It's been over 6 months now since I joined the forum and have made lots of good friends here, some of whom i've even met in person. I've taken a lot of things from my time here...info and chatting with nice people...but also confidence. I've been a long time naturist but hadn't even looked the word up on the internet until about a year ago. It turns out there was a big world outside my house and garden...and so i read about a lot of folks going for great walks and being nude at the same time, and I thought 'that sounds like a cracking idea'. So on Wednesday for the first time on me tod 'in earnest' (because i've done a couple of little local walks)...I went...
Originally I was going to go for a walk with the SSB group yesterday but the weather looked...iffy...to say the least, so sorry Devdon and RB, but i wanted the sun! So Wednesday with a day off to go exploring i decided to 'steal' the idea of walking on Exmoor from a similar walk that the SSBs had done on the 12th of May. The adventure started before I even reached the Dry Bridge carpark on Exmoor, because I experienced the delight of trying to get my car up Porlock hill! About 1 in 3 in places with hairpin bends...thank goodness for a 1.6 engine...I went a different way on the way home!
Upon reaching Dry Bridge my first smiles were given to the sun coming out from behind a cloud and to the empty car park! With map and compass in hand and just a pair of shorts on...i set off down the bridle way to have a look at the lay of the land and almost immediately bumped into some dog walkers! Glad immediately because of my 'survey the way ahead first' approach i said good morning and carried on in the general direction of Lank Coomb where i wanted to get out of the stiff breeze. Within a hundred yards i felt like i was the only person on earth...so i stuffed my shorts through my backpack strap and carried on. Wow..this is brilliant..but...arrrrggg wind on top of the moor can get very gusty!
As soon as I could i took a turn down into the valley called Lank Coombe and rather than following the established bridleways took a turn down into the valley itself and followed the stream. What a beautiful place...like a little Eden all to myself...young trees in full blossom...the babbling stream completely clear with the odd fish...cows out of no-where meandering through the moor shrub and thicket...and NO WIND...in fact i caught the sun a bit here as i munched on sausage rolls and drank coffee simply enjoying the wonderful country.
After reaching the bottom of Lank Coombe i had the first of two further textile encounters, a couple with a proper hiking setup, sticks and all, but as with the later encounter with a photographer I saw both in plenty of time, and i'm happy to say, there was no panic! I walked by Badgworthy Water and finally got to Badgworthy Hill. My intention had been to walk around the hill to Holcombe Water but the sun had gone in and the wind was getting up so I turned back west up Hoccombe Combe instead and finally headed back over towards the car park via Withycombe ridge.
This bit was not quite as pleasent...and i quickly got dressed against the wind more than anything.
When i got back to the car, i calculated i'd been out walking for 4 hours and i reckon for about 3 i was nude with just my rucksack on! I'd walked about 6 miles around some of the best country i can ever remember seeing...this wasn't just a first nude walk on Exmoor...it was a first WALK on Exmoor!
The idea of writing this though is to say that without reading the great reports from people on this board...i'm thinking of Ian, Mark, Martin and of course Andrew recently, I wouldn't have even thought about doing this. Like a year ago it hadn't even crossed my mind to be naked outside or naked with others. Confidence breeds confidence in others...and it certainly was the case with me.
So if you read this and you've never gone and had a walk as a naturist before...just go and do it...it's a wonderful experience.
www.twitter.com/nudeweatherman
It's lovely to read such a positive experience of free range naturism. No doubt you'll be out again soon.
It's some time since I bared all on the hills and this post has me enthused again.
Great report.
Davie 😎
I have the same sentiments as davie, your first nude walk is such an enthralling experience and one you wont forget well done to you simon, its been nearly a year since i last beared all but after reading this you have lit the fuse wire for me now, thanks
Life isn't surviving the storm, its learning to dance in the rain.
We would like to say thank you for posting such a well written article and we hope it will inspire many others as you yourself have been inspired.
Cas & Jon
Well we had our walk at Sidmouth last thursday. Wednesday was clear and sunny but thu...
We stared out with my comment "I am wet but happy". The day was warm but wet. Not heavy showers but drizzle. We walked nude but with rain gear on!
We are after all English so if we did not walk with what is provided we would be armchair hikers.
We walked from Sidmouth to Branscombe and back again. I took home some rocks (shelly limestone) as a memento. No animals seen apart from Greater Black Backed Gulls (I think). ;D
"We are creatures of light; why cover our radiance with clothes?"
My what a fantastic report so well written I :)congratulate you on completing it.
Hi Simon, thanks for a great report on what sounds like a very enjoyable walk.
John
Thanks for writing such a good article.
Just wish Exmoor was nearer here!
Chilled
Well done Simon and thanks for the report. I do wish I lived close to the moors - perfect place for free rangers.
Simon
It's great to read your walk report and I pleased that you are a convert to naked walking.
Like you I prefer walking in the sun but that can be difficult to arrange sometimes! The more flexible you can be with planning your free time the better. I try and keep a few walks planned (or repeat previous walks) so that when I have free time and suitable weather I'm ready to go.
As you have found this is obviously not so easy if you are joining others for a pre-planned walk. But if the weather's not to your liking there's little point going along if you're not going to enjoy the experience.
Exmoor and Dartmoor are perfect places to walk but it doesn't take much work with an OS map and Google Earth to plan walks in the countryside. I often plan circular walks that will pass through villages etc where I know I will have to cover-up but once away from them I can be naked. It's quite difficult to plan a walk where you can remain naked for the whole route. There's always going to be a road or a farm where you may encounter people.
Keep walking and keep reporting.
Martin
Well thanks to everyone who read this report. It's great to get some nice feedback. This wasn't going to be the only time I went to Exmoor. I have been well and truly converted to naturists walks!
Last Thursday I went and did another one. Starting and finishing in Malmsmead at the Lorna Doone farm....and i took a camera...
http://www.naturist-corner.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=352
Almost as soon as I passed through the gate onto the path to southern wood it was quiet enough to strip off and didn't have to dress again until the path by Badgworthy Water heading back to the car park...so about 4 miles nude (out of 6). That wasn't to say that i didn't have to cover up a couple of times, and on this walk the textiles were more sneaky! Once for a car due to pass within feet of me, and twice for people coming around a corner just as I was! 😮 😮
The first of these at the entrance to Lank Combe presented me with a unique dilema (although I'm sure i'll have the same situation again in the future)....do I stop completely and put my shorts on while they walk right past me...or do I walk smartly away with nothing but my rucksack on in the direction i was headed anyway ;D I opted for the latter! 😀 I heard a giggle behind me and i'm pretty sure they were watching me as i disappeared around a tussock...who cares! I didn't! The second was a hiker descending a slope just as i was snapping a few pictures...there's no way he failed to spot me putting shorts on...but then I got my first conversation with a fellow walker. No mention of my state of dress, just a friendly hello, remarks about the lovely day, direction headed and lastly helping him get though a tricky gate. No problem...I can do this! Finally walking back past the Blackmore memorial with just shorts on, I even had a family offer to take a photo of me.
Another great day. Hopeful of lots more. 😎 😎
www.twitter.com/nudeweatherman
Excellent stuff Simon,
It's always good to read of others discovering the delights of free hiking and when the article is well written it is a real joy. Thanks for sharing that with us.
See you on Steepholm.
Have fun,
Ian.
It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
Simon
Your walk on Exmoor sounded very enjoyable - thanks for the report.
The dilemma of what to do when meeting others is always a bit of a problem.
When well away from civilisation I tend to stay naked when encountering other walkers. They don't seem bothered by my lack of clothes and are often intent on their own walk anyway.
It is more difficult nearer to towns, villages and touristy hotspots. I have no objection to being seen naked but to prevent any upset to others I will cover-up when passing them. The problem occurs when others appear suddenly in front of you. If you start struggling to put shorts on you look foolish and suspicious. On these occasions I tend to stay naked and walk confidently on.
In all the years I have walked naked no-one has ever objected or complained to me about my lack of clothes. Generally people are civil or may make a humorous comment and some simply ignore me. I have had some interesting conversations with other walkers who will completely ignore the fact that I'm naked, which is as it should be as far as I'm concerned.
I firmly believe that the more people who are seen, even at a distance, enjoying the countryside naked the more normal and acceptable it will become. If we all cover-up all the time we become secret naturists and no-one will know of our existence!
Martin
I firmly believe that the more people who are seen, even at a distance, enjoying the countryside naked the more normal and acceptable it will become. If we all cover-up all the time we become secret naturists and no-one will know of our existence!
Right now...as a noobie walker, the instinct to grab my shorts is very strong! In the case of the walker who surprised me when i was taking photos it was almost instinctual even though i saw him first less than 30 yards from me (although partially obscured by trees). I 'hope' i didn't seem dodgy with the speed the intinct generated 😀 ::) In the end though he was perfectly amicable...but if i hadn't have grabbed my shorts....not sure how i would have felt in that situation! :-/ Maybe time and experience will help a bit...i'm sure the more I go out for walks or know the country i'm walking in the more confident i'll feel, and i agree, if we are to 'still our hands' from covering up when come across by others I guess the moor is as good a place as any.
www.twitter.com/nudeweatherman