Naked hiking
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Naked walking, also known as naked hiking or freehiking, is a sub-category of the modern form of social nudity.
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[edit] Context
Naturism has traditionally been an activity engaged in within a private space, landed club environment or designated beach. Modern naturism is moving towards a public space, as well including a more active component. Although naturists have always been interested in health and fitness—indeed this was a prerequisite to many early gatherings—and most clubs have volleyball nets and table tennis tables, there has always been a slight reluctance to walk, run or cycle naked. One reason for this has been the secluded nature of the early clubs, private from prying eyes and textiles, and the limited area in which the early pioneers had to work with.
Modern naturism in nude-tolerant societies is moving out of the private enclosure and towards the arena of public nudity, where it is deemed OK to be not only naked in public, but also to be active (from strolling to action sports) in the nude. The point about being active is that many people appear to find static nudity acceptable, for example in the media (porn magazines or page 3 girls in newspapers), and theatre (non-moving Greek statue-like nudity), but moving nudity, in contrast, seems to generate heated feeling.
[edit] Attention and opinion
Nude hikers go out of their way to be discreet, and are to be seen walking in remote mountain areas, through quiet forests and woods, across distant fields and scrubland, and not in densely populated areas, often not meeting anyone else at all, e.g. in remote areas in Alaska.[1]
In the United Kingdom, Steve Gough, known as The Naked Rambler, received much media coverage for walking naked from Land's End to John o' Groats in 2003–2004 and again in 2005–2006. He was arrested and released several times during both his walks while in England, but has been imprisoned in Scotland. This does not happen to everybody who hikes naked. Indeed, in both 2005 and 2006 the European Alps were crossed naked during a one week hiking (tour), and there was little media coverage. No one was arrested or troubled, and there was no police involvement whatsoever. Most naked hikers report friendly reactions from people they meet,[2] however the risk of being booked on a charge such as public indecency (and this varies between countries and individual police forces) may be present when hiking in the nude, and one should try to keep away from population centres where practical.
Some jurisdictions have regulations formally prohibiting this activity, and can impose fines or other punishments. A local bylaw to this effect was adopted, for example, by the 2009 General Meeting (Landsgemeinde) of the residents of the Swiss canton Appenzell Innerrhoden.[3] Even so, it's not clear that the ban is legally enforceable under the Swiss Federal Constitution.[4]
[edit] Special considerations
Although extremists might insist that naked hiking should be all-naked, and nothing but naked, as in all things one should remain practical and sensible about such activities.
Sensible footwear might mean bare feet on the beach, but wearing mountain boots in the mountains. Sunstroke or sunburn is a danger by any activity, naked or not, but naked hiking in the high mountains exposes the body to an increased level of sunshine not found at sea level, so sunscreen and a sun hat are essential items. Bugs, such as mosquitoes and midges, can be particularly troublesome, especially in sensitive areas, so anti-bug formulas are often needed by participants in this activity. Walking through a bunch of stinging nettles, poison oak, or a field full of high thistles, can be an interesting experience (even with shorts on). Naturally, extra care must be taken.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Hiking Naked Website
- 12 tips for naked hikers
- Article on the Singles Outdoor Club that organizes naked hikes in the UK
- World Naked Bike Ride environmental demonstration
- UK naked walking group
- German Plans Country's First Nudist Trail, September 2009
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