Thanks to doggers and meerkats and busybodies there's often a strong police/beach ranger presence on north west beaches in general, in our experience. Crosby and Ainsdale have also suffered this problem, scaring off genuine naturists because the pervs and curtain twitchers have had to ruin it. 🙁 The Wirral side is the same, we know! This is why we go to Wales tbh, it's easy to get to from Cheshire.
A and A.

Hi I have just joined, so the reply is late. The beach at Ainsdale was at one time used by naturist famalies and couples. It's mainly gay now, but it is still possible to find a spot to yourself. It is patroled by wardens and police.
Drive on to Ainsdale Beach turn left, go as far as you can and park up, then walk a couple of hundred yards....Leon

Hi I have just joined, so the reply is late. The beach at Ainsdale was at one time used by naturist famalies and couples. It's mainly gay now, but it is still possible to find a spot to yourself. It is patroled by wardens and police.
Drive on to Ainsdale Beach turn left, go as far as you can and park up, then walk a couple of hundred yards....Leon

Thanks for your post.
I am thinking of proposing the organisation of a beach day at Ainsdale this summer. Partly to campaign for naturist acceptance in the NW. Can you please advise as much detail as possible? I know the location and directions but info on police and warden activity, dunes or beach, swimming, other visitors etc will be very useful.

A beach day at Ainsdale sounds great. Naked swimming and sunbathing is possible but you have to be careful.

I have been swimming naked in the sea between Formby and Ainsdale a few times, I think I went 4 times last year.

It is often quiet mid-week away from the car parks. There are large areas of open beach with only a few dog walkers. You just need to time your entry into and out of the sea so the dog walkers don't see you.

You can always find a quite spot at the top of the beach to dry off and do a bit of sunbathing.

The sea does go out a long way at low tide so you need to get the timeing right. It is best to go swimming just before or after high tide so you are only exposed for a short time. or, if you like a long walk, it can be ok at low tide if you strip off near to the sea. Last year I went for a swim when the tide was out and it took me over 10 min to walk from where my wife was sitting, at the top of the beach, to the sea. On this occasion I wore trunks until I got to the sea but swam naked. The people at the top of the beach were hardly visible from the sea, probably a few hundred meters away. My wife had to use binoculars to see what I was up to.

You do see wardens drive past but not very often. And not when it is not busy.

Chris

We love Ainsdale Dunes/Beach because they're close to us. You do have to go up into the Dunes because the beach is too exposed and you also have to have your wits about you due to rangers/police.

Apparently, the 'bad years' were around 2005 when, due to local council complainers there was a big operation. Doubtful that current police/council resources would stretch to that now though.

Over the past couple of years we have enjoyed midweek/daytimes in the dunes and have not had any hassle at all.

We love Ainsdale Dunes/Beach because they're close to us. You do have to go up into the Dunes because the beach is too exposed and you also have to have your wits about you due to rangers/police.

Apparently, the 'bad years' were around 2005 when, due to local council complainers there was a big operation. Doubtful that current police/council resources would stretch to that now though.

Over the past couple of years we have enjoyed midweek/daytimes in the dunes and have not had any hassle at all.

Thanks for your post Matt & Suzie.
Your post is of much interest. Are you aware of rangers or police activity recently?
Does anyone use the beach itself or the sea for nude bathing?
Does anyone use the area for nude bathing at weekends?
I am asking because I am aware that consideration to hold some informal beach days is under way. The intention is to prove the reasonableness of nude use in the hope of getting such use accepted.

Ah, Ainsdale beach - I've only just signed up to Naturist Corner, but I can provide some historic information about naturist use there.

During the mid-1980s we lived in Kingsley, not far from Chester; and Ainsdale was about an hour away by car (36 miles). On fine sunny weekends my wife, two young sons and I would go to the naturist beach, which at the time was almost as popular as Studland was in those days (Studland is much busier now than it was then).

Access was extremely easy and convenient. It was a case of driving on to the beach at Ainsdale, turning left (south) and going as far as the barriers at the limit of the designated parking area. A walk of only 100 to 200 yards brought you to what could be hundreds of happy naked souls enjoying the shore - mostly on the open beach, adjacent to the dunes. No doubt there were others in the dunes, especially if it was windy.

On a number of occasions when we were there a ranger would turn up on a quad-bike or whatever for a chat and to see everything was OK. Likewise, the police also. All very friendly towards the naturists. It was a lovely spot - nothing furtive, everybody just enjoying the beach and wandering naked down to the water's edge - which as other posters have indicated, can be a very long way when the tide is out. I recall many happy hours digging sand castles with my boys.

I moved south with work at the end of the 80s, and have hardly been back since. Mostly, because everything changed and the authorities became extremely hostile towards the naturists (presumably because of inappropriate behaviour in the dunes). And, again as mentioned, around 2005, or thereabouts - I don't remember the dates exactly, a number of sunbathers were arrested and charged. I think, in fact, there may have been arrests earlier than that.

It would certainly be great if a a beach day could be organised at Ainsdale.

Mike

I remember Ainsdale beach as a child back at the end of the 1960's. My uncle and aunt lived there and we used to go for holidays, these are some of the earliest memories I have as my sister was born in 1969 and I think this was before she was born. Back then, I don't think the Pontins along Shore Road existed and the road road ended at the end of the estate. The beach was huge and the sea went out for miles it seemed. My uncle was a great home movie fan, (no video back then), I remember him showing film of sand yacht racing on the beach.
I don't recall any naturism going on. The dunes were a great play area, but my two cousins were a good 15 to 20 years older than me, so I was very much on my own. I can seen how such extensive dunes would be a problem for dodgy activity, but it would be nice to see the area have a designated naturist beach.