We’ve read loads of posts regarding this subject of walking naked at night, and to be honest it has intrigued us, but at the same we are having difficulty in seeing the attraction of walking in the dark.
Louise and I go for lots of naturist walks during the daytime, where we can benefit from a boost of vitamin D if we are lucky enough to see the sun, but the main benefits for us is the excise and enjoying the views, especially if we're walking in a new area.
We have walked naked at night, when in the summer we’ve gone out for an evening walk, and it’s got dark before we’ve returned, but it’s not something we’ve made a habit of.
This week we found ourselves coming home at about 1:30am, and we both had the same idea of going for a midnight walk along the old railway line, which is a track the council has turned into a cycle foot path. Even though our walk was only going to be a short exploratory thing, we still stripped off, so we could get the full appeal and experience of walking naked at night time.
At that time of night all the street lights had been switched off, and even the moon wasn’t making much of an appearance because it was so cloudy. It was really dark, even after our eyes had adjusted to the light levels, so armed with torches we set off. It wasn't long before I felt Louise's little hand squeeze my hand ever tighter as she heard strange rustling sounds coming from the bushes.
“This is f-----g scary”, she squealed, and I must admit even I was getting a little spooked.
I suppose we walked about a 1½ miles before we turned back, and in that time we didn't see a thing because it was so dark, in fact it made the walk rather boring. I guess we’re not understanding the point of walking naked at night, but I'm sure, or hope you guys will give us a clue to what we’re missing out on.
There’s Something Therapeutic About Being Naked
For a long time the only opportunities I had for going out naked was at night, and a walk round the streets was it. Pitch darkness wasn't a problem because of the streetlights, so the attraction for me was just being to be out and about. Another reason for walking naked at night is whatever you're doing it's better done naked - but from your description, Sunny, walking fully clothed wouldn't have had a lot going for it either ...
Noli illegitimi te carborundum
I've never seen the point of walking in the dark with a torch, anyone can see you're there from miles away. And it frightens off all the wildlife. Much better to pick a night where it's actually light enough to see where you're going
One summers night many moons ago I actually met a badger when strolling down the lane naked to cool off before I went to bed
If you can't walk naked during the day why not at night, I don't think there are many people in my village that can say they have walked the around the outskirts naked, but I can.
The other reason at night away from traffic you can hear nature yes the “scary things”, they are only scary as you don't quite know what they are.
The obvious reason for walking naked at night is you are much less likely to encounter other people, which is a big attraction for those of us who don’t want the hassle of meeting textiles while naked.
In my experience of walking at night (so far almost exclusively while clothed), the world is transformed by the darkness, cooler air, quiet, solitude and relative absence of humans, and it changes which senses are most prominent. I assume that doing it naked immerses you, even more, in the otherworldliness of the experience.
Expecting it to offer the same pleasures as walking under the sun is doomed to fail.
So I am certainly hoping to give it a try, probably in the summer, when I am brave enough.
G (a ‘born naturist’) & J (who happens to be married to a naturist, but believes ‘When in Rome...’). See profile for details!
The other benefit of walking in woodlands at night is that other people are likely to have torches so that you can see them from miles away.
When I first got into naturism I didn't have any good nude hiking/walking spots like I do now so a couple of times I just waited until like 2-3 am and had a nude walk around the neighborhood.
The obvious benefit of walking at that hour was that most people were asleep so I felt like I could safely walk by houses without feeling like there were eyes watching me and encountering another person on the street was very unlikely. However concealment was really not much better than daytime due to street lights and moonlight so it is a little risky if you're afraid of neighbors freaking out because they saw a nude person.
It is a very surreal experience walking around the neighborhood fully nude and I'm glad I did it at least once but walking around in the daytime on proper hiking trails is far superior.
When I started out naked walking I took a few walks into the woods in the dark. This led to a few minor escapades, losing the path and getting lost, taking some time to recover my clothes and get home.
With much more experience now and used to relatively open daytime walking, at least in quieter countryside and the hills, I haven’t done much night-time walking recently. However, the summer in particular can offer balmy nights when if you venture out on a moonlit night particularly to a nature reserve or other wildish area, you can experience being with nature in a very different way. Yes, you have to get comfortable with the different sounds, the screeching of owls and the rustling of small mammals in the undergrowth. But, if you allow for this and start to listen and watch, it can be a magical time.
Being out at dawn can be even more magical, as the woods begin to wake up. My favourite time for running and in summer, rarely anyone about.
Tread lightly upon the earth
I was once "caught" in the local woods one evening. I heard footsteps running behind me ans, as I turned, a deer ran past me. It was the closest I have ever been to a wild deer.
... you have to get comfortable with the different sounds, the screeching of owls and the rustling of small mammals in the undergrowth...
Unlikely to get jumped on by anything more frightening than ... another naturist out for a midnight stroll
Noli illegitimi te carborundum
A few years ago as I was ending a walk in the forest I heard the most awful scream I'd ever heard. I stopped dead in my tracks as did my dog and for about 30 seconds I didn't know whether to run for my life or go and aid the screamer.
After the 30 second I realized it was a fox screaming, the most horrible sound I have witnessed and un-nerving in the dark.
I get foxes screaming outside of my window at home sometimes. They can make a right blood-curdling sound!
I also recall being outside stargazing once and heard a grunting rustling general bad tempered growl of a thing from next door, slowly coming my way. What on earth!? It kept coming, getting louder and more angry all the while. I had visions of tasmanian devils. Closer it came, *through* the hedge...
May as well been a tasmanian devil for the diminutive size. It was a very vocal hedgehog. Impressively loud little critters. No idea where it was going but I was in its way and it wasn't going to stop for no one. Haha
I get foxes screaming outside of my window at home sometimes. They can make a right blood-curdling sound!
I also recall being outside stargazing once and heard a grunting rustling general bad tempered growl of a thing from next door, slowly coming my way. What on earth!? It kept coming, getting louder and more angry all the while. I had visions of tasmanian devils. Closer it came, *through* the hedge...
I know what you mean we had a mother and four babies in our garden last summer, they were great to watch of an evening but very noisy, as you say.
May as well been a tasmanian devil for the diminutive size. It was a very vocal hedgehog. Impressively loud little critters. No idea where it was going but I was in its way and it wasn't going to stop for no one. Haha
I remember the first time I heard a hedgehog barging through the hedge. You expect something ten times the size lol.
I recently went to a local land mark which is lit up at night. It was Penshaw monument it is covered ion various coloured lights. It was nice being naked up there with no one else around. that is a good point of the dark nights as it is still warmish at 8 degrees for a little naked wander as long as it is not to long.
Steve and Janet