Yesterday I finally achieved one of my goals - to walk across Alport Moor (for those local, as you drive along the Snake Pass from Sheffield to Manchester, look up to your right, it's there). It was one of the most refreshing and exhilarating experiences.
I worked out that I have a pair of shorts that easily slip on and off over my mountaineering boots, so I headed out from the car park below Hagg Farm dressed wearing only my boots, shorts, and a warm zip up jacket. There were a few people around on the paths around the farm, but as expected once I got out above the farms and onto the moors, the coast was clear and I was able to strip off.
Although the temperature was -2, with windchill to -5, the sun was out so as long as I kept moving I didn't feel cold. Stopping to take photos was a little nippy though.
One on the moor you can normally see a long way in each direction so you can normally spot anyone approaching. Heading in the direction that I did though there are one or two undulations that you can't see over, and it would be just my luck that someone appeared over one of them. I stopped and quickly slipped on my shorts and jacket, and was clothed as we passed each other, but he did give a rather disapproving look.
I managed around an hour nude before the sun disappeared behind a cloud and it came too cold.
Firstly it felt strange to be wearing nothing other than winter mountaineering boots, and second it felt strange to suddenly go from being naked-but-for-boots, to being dressed in full winter gear!
All in all a great nude experience. There are some photos in the gallery.
Mr Pagett sir you are a complete nutter. Looks like fun though, I almost feel jealous as I was cooped up inside with family in what felt like a sauna [at least I probably shed a few of those xmas pounds]. I suspect your fellow walker was giving you a disbelieving look rather than a disapproving one.
I really should have been born on a tropical island
The photos are truly stunning. Good for you for doing something so exhilarating.
'I figure life's a gift and I don't intend wasting it. You never know what hand you're gonna get dealt next.' Titanic.'Shine as a glow worm if you cannot as a star.' Thomas Andrews, shipbuilder.
'We'll miss the matinee but we'll make the night show.' The Greatest Show on Earth 1952.
Impressive! Agree entirely with Brigitte's comments.
Well done.
Mike
I think the photos look fantastic and good on you for doing it,we'll done
John and anne
Sounds fantastic,I thought I was keen naked at Howsham in freezing weather for only half hour.It sounds a good route though, will try a full day when it warms up a bit .
Absolutely bonkers sir but sounds fun
Wow!. Completely mad but wish I had the balls to do it.
Gerry Newnham
Naked is normal.
Wow!. Completely mad but wish I had the balls to do it.
If you could even find them in the cold!!
Sounds like a fun walk.
I wonder how many have made naked snow angels?
Lorna and I both have.
No snow here so far this winter and we have never had enough snow here to make angels.
JOhn
Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same.
George Bernard Shaw, Maxims for Revolutionaries
And I thought I was brave walking around the gardens at Clover Spa for the last two days. Funny how the only cold part of me was my bare feet but at least I had the Sauna to run back to.
Sean.
Great stuff Andy and thank you for sharing the walk with us.
Contrary to what people expect, it can be very pleasant to walk naked even in sub-zero temperatures; though, like you, I wear footwear in the cold as once my feet feel cold I lose all sense of joy and there is a real risk of frostbite or other injuries if the feet get too cold.
Have fun and enjoy the open spaces in your part of the world.
Ian.
It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
Fantastic again to find this place and hear of such adventures so relatively close-by (on the north west side of Derbyshire here), thanks for sharing!
I managed only around 15 minutes up at the nearest trigpoint for a few photos just before the most recent snow disappeared - my first nude snow. Even though I wasn't walking, it was remarkable how comfortable I felt. The only chill came (unsurprisingly) upon removing my hat and then gloves for souvenir photos. I can only imagine how refreshing this full-blown ramble felt...
I am so jealous of all this nude snow walking talk! Down here in London we have had virtually no snow at all and that must be true for most of the south. I am tempted to travel up north a bit and strip off myself! It's been a long ambition of mine to do some nude snow walking - it must feel so exhilarating and it's really good to hear it's not too cold too!