A Cumbrian naturist club has celebrated its 70th anniversary – making it one of the oldest in the UK.
Solway Sun Club, based just outside of Carlisle, was first set up in 1953, before its founders officially found and purchased the site in 1956.
Situated within a 14-acre off-grid woodland site, the club’s 40 members consider it a tranquil refuge to enjoy the naturist lifestyle in peace.
People of all ages from across Cumbria, Scotland and the wider UK are welcome, as long as they have a genuine interest in the naturism.
Katie, 40, who works as volunteer secretary at the club, has been a naturist for five years.
She said: “Everyone’s story is different. For me, I’ve always had a feeling that it’s kind of ridiculous that we can’t be in our natural state without people objecting or seeing it as wrong.
“I was persuaded to put my money where my mouth is and go and try naturism at the club, and I thought, why not, I’ll give it a go.
“It really helped that when I arrived for the first time it was a scorching hot day, the car journey was very hot and by the time I got there, I was like when can I get my clothes off?”
“It can feel a bit odd to start with for the first little while but then you start to realise how wonderful the freedom of it feels.”
Katie said that due to misconceptions around naturism, she wanted to remain partially anonymous for interview.
She said: “There’s a lot of misconceptions. A lot of people think that because naturists don’t always wear clothes it’s connected with sex and it isn’t, we’re a family friendly site.
“We’re just about people being able to be in their natural state. It’s not at all about sex or improper goings on.
“Sometimes people refer to naturists as nudists and I really dislike that term, because we’re not anti-clothes. We will wear clothes if we need them when it’s cold or we need to wear protective clothing because we’re doing jobs on the site. We just feel we shouldn’t have to wear them if not necessary.
“A lot of people also have hygiene concerns, but we have a thing called towel etiquette, so we always carry a towel or something to sit on around the site.
“In some countries for swimming they actually prefer people to wear no swimwear, because it’s considered unhygienic, so that’s another misconception we face.”
She added that she also believes naturism is good for improving body confidence and promoting body positivity.
Katie said: “People who visit a naturist site see other people as they really look. There are people of all shapes and sizes who are naturists and I think that’s really important.
“Especially for younger people growing up, rather than getting all of their ideas of what people’s bodies look like from airbrushed photos, pornography or other non-realistic sources.
“I’ve met people who have body differences who say that naturism is the one place they feel comfortable, because everyone just accepts everyone else’s bodies in a way that sometimes just doesn’t happen in the rest of life.
“But unfortunately some people are really offended by the sight of a body, which I think is really sad actually.”
According to British Naturism, an internationally recognised naturist organisation, being naked in public spaces in England is legal as long as there is no intention of offense or distress.
Katie said: “It is perfectly legal, but we don’t want to cause anyone upset or make anyone uncomfortable. That’s why a lot of people come to clubs like our as it’s a dedicated space.
“But we would love to be able to just turn up anywhere and it not be a problem.”
In addition to the vast woodlands on site for members to roam, there is also a nature trail, a swimming pool, sauna, indoor pavilion and petanque and volleyball court.
Maintenance on the site is also carried out by volunteers who often do the work naked, where it is safe for them to do so.
While members can visit and spend time with friends, family or on their own – Katie added that there was a good sense of community amongst the group.
She added: “For our 70th anniversary we had a club gathering and we had a barbecue, made pizza in our outdoor pizza oven and ate together. One of our members is a talented baker and made us a big cake with a 70 on it – it was a lovely party.
“It’s had a really positive affect on my mental health. Our site has some beautiful woodlands and a nature trail and I think just being in my natural state you feel so much more connected with nature, it’s so much nicer without a ridiculous swimsuit on.
“It just feels really free and lovely. I have also discovered that swimming without the swimsuit is so much nicer, you feel so connected with the water and so much more natural.”
Katie said that she plans to be a naturist for the rest of her life and that the group is open to new members.
She added: “We’ve got some long term members but equally we’re welcoming new people all the time. We also don’t expect people to strip off the minute they arrive on site, they can come get used to their surroundings first.
“Women especially can be reluctant to give it a go, but any of our female members are happy to chat with new people who are visiting for the first time.
“We do mostly have members in their 40s or 50s, but it would be nice to see younger people in their 20s and 30s come along. I feel like sometimes older people are just more comfortable with their bodies.
“But once you’ve tried it, it just feels so natural, and you wonder why you didn’t ever do it before.”
The site is open to day-trippers as well as those wanting to camp in tents or in motorhomes.
