BIG BEAR; THE EVENT
By Guest, in Eastern,
THE NAKED CIDER MILL ……… BARE OR BEAR?
By Andy Wyman
Yes it’s the same old pun and I promised myself I wouldn’t use it for this article…. but failed.
The latest Eastern Region BN escapade was to the Big Bear Cider Mill near Braintree in Essex. The
first plus was driving there through some beautiful countryside with pretty villages. Thirty of us
descended on the mill and were given a really friendly welcome by the owners Mark and Kathryn.
We were first given a welcome drink called Essex Gold Rush which was so, so easy to knock back
in one! It was a beautiful sparkling and fresh taste. I put down the empty glass and a miracle
occurred. Within seconds the glass was full again and this just kept on happening. (I must mention
here that I was not driving that day!)
Essex Gold by the way is a nod to the regenerated gravel pits where the orchards have been planted.
Gravel is known colloquially as Essex Gold.
Now here’s a test for you. What do these have in common? Foxwhelp, Greensleeves and Tom Putt.
They are 6 of the 18 traditional apple varieties grown at the orchard. Mark enthusiastically
explained that everything about the cider is organic and no preservatives are used. He promised us
there would be no hangover in the morning. As a keen cider drinker at college with a long record of
hangovers I simply didn’t believe this. I also lived in Somerset as a teenager and thought I knew a
thing or two about cider. But I was wrong as the next day my head was perfectly clear.
The Big Bear Cider Mill was created in 2015 and the goal was to produce high end quality cider.
For every 500 litres they produce, a tonne of apples is used. They have planted the trees, picked the
apples, made the juice and then fermented the cider.
Mark showed us around the Mill and explained all the processes and then we were able to relax in
their outdoor seated area and be treated to more samples. This was our first BN event that was not a
zoom call since lockdowns began last March. It was so good to be with fellow naturists again,
laughing and chatting, without a care in the world. As with all our Eastern Region outings we were
blessed again with positive and friendly hosts in Mark, Kathryn and Emma. Kathryn asked if they
could have some photos of a group to use in the local press and for publicity. When I said that we
might get pixellated, Kathryn made it clear that she agreed with us. There’s nothing wrong with
nudity. And of course there was no shortage of volunteers to have their pictures taken as you can see
on the BN gallery.
Thanks again to Robert and his Eastern Region team for such a great afternoon. If you look at the
list of coming events this summer in the region you’ll see a theatre visit, walks, a vineyard tour,
camping, swims, garden visits and a canal cruise. There’s even a visit to a secret nuclear bunker but
shh… don’t tell anyone!! If you’ve never been to a naked event have no fears. You’ll be made
welcome by other members and before you know it you’ll be booking again
Here is a Link to the Photo Gallery:
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