It was an honour and a privilege to encounter two textiles here yesterday, at 1400hrs on a Sunday.

The carpark was nearly full - I think that there was a cycle event on - yet a few hundred metres away stretched broad sweeping paths unsullied by human footprint.

Except for my own, and the two textiles I bumped into.  He, bearded, and of the retired-teacher type, was outspoken in his views.  She, impeccably attired in all the very best clothing that money can buy, looked on impassively, while also wearing a faint smile....

On seeing them approaching from several hundred metres away.  I put on my shorts and t-shirt.  Heedful of Davie's advice that if you can see what they're wearing they can see what you're not wearing  I half-expected some comment as I walked past.  He, the bearded-wonder (beware of men with beards, they wear one for a reason, which reason isn't necessarily wholesome, if say, they have a gnawing doubt about their own masculinity, but this is just my opinion, and I'm wrong as often as I'm right...).

He gave me some ear-ache.  Not wishing to be drawn into conversation I walked on by with my hand in the air, by way of pacification.  This, I think, I've learned from milfmog....  The bearded one's  declaring that 'he's a good mind to call the police'  washed over me with total indifference..

I had shown them every possible consideration.  I did not feel the need to apologise.  They did not get a view of me full in the face - but I was surprised how calm I was putting my clothes back on - truly I felt no guilt.

Still more amazing to me was that once I'd walked by, and put several hundred metres between me and them, I stripped off again, and continued on my way, without encountering anyone else (MartinM, I've learned from you).

From all of which I did learn more, and share with you now - men feel the need to assert their views - especially bearded ones with 'issues', while women, provided that there is no perceived threat, take a more balanced view.  They're just more touchy-feely by nature....

This leads me to assess the risk - risk assessment is the name of the game - such that I don't go off over-thinking the problem and feeling any more inhibited than reality suggests.

Lone males - I'm fast becoming one - have no excuse for not being able
to find places to go.  Harting Down I offer as just one example where space is plenty, day or night.  Bin the beaches and head for the hills.  Vast is the expanse......

Good story.
I encountered two people in my naked ramblings. Another one was a "close call".
But no problems.
You writing is interesting, and I do use a moustache and a goatie. Used full beard last year, but I don´t think is a "gender" assurance.
Wish you keep on walking and reporting it.
thanks

Grower, I don't understand the 'swansong', you're not leaving us, are you!?

The hills and downs are fine places but I think one gets away with 'encounters' rather easier on beaches, where some folk may already be wearing only one or two items of clothing, and thus not too much of a contrast to your nakedness. Also, if the beach is wide enough and not too busy you don't have to pass too closely to the oncoming 'problem'. It works for me, usually!

Here on the IoW you can do downs and beach in one day trip and have the best of both worlds!

Grower,

I have a beard but only because it kept my chin warm when I was riding a motorcycle as my only transport. Although I no longer have a bike the beard is part of me and when I did remove it a while ago I hardly recognised the chap looking at me from the mirror. I grew it back.

To more interesting things: The reaction of a male in a male / female couple is often quite different to the reaction of the same male alone or in company with other males. I guess this is similar to the "think of the children" protectiveness that is so often used to shut down any thought of naturism.

Whether I would have simply walked past or not rather depends on the circumstances. I would probably have greeted them and then played it by ear as to whether any further conversation was appropriate. Either way, I would have been naked again soon afterwards, just as you were.

Thanks for sharing that with us.

Have fun,

Ian.

Aarggggh, milfmog, truly  I didn't want to suggest that a beard is of itself reason to adopt a (negative) attitude towards it. Still we clutch at signals and visual information so as to 'make sense' of such encounters, and then proceed with a response or course of action.  Had the bearded-wonder not been accompanied by a female I would've behaved differently.  She moderated his excesses - cos that's what women do - and I'm glad she was there. If she hadn't been there I would've played down his outrage in reassuring tones - in the event she did it for me.  Women are massive, but it might take us a lifetime to realise that.  If people think that I'm a numpty, how little do they know just how big a numpty I would be were it not for the moderating influence of my wife of 30 years...

vinWW!  I hope that you know just how lucky you are living on the IOW.  There are people oop North who would willingly sell their children into slavery just to trade places with you.

The point you make is a powerful one when it comes to beach vs hills.  Yes, I agree, it's easier to gain acceptance on a beach - it's kinda sorta half-expected that other people's bits will be hanging out - but, get this: in the hills there is no-one, none of the time.  Were you to be the biggest sexual pervert in the world you would not get your kicks.  Cos no-one's there, none of the time!  (or practically no-one , let's not get into semantics...).

And no, my swansong is confined to my account of Harting Down -  there's only so much 'bigging up ' of this place that I'm prepared to do, and I don't want it to become so popular that it becomes like Piccadilly Circus -  so please, only the touchy-feely intelligentsia need attend!

Hola la-naked!  Thanks for the positive comments.  What the world needs most is positivity like yours.  Best wishes.

Aarggggh, milfmog, truly  I didn't want to suggest that a beard is of itself reason to adopt a (negative) attitude towards it.

Relax, no offence taken.

Had the bearded-wonder not been accompanied by a female I would've behaved differently.

Had the female not been present, you would probably have received a quite different reaction from the bearded wonder.

If people think that I'm a numpty, how little do they know just how big a numpty I would be were it not for the moderating influence of my wife of 30 years...

Not quite 30 years in my case, but I can definitely relate to this 😀

have fun,

Ian.

Errrr.... milfrogg, I'd be surprised if Admin on here allow the following digressions, which digressions being "off-topic" to a new, as-yet never- achieved level, might lead it to believe that we're totally off our heads,
when, in fact, we're totally lucid, but we forgive Admin for their failure to understand in this instance.  Lest we forget, even Admin is mortal, and made of clay...

That the encounter with the bearded male would've been different had not the female been present is a point not lost on me.  Instead of feeling some need to protect the female from the implied threat of a wanton phallus (mine) he might well have remarked "Ain't it good to have you're cock out, with the air around your balls -I wish I'd got mine out."

So very different are the possible responses that we must remain ever vigilant, ever touchy-feely , cos we just don't know....