Yorkshire is known for some stunning seaside towns, many with their own particular quirks. In North Yorkshire Whitby is regularly frequented by goths thanks to its Dracula connections, Saltburn has its own funicular railway and then along the coast you can find the beautiful beaches of Barnston and Withernsea in East Yorshire.
And while many of these have cafes and other attractions for tourists there is one which seems to have missed the commercialisation favoured by so many. Down a winding road and just two miles from Bridlington lies Fraisthorpe which is popular with families and dog walkers alike.
But travel back 30 years and this wasn't the case. For until the late 1990s the sands were deemed a designated nudist beach where people would flock to enjoy sunbathing, swimming and splashing in the waves without a stitch of clothing in sight.
Today a large sign warns people against the move. It tells visitors: "This is not a designated naturist beach".
But it doesn't seem to stop everyone from getting closer with nature. Some have even told of their more recent visits where they claim to have stripped to spend time relaxing on the sands, reports Yorkshire Live.
In 2022 one reviewer, commenting on the Walking Club website said: "Naturism thrives at Fraisthorpe. I visit regularly and had my first nude beach day today, in the company of a few regulars and a couple of visitors.
"The Council notices are both misleading and largely derelict. The confusion that the sign evokes does unsettle visitors but the naturist use is approved by the local Police."
But during one recent visit by a Yorkshire Live reporter found most of the people on the beach were families or dog walkers. And while many had travelled to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the spot, some had no idea of its history.
Sarah and William Andrews, from East Lancashire, have been visiting the area for many years. They say they love to come to watch the dogs roam around.
Sarah said: "We come from East Lancashire and come to stay in Bridlington. We will walk the long stretch of coast from Bridlington right up to Fraisthorpe. We like it because it’s beautiful and you see loads of dogs playing and we like to watch them.
“We didn’t actually know it was a nudist beach. We’ve never seen any nudists here.”
Another visitor, Josh, from South Yorkshire, said: “It’s my first time here, we heard it was a good dog walking spot but we’ve never been up this end of the coast before."
When told it was a nudist beach Josh was shocked. He said he "hadn’t seen any nudists but it’s a bit windy for them today."
Julie and Nick, who were visiting from Derbyshire, also commented on how great for dogs Fraisthorpe is. Julie said: "We've been to the area before but never here. Fraisthorpe had been recommended to us yesterday so we came to visit, then decided we liked it so much we came back today.
"We like it because it’s not commercialised. It's really quiet and great for dogs. You can bring dogs here unlike other places - we're fortunate it was recommended to us.
"We haven’t seen any nudists either, although we did see a sign to say nudists aren't permitted on the beach further up. We definitely won't be partaking."
Meanwhile others said they enjoyed visiting the beach for its tranquil, idyllic and calmness. Fraisthorpe is an untouched part of the Yorkshire coast with no commercial shops or chains - it has one café, one car park and nothing else. Many people love it for its authentic charm.
Ian Simpson, who lives just outside of Pocklington, in East Yorkshire, was visiting Fraisthorpe with his partner and their friends. Ian said: "It's a very safe place, it attracts us because it’s not commercialised.
"It's safe to go in the water, its very clean, there is no rubbish litter, and the water too is safe and clean. You can also bring dogs on the beach.
"There is one café - we have never been in - it looks nice. It has got a lot more popular since that was built and you can stay here too, it's a great place to bring your campervan.
"We have been coming to this beach for over 30 years and we have never seen any nudists over them times. I think the nudist beach is just at one side of the beach, however I'm not 100% sure. We've never seen them. But then the windiness here probably tells you why."
Graham and Penny Scott, from Sheffield, have visited Fraisthorpe many times. They say they love it because its a "idyllic area" that's very quiet. Graham said: "We've been lots of times, the sea is close, parking is close, it's a nice spot for dog walkers. Although it's not so quiet today compared to other times we've been.
"It's a nice little idyllic area - we're thinking of bringing our caravan - how nice would it be to come out of the van and see the sea - we will definitely be returning.
Graham and Penny say that although they are aware of its nudist past, they have never seen any naked sunbathers there.
