If Yeldew sees this, he can tell us about walking with the Naturist Ramblers.
Oh dear John! Are you trying to shame me into posting instead of just lurking?
I really find it difficult to find the time to read the posts, let alone try to answer.
But yes, you are right that rambling (rather than hiking) is easy in England with an Ordnance Survey map in your hand. There are lots of dotted green lines (or dotted red depending on which scale map you prefer) which allow you to make up your own walk on official rights of way for walking. Anything from one mile to 20 miles or more.
So although our island is small and crowded, rambling is easy to arrange.
However working out a route for rambling nude takes more effort, trying to find quiet parts - as in the old SN days, when not wishing to be seen.
The new police guidelines are definitely giving many naturists more confidence in walking nude along some of these footpaths, as can be seen in posts on the British Naturism website forum.
The Naturist Ramblers club (Nat Ram) have amended their rules this year to take advantage of the new police attitude. If non-naturists were seen approaching, the leaders would previously hold up their hands to make a 'T' sign to signify the order to cover up for textiles. Now this is not done, and members can make their own mind up on whether to cover up depending on their own comfort level.
This has added greatly to the enjoyment of walking in our own skin without worrying about annoying or embarrassing other people. Being annoyed or offended is their right. Just as it is my right to be annoyed or offended if somebody spits on the pavement in front of me. It does not make the action illegal.
I will be walking with the Nat Rams (and maybe the odd ewe) next Tuesday, being their last walk of the summer season. I will have walked with them 14 times this year, missing 3 walks whilst I was naturist camping in France, and one when having a heart pacemaker fitted (very inconvenient).
Norman.
