I was thinking of joining up with the "just wear a smile" group for an organised hike because my wife has just retired, and will eat in to my time "home alone" as it were. The thought occurred to me to ride out locally, and see what the local footpaths are like, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are a lot of bridleways and footpaths that aren't used that much, even though Surrey is not really "country", but a wide open suburbia. Today, I was in Sussex, and I found the same thing. There are footpaths that become a little overgrown, and it seems perfectly safe to negotiate with a pair of baggy shorts to use as cover.
Thank you, all you "free range" walkers for your posts on here and general positive encouragement to explore a world of freedom.
Hi Rainman
My sister lives in rural East Sussex and has a footpath on an old railway line that runs near to her house. I haven't been naked on it but it certainly has a lot of potential although it tends to be quite busy at times
Food for thought for my next visit to her
Paul
Well, that sort of path is usually quite busy, but there are often footpaths leading off, which could be much more interesting
Went out for another walk to discover more footpaths and bridleways nearby. Probably not such a good idea on a Saturday, with dog walkers and 4 x 4 pick-ups with shotguns (the pheasant season is coming up in Surrey!); but still I had about 25% time naked, which was wonderful in the sunshine and the blustery wind.
I have walked part of the Testway in Hampshire naked a couple of times, but one can only do it late at night or early in the morning as there are lots of walkers even during the week.
How early in the morning? I have a hunch that the dog walkers will be out early round here - there are a lot of houses nearby
How early in the morning? I have a hunch that the dog walkers will be out early round here - there are a lot of houses nearby
Late at night = after 21:00 early morning = 03:00 summer time
Late year at 04:30 I went for a swim at my local beach afterwards I walked naked along the beach not a soul around, the beach come to a small park and to my surprise I saw a German Shepherd dog OMG the owner must be near by I hid behind a small wall while I put my wrap on and walked quickly back to the car, I forgot people with dogs get up early to take them out in the good weather.
Went out for another walk to discover more footpaths and bridleways nearby. Probably not such a good idea on a Saturday, with dog walkers and 4 x 4 pick-ups with shotguns (the pheasant season is coming up in Surrey!); but still I had about 25% time naked, which was wonderful in the sunshine and the blustery wind.
I regularly go walking in the Surrey Hills and try out a new place each time - can be a bit hit and miss in terms of coming across dog walkers etc. but I only do it during the week. Weekends are a waste of time because in this good weather the world and his wife use the footpaths and walking routes, which they are quite entitled to do, but means I spend more time covered up than naked so I never bother at the weekend.
Harry S.
I find that Sundays are the busiest along country footpaths and bridleways, the textiles seem to come out in coachloads. Saturdays aren't so bad, they're all at the shops. But weekdays are best for having the countryside to yourself - which is great if you're retired like me! Best of all is how few people manage to walk more than 50 yards from where they've parked the car - it means even a half-serious hiker can have the countryside to themselves.
The manufactured footpaths tend to be the most cluttered with people, the reclaimed railway tracks and so on. People seem more likely to use them because they're somehow "official" and they're well signposted and either tarmacked or gravelled. A lot of them have been turned into cycle paths as well, so you run the added risk of getting run over!
Noli illegitimi te carborundum
We are lucky in England and Wales to have so many public footpaths. They do not appear on Scottish OS maps as there is a right to roam.
If I'm planning a new walk I usually look at the OS 25,000 scale map and choose paths away from habitation including farms, as much as possible. I then look at the terrain on google earth. People are correct that weekdays are quieter, but last weekend I was surprised at seeing no-one in my local walking area.
I successfully used streetview to find a suitable parking spot in North Wales. Many of the road up there are narrow with few places to park.
Davie 8)
I walk eight to ten miles most weeks with a friend using footpaths/bridleways in Essex, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire and more than likely we will not encounter anybody during our walk. Whilst we are clothed, bearing in mind the guidelines regarding public nudity, should it be necessary to cover up if you meet somebody or indeed do you need to have any covering with you?
Best of all is how few people manage to walk more than 50 yards from where they've parked the car - it means even a half-serious hiker can have the countryside to themselves.
This is something I have started to rely on. There are a number of Copses that are cared for by the woodland trust, and they are not exactly a long way from the local villages; but if there are no cars parked in the nearby lay-byes, you can be pretty sure no-one has walked the dog that far from the back door!
Whilst we are clothed, bearing in mind the guidelines regarding public nudity, should it be necessary to cover up if you meet somebody or indeed do you need to have any covering with you?
In reverse order .. I always have covering with me for those times I'm going through a village or along a road. Reason being not everyone has read the guidelines and will understand. If I meet someone on the footpath then I don't usually bother any more, and as others have recounted it's never usually an issue, but I reckon if I'm going to walk down someone's main street then being in the right counts little against the presence of a village school ....
Noli illegitimi te carborundum
Whilst we are clothed, bearing in mind the guidelines regarding public nudity, should it be necessary to cover up if you meet somebody or indeed do you need to have any covering with you?
In reverse order .. I always have covering with me for those times I'm going through a village or along a road. Reason being not everyone has read the guidelines and will understand. If I meet someone on the footpath then I don't usually bother any more, and as others have recounted it's never usually an issue, but I reckon if I'm going to walk down someone's main street then being in the right counts little against the presence of a village school ....
My comment was intended to relate to walking along footpaths and bridleways-possibly crossing a quiet country road in the process!
I would always have something with me to cover up, because it's not about the legality of being naked in public, but more about not making someone feel as if they have been offended, thus spoiling their day.