The seaside town near London where hundreds of people will be going for a naked swim later this summer

Temperatures have been soaring recently to over 23C in the past few weeks, and naturally many people like to cool down by taking a dip in surrounding waters. However, there is a seaside town near London that’ll see hundreds stripping down to their ‘birthday suits’ in the name of charity.

Clacton-On-Sea is one of the many destinations across the UK that will see hundreds of people skinny dipping to raise money for British Heart Foundation. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned veteran, Britons are invited to experience the freedom of swimming naked and raising money for a great cause.

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The Great British Skinny Dip has organised a catalog of skinny dipping events across the UK throughout 2022. On their website, they wrote: “From mental health and body positivity to raising your heart rate and just feeling the rush of being alive, there are many, many health benefits to being naked.

“But, if you are looking for another reason to skinny dip, why not do it for a great cause? The Great British Skinny Dip supports the nation’s largest heart charity, the British Heart Foundation and would like to encourage participants to raise vital funds to power the nation’s heartbeats.”

Clacton-On-Sea is a seaside town in Essex that boasts Martello Tower Beach. The town was recently named in 2021 as one of the best scenic places to live near London, and it’s not hard to see why.

Away from skinny dipping, the town offers some wonderful tourist attractions that are perfect for a long weekend staycation from the big city. The main landmark is the pleasure pier which is surrounded by an array of amusements.

This crowd-pleaser is perfect for younger visitors who want to enjoy the arcades and even a Seaquarium to spot some marine life. Clacton-on-Sea also boasts an eight mile cycling route which takes you around the Martello Tower.

Whether it’s romantic ambience or a casual chippy supper you’re after, Clacton also has many places for you to wine and dine. Bluebirds is a lovely little tearoom that is supposedly a ‘hidden gem’ according to locals. Winning a TripAdvisor Traveller’s Award this year, the eatery is a must visit if you’re wanting a memorable breakfast.

One guest said: “We wanted to avoid the usual coffee shops near the seafront and find something a little more special. This place is about a 5 minute walk from the main high street and was an unexpected gem. “It had a cosy, vintage tea-room interior and the food and service was excellent. They also do takeaway food!”

Other skinny-dipping locations include The Lake District, Northampton, Wigton, Birmingham, Peterborough and Penrith. To find out more about Great British Skinny Dipping, click here.

How to get there

With easy links by road, train, coach, and ferry Clacton on Sea is an easily accessible destination. It takes around 1 Hour 30 Minutes to travel from London to Clacton-on-Sea.

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