St. Osyth Beach is a huge beach that begins at the pinpointed parking lot and extends west and then north, ending as a peninsula jutting into the estuary of the River Colne. The entire length of the beach is backed by a marshy area, except the area immediately next to parking. Beginning one mile west of the parking area, a stretch of St. Osyth Beach is officially designated for naturist use. This beach was once one of England's more popular nude beaches, but attendance has dropped over the past decade since access is not as convenient as it once was. Prior to 2004, there was a road about a mile in length that ran along the beach from the pinpointed parking lot all the way to the designated nude area, making it possible to park and be naked on the beach within minutes. That road has been closed for some years due to erosion, and part of the road washed away altogether in 2004.

As you walk west from the parking lot, you can follow the old road for about 100 yards until it disappears. After that, you'll be walking along a rocky section of the beach that contains the rubble of the old road for about 1/3 mile, then you'll reach the section of the road that is still in tact. With 1/2 mile to go, you can either follow the road or the beach. The washed-out section now makes it necessary to mind the tides since walking across this section is more difficult at high tide.

Despite the long walk now required, the beach is still well attended. Some visitors pitch tents and camp out in the dunes behind the beach.

more info from The Naturist UK Fact File (NUFF)

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GPS: 51.7700, 1.0615

city, county, region, country  St. Osyth (Clacton-on-Sea), Essex, East of England, England

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