I walk all year round and make sure the paths are well trodden down so i have less of a problem though gorse, broom and many other plants wait to ambush the unwary.

If the nettles and brambles are taking over a footpath I take it as a good sign that not many people use that path and so the risk of a chance encounter with another member of the public is minimal.

Louise and I have been walking naked along the foot paths and bridleways in our area for years, and every year at this time the nettles and brambles start to take over the pathways, to the point of almost blocking them.
I’m sure there are some of us who have had the unpleasant feeling of a bramble cut across their naked skin, or have spent hours scratching your legs where nettles have rubbed against them. 
We don’t like taking a lot with us when doing short walks, and the most we’ll have is boots or trainers, a hat and a bottle of water.  But at this time of year we’ll be armed with secateurs to cut the brambles, and sticks to beat down the nettles.
It made me wonder, do other naturist ramblers have the same problem, or are we being silly and walking in the wrong areas.

I agree wholeheartedly and here's me thinking it was just me... I haven't got round to taking secateurs because I would be on all day where I walk and agreed less people use that path the better so I'm trying to build up a resistance to the stinging and scratching I'll let you know when that happens zzzzzz.....

Low lying plants such as gorse and broom can destroy boots in a matter of months. I have lost two pairs of cheap boots to them. I dont know what they would do to trainers. The worst is the thistle. The scratchiest, prickiest part of the plant is at genital height. Misjudge the thistle and you will know all about it.

Midges, man-eating thistles ... Scotland gets more dangerous every day  😮

during the summer i walk in sandals,  usually a size too big so the toes are backa bit fromthe front of the sole,  its often possible to push offending plants away using the sole on the stem at ground level.  light brushes with stinging nettles usually arnt a bother and brambles can often be moved aside by carefull handling between the thorns.

Just got back from a naked walk in my local woods and the pathways were a bit overgrown I use my top to brush them aside which I carry to cover up if the need arises

I can ignore the nettle stings no problem but the brambles are a right pain.
Think I could end up with a Prince Albert if not careful.

I go for a nude morning walk most days down the track behind our cottage on Bodmin Moor.  At the start there is a small overgrown old gateway and that over the last few weeks has grown up with nettles and thorns, hopefully to stop anyone else using it.  Even though I wear good boots, I always seem to tear my ankles to shreds even when pulling back the thorns so that I can get through.  A small hinderance to be able to walk half a mile in the nude. 

I don't carry tools to cut back brambles but I do take a walking stick to knock down the worst of the nettles. I did a 5 milecwalk yesterday and the first few hundred yards were very overgrown but then it opened into farm land and was blissfully quiet and empty. Its worth the effort to find somewhere to be confident enough not to be looking over one's shoulder.

I've come across some awful public paths this year and have resorted to carrying a walking pole to beat the offending foliage down. One path was so bad I gave up, especially after falling into a badger sett which was not funny at the time.

On at least two occasions I found that farmers were not playing the game. I struggled through one field of a ripe rape seed crop.  The path was hardly visible and I had to struggle through it to keep on my route. The path then went to the edge of a wheat field with the path all nettles and brambles. I got to a particular point and the path was suddenly clear and well kept. On another the wheat crop was sown to the very edge of the field. I did my best to avoid damaging the crop and I was on the correct path as the style was at the end of the hedge row I was following. (The OS map also confirmed the path)

I reported both to the local authority and the Ramblers Association through I don't expect anything to improve soon.

Freebeat is right however about not meeting anyone else on such paths. Every cloud has a silver lining.

Davie  8)

most wheatfields have tramlines in the crop , which the sprayer follows , can be easier to walk down the first wheeltrack, half a sprayers width into the crop, rather than the overgrown field edge.  technically your not following the footpath but probably doing less damage to the crop.  but arguably the crop shouldnt be on the footpath so why worry if you damage it.

we have a field next to us , and we applied for and managed to get 3 Bridleways across it . We did this because developers are due to move in and it is another obstacle . However , they were overgrown and so we contacted the council and they came and mowed a 3 metre width path .