Naturist / Nudist Beaches in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland

Ardeer

North Ayrshire

Official. SE of Glasgow. Long beach. Gritty sand backed by concrete breakwater.

Official naturist beach

Ardeer lies at the head of the Ardeer peninsula,of Stevenston in noth Ayrshire and is home to the only 'official' naturist beach on the south west Scottish mainland. It was also home to one of the largest explosives factories in the world!.

Getting There

Satnav: KA20 3PW

Stevenston is on the A78 trunk road to the north-west of Irvine. Leave the dual carriagway at the Stevenston exit, taking the A738 and then joining the B752 for Ardeer at the second roundabout. After passing over the railway bridge, at the next roundabout take the exit for Ardeer village.

Once in the village, turn right and proceed to the church before turning left and then right (signposted Beach Point) at the end of which is the Beach Park car park. From the car park, drive or walk south past the public lavatories and toward the headland, beyond which is the naturist beach.

Naturists frequent the part of the beach beyond the first rock groyne, but almost anywhere on this section of the beach (beyond the Burns memorial mural on the seawall) is said to be OK. In total, it's a 15-20 minute walk from the car park.

Access is not possible (on foot or otherwise) from the Irvine direction.

Description

The beach is a large expanse ("about 2 miles long") backed by a sea wall, dunes and the former Nobel/ICI works.

Accommodation

Sandylands Holiday Park at nearby Saltcoats has been suggested.

Map

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Comments

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Kevin

Jun-11

Also may I advise it is not an official nudist beach. That was stopped a good few years ago [redacted]
william WELLS

May-11

First things first, the sandylands Holiday Park is in SALTCOATS, not saltcotes [Noted and corrected, thank you. Admin]. The beach consists of a very gritty sand mixed with coal granules, from an exposed seam close to shore, and seashells. This makes it quite uncomfortable to walk on. On my last visit there, despite, or perhaps because, I was wearing sandals I ended up with two rather large blisters (one on the ball of each foot) and a long painful walk back to the car park. I would suggest, therefore, that anyone visiting this beach wear socks and trainers/shoes for the long walk. Once you have got to where you want to be then up to you what you have on your feet. Due to the beach being adjacent to the old nobel/ICI (it shut over 40 years ago) factory, there is a very high concrete breakwater at the back of the beach. As a result there are no dunes [redacted]. It is, however, a very exposed beach, and if there is any wind at all you will feel it along there.

Photos

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Photos should be of the beach, or show the way to it. They should NOT have people in them.

nuff-beach

nuff-ardeer

Ardeer Beach ^ Sea Defences

via Geograph