I’m a proud naked sunbather, I’ll even go topless in the garden today – I don’t care if the neighbours see my boobs
HOLDING her towel close to her body, Estelle Keeber, 41, looks around the garden trying to decide between a spot of sunbathing, a dip in the hot tub or relaxing in the Jacuzzi.
Opting for the Jacuzzi, the mum-of-two boys, aged 15 and 13, from Leicester, steps in and starts enjoying the relaxing bubbles and outdoor sunshine.
Estelle may sound like the millions of other Britons hoping to make the most of the soaring temperatures and summer sun.
The only difference is Estelle is in next to nothing.
This body confident mum, who runs social media consultancy Immortal Monkey, is proud she can enjoy sunbathing and hot-tubbing topless and enjoys going fully naked when she can.
Her first foray into nudity started eight years ago, when she was 33, and she realised she needed to become body confident.
“I wasn’t initially with a post-baby body,” she says.
“But after taking my top off in the garden I changed my mind and realised ‘yes, this is great!’.
“Our garden is overlooked by houses. I found a spot where people couldn’t see me if I was topless. That was the first step to embracing nude sunbathing.”
Now she loves sunbathing naked – so much so that last year she visited a naturist beach in Spain.
“It was to mark my 40th birthday and now I am obsessed,” she says.
“I love lying in the sun feeling the warmth on my body and getting the maximum dose of vitamin D I can. It’s one of the best things I have ever done. I get my kit off as soon as the sun pops its head out.
“I never knew sunbathing naked could be so empowering. More people should try it. It teaches body confidence and maximises an all over tan.”
And she said she was delighted with today’s temperatures which were expected to reach 31 degrees in the UK.
“This great weather means I am ticking off as many au naturel activities as I can including naked spa days,” she says.
Single Estelle, who was surviving on food banks in 2015 before launching her business, has become extra wild since hitting the big 40.
“I wrote a ‘F*** it I’m 40’ list of things I wanted to challenge myself to do in the nude – including the beach,” she says.
“I had preconceived ideas about naturist beaches including pervy people, but I was wrong.
“I put down my towel and no one looked or cared. There were people of all different shapes and sizes enjoying the sun like me. It was very refreshing.
“It’s why I know Britain’s nudist beaches will be overrun this weekend with the sun out and shining.”
Then two weeks ago Estelle ticked off another naked challenge when she booked a day at a nude spa in Birmingham.
“I had a couple of cancelled meetings, and it was a spur of the moment decision… but changed my life because it was so brilliant,” she says.
A sunhat, sunglasses and a towel are all you need
Estelle Keeber
When Estelle arrived, she paid £60 for her ‘starter day’ package’ and was greeted by clothed staffers who handed her a towel and gave her a list of treatments and rules.
“Naturist sites always have a list of clear rules,” she says.
“I felt safer and more respected at the naturist spa than I did walking my dog in a local park at 6am in the morning.
“The spa has same sex changing rooms. The towel you get given at reception isn’t for wrapping around yourself, it’s for sitting on.
“Naturist sites encourage a strict etiquette policy for sitting on a towel. You can ask for other towels to wrap around you.”
Estelle enjoyed a nude all over body massage before heading to the spa’s nude gardens.
“It was amazing. There were people nude sunbathing, chatting in groups or using the hot tub.
“I soon forgot I was naked and the Jacuzzi was amazing.
“I also had a naked sauna.”
Estelle did a nude hot tub and some nude sunbathing before rain and cooler weather forced her inside.
“The spa offered naked dining,” she says.
CAN I SUNBATHE NAKED IN MY GARDEN?
It is not an offence to be naked in public which means it is not against the law to be naked in your own garden in the UK.
However, all that changes if your actions alarm or distress those around you.
The actual law states: “In the absence of any sexual context and in relation to nudity where the person has no intention to cause alarm or distress it will normally be appropriate to take no action unless members of the public were actually caused harassment, alarm or distress (as opposed to considering the likelihood of this).”
Barrister Lynette Calder told The Sun that this means it’s fine to be naked in your own garden – as long as your intent is not to harass or distress whoever lives next door.
She said: “Unless you are in contravention of section 66 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 – ie ‘intentionally exposing your genitals with the intention that someone will see them and be caused alarm or distress – then there is no specific rule against nudity in the UK.”
The best way to ensure you don’t end up in hot water with the police while enjoying the UK sunshine is to exercise some caution.
It’s also worth considering that somebody may ring your doorbell during your nude sunbathing sessions.
It is not illegal to answer the door to your home in your underwear or walk around the house without clothes on but if the nudity becomes a regularity, and if your neighbours complain to the police enough, then they may take action against you.
“That was the most challenging thing for me, walking into a dining room and seeing people eating in the nude.
“I didn’t know where to put my napkin. I was worried about sploshing food on my boobs or leg and decided on a pizza which was splash free.
“But by the end of the meal naked eating seemed like the most normal thing in the world. The whole day seemed like a real treat!”
Estelle will be taking to her own garden for some topless sunbathing,
“For me being naked or topless is about respect,” she says.
“My garden is so open to neighbours I can’t go the full monty. I can go topless. Enjoy the sun and get the health benefits.
“I plan on booking more nude spa days or a day trip to a local naturist beach.
“I don’t visit these places to be perved at. That’s not what they are about.
“I go as a way of empowering myself and developing my 40-something body confidence.
“You can do it at any age. A sunhat, sunglasses and a towel are all you need.
“But, don’t forget your sunscreen… it’s important to stay buff in the buff.”