FabSwingers.com forum: Shellness Beach, Leysdown-on-Sea, Sheerness ...

By *ickbeachbumMan
over a year ago

Dartford

"Has anyone been here lately was thinking about making a visit over the coming days. Any help or advice would be much appreciated"

I went down on a sunny midweek afternoon I think the 12th May, got there a couple of hours later than planned and tide was already on ebb so in my birthday suit for first time this year only got up to my knees

I had been for a visit last winter when a contractor reinforcing the beach area with large rocks had closed the car park by the cafe to use as a lay down area for materials and plant. That was when I first found the parking behind the naturist beach on the verge had been removed. A new and deep ditch had been cut close to the edge of the unmade track.

I just about managed to get a space in the small parking area which gives access near the entrance to the private estate to Shellness settlement. This car park can perhaps take 6 cars and serves as access to the footpath through the marshes and nature reserve.

On May 12th there was only one other naturist on the beach a chap called Dave who told me he had to park up his camper van by the sea wall in Leysdown then carry all his kit down past the cafe and car park along top of the newly reinforced sea wall then past all the old beach bungalows before finally reaching the official naturist beach.

It seems that resentment of visitors using this great and longstanding official naturist beach from locals at the Shellness settlement has been building up over the years but came to a head last autumn after so many visitors had used the beach last summer when other clubs etc had been closed.

The car park at the cafe is free but has a barrier to exclude vans and is locked at 6pm. There was still a large pile of rock armour in the car park surrounded by a heras fence so space is reduced there too and presumably if you leave your car there and walk along top of beach or track for about a mile you will probably have this beach to yourselves? But allow enough time to get back or your car is locked in.

I asked British Naturiism to write to Swale District Council about it and predict that if we have some warm weather it will be chaos and the locals may regret creating access so narrow even if the beach is empty. For example Dave told me one day recently the road was blocked for three hours until RAC could get down to tow a vehicle out which had slipped off into the new ditch

Such a shame as the beach has been clearly demarcated with signs by the council to show the naturist area and also the designated parking area along the verge in red which had now been removed.

If some solution is not made I think this beach will be closed as I expect on some sunny weekends perhaps over this bank holiday there is the potential for congestion, and intervention by authorities to resolve conflict.

I would not be surprised if the media pick up on it!

My advice would be to get to the car park by cafe very early be prepared to walk and make sure your car isn't locked up overnight!

For the more proactive amoung you write to Swale District Council and Briitish Naturism who do not seem interested in trying to keep this official beach accessible unless you live in Leysdown and can walk a few miles on a hot day carrying all your supplies

Nick