General

This beach is situated at the Eastney end of Portsmouth and Southsea seafront. The local council are aware of its tradition of nude use and have erected appropriate signs. [see below] One reporter says: 'It's my contention that Eastney is the easiest-access naturist beach in southern England, and no one has challenged this yet.'

Update May 2010

Defence firm QinetiQ has has called in security guards to block access to this popular naturist beach.

For more information, see the website of the Eastney Beach Liaison Group.

Google Map

Getting There

Portsmouth is easily reached by means of the M27/A27 and by public transport. Eastney is on the south-easy tip of Portsea Island. Take the A2030 from the A27 towards Southsea, turn left at the football club roundabout and left again just before Eastney swimming pool .There is a car park at the junction of Fort Cumberland Rd and Melville Rd. A path on the right of the entrance to the forner Defence Research Establishment leads to the beach. On reaching the beach turn left and you reach the nude section within only 100 yards.
By public transport, take the train to Portsmouth and Southsea, then by bus to Eastney (I think the stop is Eastney barracks, if not, ask for the "radar station" - they'll know where you mean.
"Number 40 First National bus from Waterloovile or Cosham, direct to the sea front, then a short walk, will take you to the beach."

Description
Although not, perhaps, the best part of a shingle beach, Eastney is described as being 'well sheltered' and offering 'pleasant sunbathing' In 2001 notices were erected near the eastern end of the beach. Topped by the City coat of arms, they state "The beach beyond this point is used by nudists."

"Simple, neutral, no fuss. The siting of the notices is, in my opinion, the most sensible that could have been chosen, and does not curtail, even by implication, the area which has been used by naturists. Well done Portsmouth City Council... "

Facilities
There are toilets and refreshments available at the nearby caravan site.

Water Quality
Summer 1999: water meets Environment Agency "guideline quality" standard.

Development Proposals

In 2005, a planning application was submitted by QinetiQ (a private company formed from a section of the Ministry of Defence) to build 131 homes on land adjoining Eastney naturist beach.

Local naturists began the "Save Eastney Naturist Beach Campaign" to oppose this development which, they believed, would threaten their continuing use of the beach.

Outline planning permission was granted, but QinetiQ have since been involved in a protracted dispute with the local Council. It had appeared that the efforts of the Campaign Group had secured future public access to the beach, but events in 2010 have thrown this into some doubt. Naturist use has never been a legal right, but has been tolerated and supported for very many years. A lot of positive local media coverage had been gained during the campaign.

Latest information can be found on the website of the Eastney Naturist Beach Liaison Group .

Selected Visitor Comments

2002

"Portsmouth Council have marked the naturist section off with a couple of small signs. This naturist beach is similar in size and quality to the terrible one at Brighton, but its clientele is mostly heterosexual rather than homosexual as at Brighton. Only ten feet behind the beach is the MOD radar station - an absolute monstrosity of a building for a naturist beach. Of all the beaches around the Portsmouth area, this, surely, is a poor place to locate a naturist beach. I can only recommend this beach to people who live locally to Eastney or Portsmouth. Anyone travelling from further afield would do far better visiting Studland."

"Although the beach is very shingly, it was an ideal setting as it is only overlooked by the radar station, and being at the end of the seafront there is no procession of non-naturists walking by gawping! With the Isle of Wight providing a backdrop, it made an interesting place to sit and watch the various activities on the water, from the large ferries to the small yachts, windsurfers and jetskis."

"I would definitely recommend this beach for people who want quick and easy access, but would urge them to take something thick or spongy to lie on, and if you want to wander down to the water's edge, wear a pair of jellies or flip-flops. The stones can be painful!"

"I visited the beach last Saturday. I was very shy at first, but this did not last. When I came away I was completly refreshed and felt totally different, full of confidence, as this was my first visit to a naturist beach. Well done Portsmouth City Council."

2003

"It is not the nicest spot for a naturist beach, but it is of easy reach. Finding lots of couples and groups of women gave me lots of confidence to enjoy the beach. Although many of the women are not nude nor topless, nude men are everywhere. There are lots of couples where the man is nude and the woman is not, but this is not a turn off. Instead it encourages women who don't feel confident about getting nude for the first time to attend this beach, take a look, enjoy and may be in the next visit get nude. Lots of groups of local girls, who do not get nude, attend this beach just for the fun of it but this does not bother the nude male sunbathers."

2004

"..it would appear that Saturday is mainly for male couples, Sunday is for families and Mondays for locals and holiday makers. It is vey much a male dominated environment - which I don't have a problem with - but it would be nicer to see more families and females. The most irritating factor here is the constant stream of jet-skis which seem to take delight in getting closer and closer to the beach.. the experience was on, the whole, very pleasant."

"My girlfriend.. felt a lot more relaxed than she did at [Brighton] and was even comfortable enough to swim to the end of the beach and walk back along the sandy stretch. Though pebbly, the stones were not too painful (unlike Brighton) and the water was lovely once we were in! We saw very little sign of seedyness compared with what we have witnessed in Brighton and can report that on sunny weekend days at least Eastney draws a mixed crowd of couples, singles and families."

"This was a very relaxing quiet spot and there was some small sandy areas available for bathing. It was very enjoyable and relaxing visit."

".. the beach was fairly easy to find thanks to the NUFF directions. The path to it, went past a camp site, at the end of which (2 metres away) was the sign saying "The beach beyond this point is used by Nudists" Then, some 200m further down, a similar sign facing the other way - therefore only a 200m section [has been] set aside... many textiles walked along the beach possibly unaware of the naturist section."

"it was heaven and the swimming was just great! Easy to access and, alright, a lttle unkind on the feet because of the pebbles, but a lovely little spot and I was left alone to enjoy my first 'public' naturist expirience. Can't wait to get back!"

"We have as a family visited this beach quite a lot for many years, and after being away from the area for a number of years have re-aquainted ourselves with it. It is still a joy to go to with young kids as car parking is free and it is only a short walk to the beach (unlike Studland). But, there are a lot of old men who walk about with "stiffies"... who stare at you , but we can live with that as we have encountered these people everywhere we have been. The one thing that was damn annoying was jet skis.. coming closer and closer to swimmers.."

"The path from the car park towards the radar station was quite liberally littered with dog faeces; the view ahead of the hulking buildings and masts surrounded by rusting steel and wire did little for the ambiance of the place. I saw none of the family units, or groups of women mentioned in your reports. There was one male/female couple, a few male pairs, and largely middle-aged single men..."

"Contrary to some negative comments on your previous reports, I think the beach is a lovely one to visit. Easy to get to and comprising a good cross section of people all determined not to intrude on each other's privacy. What I like about Eastney is the glorious view over to the Isle of Wight with the attendent treat of the shipping movements in and out of both Portsmouth Harbour as well as further off Southampton. No strollers or gawpers make this a good one to go for if you have never sripped off on a UK beach before."

"I spent 5 hours on the beach in glorious unbroken sunshine at Eastney today, Tuesday 18th May 2004. This was my first naturist experience."

"..I found numerous nude bathers dotted around the beach - a fair few lone males, several couples, a number of families and quite a few groups of women. The beach itself is fairly tidy and litter free, but the stones and shingle made life uncomfortable. I was able to spot the regulars fairly easily - they'd all brought padded mats to lay on and flip flops to overcome the surface! Overall I found the beach to be inhabited by very friendly natives, a cosy atmosphere and a picturesque view out to sea. Perhaps the most heartening aspect of all was the way the locals - men, women and children alike - all respected each others' right to do as they pleased without interruption or criticism. If only this was a sandy beach it'd be my ideal day out! "

2005

January 2005 - "I live in Portsmouth and have visited the nudist beach a couple of times each summer for a quite a few years. It tends to be when I'm on my own,wanting to get a full tan and relax and read a book. I do find that most times a 40+ man will come over and sart talking and sit down which is all done in a polite manner...at least 80% of the people are male 50+. The beach is away from from the promonade walkway and road and so is fairly secluded."

May 2005 - " ..my first time on this beach I found it very enjoyable. One end of the beach (the far end) is where most gay couples go - sometimes around the concrete stones. The other end of the beach are straights and in the middle people who just don't care or families. I enjoyed my time there and as a local, I will go back. I do enjoy.... just feeling relaxed naked around other people, its a real nice feeeling and does give me confidence about myself and my body."

August 2005 - "Our first trip to a public beach and found it excellent The beach was clean and spacious and no section of the community misbehaved."

August 2005 - "..the path and beach approach is less than glamorous, as is the MOD building, but the beach itself was clean and the shingle is smooth and easy to lie on. The view across the water was plenty of compensation though! ..there were plenty of other people there - a few coules and families but otherwise mostly middle-aged singles. I've certainly not felt so comfortable about my own body in a long time. It was much easier and more relaxing than sunbathing in the garden.."

2007

September 22, 2007 - "I had my first time on a nudist beach at Eastney with a friend. When we arrived, we were the first to undress: there were one or two others around who followed our example. One or two people seemed very reluctant to undress compleetly, but most did. It felt very comfortable and natural to be as nature intended us."

2009

June 30, 2009 - "by lunchtime there were probably 100 or so bathers in various states of dress/undress. Although the overwhelming majority were completely nude. It was a mixture of single males, couples, families and groups.. This really is a very sociable beach. At low tide you can walk along the sealine but it is a bit uncomfortable on the pebbles when walking."

July 26, 2009 - "a very friendly and lovely place to be. Lots of men and a few couples who make everybody feel at home. Very much recommended if you are new to nudist beaches like myself."