The rescuing of this beach and the lobbying which resulted in amendments to the 2003 Sexual Offences Act which would otherwise have made Naturism a sex crime are typical examples of the work that BN does which benefits all naturists.
This work cannot be continued without the continued support of British naturists - both in numbers of members and in the money from the membership fees.
This is the primary reason why we should all be members.
JOhn
Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same.
George Bernard Shaw, Maxims for Revolutionaries
The rescuing of this beach and the lobbying which resulted in amendments to the 2003 Sexual Offences Act which would otherwise have made Naturism a sex crime are typical examples of the work that BN does which benefits all naturists.
This work cannot be continued without the continued support of British naturists - both in numbers of members and in the money from the membership fees.
This is the primary reason why we should all be members.
Can only echo what John has said about British Naturism. And in my opinion, the change of mind by the Crown Estates concerning Holkham has much wider implications for beach naturism throughout the UK. We already know that skinny-dipping is not illegal, but I believe the work BN has done in this particular case will make it unlikely sensible beach naturism in any reasonable (fairly quiet) location will cause a serious problem.
BN has also played a very significant part in securing favourable guidelines from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) concerning naturism, which were published recently.
As others have highlighted, however, there remain many challenges and threats to our freedom. The organisation deserves the support of every naturist in this country. And of course they organise lots of fun events for members too, as well as the pro-active campaigning side of things! 😀
Mike
I have just seen this extremely good news
Hopefully if people are reported to the wardens when acting in an improper way then it will stay open.
Via email from friends who live near to Holkham...
The only problem with this is that it only involves it being legal below the water line. Lets face it who wants to set up camp on the sand when the tide can come in. You want to be at the back of the beach in the shelter of the dunes, the beach is enormous, open and rather windswept. So we will hope something can be resolved for next year.
These are my opinions. If you don't like them, I have others.
What a sensible decision. Now all naturists need to make sure that the undesirables are reported on each and every occasion.
Hopefully everyone can then look forward to next summer.
Well done BN.
Chilled
How will it work though?
If the high tide is higher than the average high tide level, will the naturists have to keep their clothes on until the tide turns and retreats back to less than the average high tide level before they take advantage of the wet sand?
How will the naturists even know where the average high tide level even is?
What if they set up on an incoming tide of average height or more. Do they then have to pack up as the sea comes in?
Antony
All naturists have to thank BN for their sterling efforts and hope that through talks a solution came be found for next year.
On second thoughts may be they could not enforce the ban below the mean high water mark and therefore are in fact not really giving any ground at all and are acting out of expediency.
Unfortunately this summer has been lost to many people who otherwise would have visited Holkham. Maybe they are hoping that by next summer we will have forgotten that the beach existed and not turn up. I somehow think not.
Chilled
On second thoughts may be they could not enforce the ban below the mean high water mark and therefore are in fact not really giving any ground at all and are acting out of expediency.
At a legal level it may be true that the ban below the mean high water level was unenforceable in court. However, that did not prevent the wardens and local plod from trying to enforce it and intimidating beach users into dressing. Few people want the aggravation and expense of a legal case and this country's uniformed bullies are well aware of that.
What BN have done is gain public acknowledgement that the ban can not be made to stick, effectively neutering the bullies.
As for the "how will this work?" question; it is unlikely that anyone will get any grief if they are set up between the highest strandline on the beach and the sea. Proving exactly where the mean astronomical high tide is, and how that related to the position of a naturist, is likely to be way beyond the capability of any warden and wide open for challenge in court.
Have fun,
Ian.
It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
As for the "how will this work?" question; it is unlikely that anyone will get any grief if they are set up between the highest strandline on the beach and the sea. Proving exactly where the mean astronomical high tide is, and how that related to the position of a naturist, is likely to be way beyond the capability of any warden and wide open for challenge in court.
Have fun,
Ian.
That's simply not true though is it? As, if you look at the tide time table and that day (when you are at the beach) gives you a higher then average high tide and for example it is around high tide time, there is no part of the beach you are allowed to take off you clothes on. Any warden would know this.
Antony
[quote author=milfmog link=topic=10739.msg88076#msg88076
As for the "how will this work?" question; it is unlikely that anyone will get any grief if they are set up between the highest strandline on the beach and the sea. Proving exactly where the mean astronomical high tide is, and how that related to the position of a naturist, is likely to be way beyond the capability of any warden and wide open for challenge in court.
Have fun,
Ian.
That's simply not true though is it? As, if you look at the tide time table and that day (when you are at the beach) gives you a higher then average high tide and for example it is around high tide time, there is no part of the beach you are allowed to take off you clothes on. Any warden would know this.
Antony
I'm with Ian (milmog) on this one. I don't think anybody is going to be able to prevent naturist bathing and sunbathing on the open beach (ie below the highest tide line) which I'd have thought would be satisfactory for more than 99% of the time.
Mike
Or to put it another way - the open beach is now OK but the dunes are definitely not so you had better buy a windbreak.
JOhn
Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same.
George Bernard Shaw, Maxims for Revolutionaries
As for the "how will this work?" question; it is unlikely that anyone will get any grief if they are set up between the highest strandline on the beach and the sea. Proving exactly where the mean astronomical high tide is, and how that related to the position of a naturist, is likely to be way beyond the capability of any warden and wide open for challenge in court.
Have fun,
Ian.
That's simply not true though is it?
Yes, it is. 🙂
...if you look at the tide time table and that day (when you are at the beach) gives you a higher then average high tide and for example it is around high tide time, there is no part of the beach you are allowed to take off you clothes on. Any warden would know this.
Several points there.
First: mean high water is defined as the average position of the high water mark across the entire tidal cycle. This will be higher than the daily high water mark on half of all days and higher than the present water level most of the time. So except at high water springs there will be a gap between the water level and the boundary of the permitted area.
Second: Holkham is a fairly flat beach, so the tide recedes a very long way. Hence, even a short time either side of high water, there is likely to be a significant area of exposed sand. To prove you were in the wrong place even half an hour after (or before) an above average high water they would have to establish exactly where the line is and the position of the naturist. And it will not just be the balance of probabilities, it would have to be beyond a reasonable doubt.
Third: Once the professional had won that argument (if he won it) there would still be a need to demonstrate that the naturist could reasonably be expected to know he is in the wrong place; not easy on a beach with no fixed point of reference.
So, as I said above, below the strand line I reckon you will be fine; it just won't be worth the trouble of trying to prosecute. That may not stop professional bullies but asking for his number (PCSO / police officer) or name (warden) will probably be enough to get them to back down. (If not reporting his behaviour to the appropriate authorities could be great fun.) Chances are though that when you refuse to be bullied the jobsworth will leave.
Of course if you wander above the strandline while naked you will be asking for trouble from the wardens and I have to confess that, given the publicity the situation at Holkham has had, I would feel very little sympathy for you.
Have fun,
Ian.
It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
Plenty of UK beaches don't exist at all during high water, so guess it's no worse than that really.