Just recently I have gained a bit of inspiration to get out walking in more varied terrain than my local area round the house. Sitting by a river a couple of weeks ago after a skinny dip, I decided to get out a map I had hiding in a drawer. Remembering that in england and wales, light green shading (on newer 1:25000 maps) are open access areas, I started to come up with a plan, which I have keep to the last couple of wednesdays.
Naked rambling day 1. As I have days off during the week, I knew there was a chance of getting some clothes free walking, but would probably meet a few textiles. I planned a 9km walk high in the Irthing valley on the Cumbrian side of the river bordering Northumbria. It turned out i had the wide forest tracks to myself and ended up clothes free for a couple of minutes as I passed 2 houses. With water levels too low where I had parked, I decided to drive down to one of the local landmarks at Crammell Linn. Here it was empty of people too, but with plenty of water for a proper swim. It was only as I started back up that I surprised a dog walker wearing a towel round my neck and a smile!
Naked rambling day 2. This week I planned a bit more to do a 12km walk only about 10km from last weeks start point but a bit further east in Northumbria. After a longer drive including a stop at Hadrian's wall, I reached the roadhead. With no-one about I was able to start naked, and apply sunscreen at the car. Despite being on a marked cycle route, footpaths and bridleways almost all day, I only saw 3 people. 1 doing forestry work right by the Track, and 2 getting in their car in the distance at a remote house. So naked was the dress code almost all day, it included a great skinny dip towards the end only a couple of km from the car. I was able to walk back to the car along a tarmac road still clothes free.
The only low point was dropping the map at the toughest section alon a firebreak short cut. By the time I realised I had travelled too far along a hummocky slightly damp marked footpath to turn back. That and rembering to bring both battery and camera for my next trip rather than rely on my phone for pics.
Next week I plan to be in Cornwall for nudefest so look forward to walking with more naked people
Everyone please take a good look at your local maps and look for the light green bits. I will definitely return to both areas, and plan other trips as soon as I buy another map! Midweek naked rambling is great..,
