could sleep through the noise of the coolbox on one side and the stream on the other.
This time last week we were off on our first naturist holiday in almost three years and to ensure we missed the motorway rush hour we started off as early as we could.The destination for the holiday this time was Cornwall to a naturist campsite in Downderry on the southern coast. We packed most of the camping gear two days before we were due to set off, just so we’d not have to rush too much and also, so we’d end up leaving on time and not get stuck in the traffic. Wednesday proved to be a filthy day for weather with flooding in many parts of Essex, so we were relieved when we finally made it home. We had dinner and put the last bits together, before having an early night.
By morning the rain had stopped, so we packed the last bits in the car, before leaving home by 4.25am. The roads were clear and although it started to get busier, we managed to avoid the dreaded Heathrow traffic queues and headed west on the M4. Things were looking better as the clouds began to clear as we reached Reading. After such an early start it was important that we took the odd break on this six hour journey, so we stopped first at Newbury services at around 6.30. The services at Newbury were dingey expensive and the food tasteless, it was a Moto service station so we’ll hopefully give them a miss in future.
It was sunny and warm when we made our second stop at 10.30 for Breakfast no 2 at a Travelodge Subway in Plymouth. This time the food was marginally better as we headed towards Downderry. For those who don’t know Cornwall is a county with no motorways, twisty turny A roads and country lanes only wide enough for one car, so many times drivers are forced to pull into passing spaces or at worst reverse back hundreds of yards, to let oncoming vehicles pass. On one occasion after reversing I said “hope we don’t meet a tractor around the next bend !”
Sure enough almost instantly a tractor appears bringing us into hysterics. As we hadn’t been to this campsite before, we had the satnav on, which took us down the longest twisting lane I’ve been down in a long time, but finally we turned right up a drive to be greeted by a sign on the gate saying “Carbeil Naturist Holiday Resort”
So what’s the big deal when it comes to naturism ?
Well nothing really it’s just about comfort and preference and little else.I really am not an exhibitionist or anything like that, I just don’t think of the human body as something terribly shocking. To be open and honest, I have often wondered why people make such a very big deal over either being seen naked, or seeing another person naked. It’s a little strange to me that most people seem to think that seeing the natural state of another member of their own species is somehow harmful, immoral, wrong, perverted, or in some other way bad.
Naturism or nudism is a social ideology that simply advocates the practice of nudity in public and private life.The history of naturist philosophy traces back to Europe in the early 20th century, sparked by a dissatisfaction with the increasingly noticeable tilt toward industrial and technological societies. Naturism hearkens back to simpler lifestyles and concepts, to man’s natural state as an organism living in rhythm with the planet instead of conquering it.
Recently,beaches that allow for naturist activities have become more commonplace, allowing for nudists to practice their beliefs outside the confines of their private clubs. In England it is not illegal to bathe naked on any beach although it is rarely practiced. This philosophy of naturism generally revolves around an embracing of the environment and healthy eating. It is as much about respect for your own body as it is respect for nature, and many naturists practice a strict regimen of yoga, exercise, and vegan dieting.
Naturism is also thought by practitioners to be therapeutic. Many practitioners cite that the lifestyle is not only healthy physically, but emotionally cathartic. Clothes in this regard almost represent not only a physical encumbrance, but a metaphorical burden from which they are being unleashed. From a medical standpoint, many nudism advocates point to the importance of Vitamin D exposure, and how technology dependent lifestyles often cause deficiencies in that regard.
Most nudist families will also practice their beliefs in the home, although there is a divergence of opinion on whether this philosophy endorses nudity in front of their children. Studies have shown that this practice varies considerably from family to family. As their children become of age where they begin to develop modesty, some parents choose to be sensitive to their children’s wishes and limit their naturist behaviour.
Other debates include whether or not the act of nudism is in any way sexual. Many nudist colonies ban singles from their club activities in hopes of encouraging the concept of family. Polls taken in the last decade demonstrate increasingly tolerant attitudes toward nudist activities and practitioners. Close to ten percent of the surveyed population indicated they would consider visiting a naturist resort or go skinny dipping in mixed company. Close to 40% admitted they walk naked in their own homes.
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