Gay cruising sites
Cruising
This blog was written by our Sexual Health Outreach Worker, Chris Dunbar.
Sometimes, having sex in the safe confines of your bedroom just doesn’t cut it. You may be looking for somewhere new, seeking thrill or adventure, or just not be able to contain the sex you want within your four walls. You may have heard someone talk about cruising, or acquire been asked if you want to go, but what does it actually mean?
Let’s have a look together at what it means, the laws, and general safety if you do opt to give 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 detail anonymous sex meetings in public toilets.
Where do the terms come from?
Cruising: The word originated as a gay slang term, sometime in the early 1960s, as a way for people who knew its definition to arrange sexual meetings. It was a way to plan sexual encounters without attracting the attention of people who may desire to report them to the authorities, or inflict hurt. The term is used many countries including the UK, the U
Cruising
Cruising (we’re not talking ships) refers to searching for a sexual partner for an anonymous interaction, 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) legendary in London. Imagine a nightclub dark room but free and outdoors, but daytime can perform 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 1980 American crime thriller film with Al Pacino. The film was poorly received and did nothing to enhance the meaning though the term has since been absorbed into the mainstream heterosexual vocabulary. Whatever its origins, the word cruising has stood the try of time.
For some gay men, cruising is about the excitement and rush of hooking up with a stranger alfresco. Way before Grindr and Gaydar, searching for speedy sex with a stranger was a creative and skilled pursuit an
Gay cruising grounds Europe, UK, London
LGBTQ+ Venues in Ashington
LGBTQ+ Cruising
Friern Bridge Retail Park, Barnet, London
Young guys between 22 & 30. There is McDonald's on the side of this Park. Fantastic place to hide from public on the hill. Just sit down on the grass (only on the hill) and if you want action depart behind [...]
More info on Friern Bridge Retail Park
LGBTQ+ Venues in Battersea
LGBTQ+ Cruising
Queenstown Road, Battersea, London
Under the bridge by Battersea Park side, lots of guys walking around in summer. Standing on way under bridge. Great detect by the river. Lots of action on weekends. Cars can also park behind the [...]
More info on Chelsea Bridge
LGBTQ+ Venues in Central London
LGBTQ+ Cruising
Fenchurch Street, Core London, London
Enter through the main doors and leader to the loo on the left, behind the escalators. City suits, building site workers, basically anybody who goes to Essex by train. There is an excellent glory hole [...]
More info on Fenchurch Street Station
LGBTQ+ Cruising
Horsendon Hill, Perivale, Central London, London
Horsen
Cruising in London: 17 places gay men meet for universal sex, according to website
Now that digital 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 widespread spots in London to get it on.
The site lists open-air locales, toilets, bathhouses and bookstores with luminary 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 for cruising.
Rating: 4 stars
Cannon Street Station
A 4-star rating is given to the station, wi