Gay cruising outdoor
Cruising
This blog was written by our Sexual Health Outreach Worker, Chris Dunbar.
Sometimes, having sex in the protected confines of your bedroom just doesn’t cut it. You may be looking for somewhere new, looking for thrill or adventure, or just not be competent to have the sex you want within your four walls. You may have heard someone converse about cruising, or hold been asked if you want to go, but what does it actually mean?
Let’s have a gaze together at what it means, the laws, and general safety if you do decide to offer it a go.
Definition
Cruising is walking or driving about certain areas, called cruising grounds, looking for a sexual partner. These meetings are usually one-off, anonymous encounters.
Cottaging is a phrase used to describe anonymous sex meetings in widespread toilets.
Where do the terms come from?
Cruising: The pos originated as a male lover slang term, sometime in the early s, as a way for people who knew its essence to arrange sexual meetings. It was a way to plan sexual encounters without attracting the attention of people who may wish to report t
Gay Cruising in Brighton
Brighton, often referred to as the "gay capital of the UK," is home to one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ populations. Beyond the bars, clubs, and cafes that line the celebrated Kemp Town area, Brighton also has a thriving gay cruising scene. Whether you’re new to the scene or a seasoned visitor, here’s your manual to gay cruising in Brighton.
Outdoor Cruising Spots in Brighton
Duke’s Mound
This is the most famous cruising detect in Brighton. Duke’s Mound is located near the seafront, just east of Kemp Town. This area has long been established for its after-dark activities, with the bushes and secluded pathways providing cover for those looking to hookup. The bushes surrounding Duke’s Mound are notably higher than other bushes in the area. In recent years, some locals pressured the council to trim down the bushes but they refused. They decided to preserve Duke's Mound's integrity as a discrete cruising spot: affirmation, if it were needed, that Brighton is the gay capital.
It’s busiest during summer nights, although it sees action year-round. The
Cruising in London: 17 places gay men meet for common sex, according to website
Now that internet dating and hook-up apps have made casual sexual encounters more convenient, the number of people pursuing partners for thrills in public places is on the decrease.
But it is by no means a dying past-time.
Defying the Grindr and Tinder monopoly on casual sex, ‘gay cruising’ sites such as this one provide detailed maps of the most popular universal spots in London to get it on.
The site lists open-air locales, toilets, bathhouses and bookstores with celestial body ratings and tips for how curious forum readers can get the most from their cruising experience.
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Here are the most popular London hotspots:
The Underground
Topping the ratings is the ubiquitous London Underground.
Praised as a diverse pick-up hotspot, since its visitors comprise literally “anyone who rides the tubes”, the guide says that the last carriage on the train is the best spot f
Cruising
Cruising (we’re not talking ships) refers to searching for a sexual partner for an anonymous experience, often a one-off. Cruising areas or sites include streets, parks, road lay-bys, (nudist) beaches or sand dunes and other general areas. Some sites have been around for decades, Hampstead Heath and Brompton Cemetery being two of the most (in) celebrated in London. Imagine a nightclub dark room but free and outdoors, but daytime can function just as well.
Of course, men finding other men for sex has been going for centuries though the term ‘cruise’ is believed to come from the Dutch ‘kruisen’. The term was also used as code by closeted gay communities when homosexuality was illegal, and is the title of a American crime thriller film with Al Pacino. The film was poorly received and did nothing to boost the meaning though the designation has since been absorbed into the mainstream heterosexual vocabulary. Whatever its origins, the term cruising has stood the test of time.
For some gay men, cruising is about the excitement and rush of hooking up with a stranger alfresco. Way before Gr