The Secret Naturist Handbook

[jbeegoode]

I probably wouldn't carry any of that, but the water and stuff sack.

I like my insulated bags that hold a liter each. They fit into my backpack and day back, with balance. They sling over my shoulder with my camera and I can switch shoulders according to the sun, not getting dangerous tanlines, when I'm without a pack. They hold my sarong on my shoulder and out of the way in comfort. I can wrap the sarong around my shoulders t protect against too much sun and they, or it can hold it in places even with strong winds, or grabby brush.

Haven't used one of those water bag types that fit into a backpack with a tube. A canteen or leather bodega bag just isn't enough water.

My backpack is ultralight at one pound and 3/4 holding 50 liters, which is plenty big. It has mesh, but not stiff frame. My daypack was a gift. It is okay, because I can also backpack with it when I rest it on a bedroll attached to a thick cushioned  pack belt.
Jbee

[BlueTrain]

No one knows what a bad neighbor is until they have one. And no one knows what a good neighbor is until they need one.

[jbeegoode]

I think that I'll get that needle pointed into a pillow.

Who said that, "Poor Richard"?
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

Supplies: From The Secret Naturist Handbook

As you begin to undertake more extensive secret naturist outings, travelling increasingly further from base each time and particularly when following , to travel naked and barefoot with minimal or no clothing or other items of equipment, obtaining supplies such as food and water can become a problem.

On day-long secret naturist outings when you are travelling naked for many miles, the main requirement is for water. Luckily here in the Scotland, water is generally abundant in most upland areas and freshwater springs or small streams are widespread. Some will say you should never drink from unknown water sources but in 30 years of doing this I've never had any problems. You just need to be sensible where you drink from.

On outings where I know finding safe water will be a problem, particularly in lowland areas, along the coast and during the drier summer months, I always carry some water with me. This is achieved by using one or occasionally two 0.60 litre Sigg water bottles which fit into the bottle pockets of my Peak Runner bumbag. More often than not I will only carry one bottle, relying on natural sources for top-ups when required. I also drink plenty before setting out and also afterwards. One general rule to follow, is to avoid water running below habitation as it may have been contaminated by waste. Look for sources above habitation which should be safer to drink.

The amount of food you carry will depend on the duration of your outing and basically comes down to calories. Moderate hill walking requires between 500 to 750 calories per hour, less for secret naturists who are travelling light. However, before you start working out your requirements consider that food is heavy to carry and bulky, and the amount required for even a 4 hour outing can be considerable. From experience I have found you do not really need all this. If you eat well before heading out, you should be fine for the duration. Even for day-long outings, a few bars of chocolate or cereal bars as sufficient.

If you are wanting to follow strict ultra-lightweight principles and do not want to carry anything, not even food and water, you can prepare supply caches of these items along your planned route prior to your outing.

[jbeegoode]

I just commented above about what I carry my water in. I also, if there is a water source available, carry a Sawyer squeeze filter. It can also be handy in foreign countries. It weighs nearly nothing. The tube and a bag weigh little and take up little room in my bag. I take an extra bag, just in case, but I've had the one that gets used for maybe three years, no problem.

https://sawyer.com/products/mini-filter/

It can get a bit slow and tedious and the flow suggest the flow of pee, which can make legs crossed subconscious reactions to hear.
I also have another by Katadyn which filters quicker volumes, when car camping.

https://www.katadyn.com/us/us

Hmm, I just discovered that Katadyn is a Swiss company. All this time I thought it was named after that significant spot on the Appalachian Trail.

DF is big on packing up food. There are usually a couple of sandwiches. Sometimes, I get a foot long veggie sub from Subway with  senior discount. It makes a lunch and dinner and then I'll spend the night and eat something else, like tortillas. I dehydrate beans and flavorful hummus to wrap up in them. It generally gets me through and I don't have to take a stove and fuel with me. We hang the stuff in plastic bags from the pack and the sun heats it. Used to take Cliff-bars.
 
Snacks include dehydrated carrot tahini sesame wafers that I make from left over carrot pulp. Thye re-hydrate and are very filling. I try to burn more than I eat. We eat what is on sale, organic grapes, fruits that don't bruise so easily, etc. Crackers work if they are packed not to break.

It would be a hassle to stash food along the way and worries about critters taking it. I leave food in the car. We will backpack in set up a remote base and walk with as little as possible. For an afternoon, water and camera are enough for me. The more bare the better.

I failed to mention before, I may take TP and a digging tool from an ultra light tent stake that doubles as a weapon. Since it has now been established that TP is a life or death commodity in the grocery stores during a pandemic.
Jbee

[Greenbare Woods]

A few years ago I bought one of those water backpacks that have a plastic bladder covered with fabric on back pack straps.  It was advertised to cool your back while carrying your water.  It had a plastic tube you could suck water when thirsty.   Problem was the water was warm and tasted like plastic.  I used it a couple of times but didn't like it.

Now I generally reuse plastic soda or commercial bottled water containers. That kind of plastic doesn't flavor the water, and they would get thrown away unless reused. 

[John P]

Sort of quoting myself from another board--

As they say in Arizona, if you go for a long walk without taking any food with you, when you get home, a manzanita.

[ric]

i also buy bottled water in the supermarket , then refil til the plastic starts to look manky

[jbeegoode]

Umbrellas: From The Secret Naturist Society

There was a time, not so long ago when I would never have dreamed of using an umbrella. It was not the kind of thing I had ever considered using. However, since becoming a secret naturist, the umbrella has established itself as a permanent part of my kit. They have many uses and a few are described here. But first a few words of warning.

You really do get what you pay for when you purchase an umbrella. Cheap one's like those available from Woolworth's and the like are not up to the task. The slightest breeze and they collapse. Catch them on a branch and they are finished. Cheap brollies are great for fine weather, i.e. vertical rain, open terrain and no wind but useless when the going gets tough. So, what can the secret naturist use for the humble umbrella for?

The reason I actually purchased one in the first place was to allow me to stay warm and dry while walking naked in the rain. It keeps most of the upper body dry, although the legs do get wet. This technique works fine, even in driving rain but your brolly needs to be up to the task and it's really only suitable during the warmer months.

In really hot weather, the umbrella makes an excellent sunshade, protecting your delicate skin from burning. The smaller sizes are okay but you really need a golfing brolly to keep totally covered. When stopping on exposed ground or walking in upland areas, the brolly can be erected as a temporary windbreak and shelter during lunch stops. They can also be used for instant cover and concealment. I have used this to effect when bird watching. By erecting your brolly between you and the wildlife, or people, you have instance privacy.

As mentioned earlier, make sure you buy a good quality umbrella, one that will withstand the wind and not fall apart at the slightest mishap. However, I cannot recommend anything of quality as I've been unable to find anything! So, if anyone out there can recommend a good quality umbrella for secret naturist use, please get in touch. At present I use a cheap one bought from Woolworth's, for about £2.00. It folds down to about 200mm long and fits inside the Mesa Runner bumbag and also fits well into the mesh pocket of the Peak Runner. But I would like to buy a decent one.

[jbeegoode]

What? In Arizona?! You have no idea how hard it is to find an umbrella in this town. Then, monsoon hits and Walgreens has them for sail at the front door. You can't remember where you put it the last time that it rained and you needed one in Arizona. It is like all of those cars with windshiel wiper scratches on theor car windows. The wipers rot, you don't notice and then it rains months later.

DF an I took a walk in the rain nude in the Rincon Mountains a few years back, and I have been to Havarock a couple of times under one. It is wonderful to walk nude in the rain with the cold raindrops dancing around, but not on a body. The air is fresh and clean and the dust stays down and so it goes all over my body.

Seven best hiking umbrellas for 2020. Here's the quality, Lookeee. Good for scaring wildlife. Makes you look big and unlike any animal that a bear has ever seen. There's a lizard that uses the same strategy.

https://www.greenbelly.co/pages/best-hiking-umbrellas

DF escapes the sun: https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2015/09/07/into-the-blue-river-valley-2-a-trip-report/

Using umbrellas in the rain: https://thefreerangenaturist.org/2016/12/16/happy-valley-a-trip-report/

Jbee

[BlueTrain]

Umbrellas are supposedly a little radical for serious backpackers and hikers. Occasionally I'll use one with a poncho. I think it's better than a hood for keeping your head dry. But it ties up one of your hands. I've never been out in a rain that was warm enough to be naked.

[John P]

Umbrellas are pretty popular with European hikers. Here we are on the Naked European Walking Tour in 2014 (we must have been near buildings or something) and just look at them. Notice how Roland has attached his to one strap of his pack, solving the "ties up one of your hands" issue.


And what are you going to do when you're at the swimmin' hole on the Ompompanoosuc River in Thetford VT, and a sudden thunderstorm hits you, and you didn't expect to be away from the car long, so you haven't got rain gear with you, and the scene is like this?


You head off up the trail and enjoy it!

[jbeegoode]

Habitat Section:

Overview: From The Secret Naturist Handbook[/b]

Here in the British Isles, we are blessed with an incredible variety of habitats that are suitable for the secret naturist. From the desolate exposure of the Scottish Highlands to the deserted beaches of the Western Isles, there are endless habitats were the secret naturist might practice their art. However, not all habitats are the same and each will present different problems and benefits to the secret naturist. This section looks at a few of the most common types of habitat easily accessible throughout the country.

One important point that should be noted is that not every patch of woodland, for example, will be the same throughout the country. A patch of remote forestry in the far north of Scotland might have the same trees as a similar forest in the Lake District but the patterns of visitor usage will be completely difference. While the former might present opportunities in abundance for the secret naturist, the latter would be out of the question during a busy Bank Holiday weekend.

[jbeegoode]

Well, "Gear section" is exhausted and we have come to a new section about habitat. It list individually, places like caves, beaches, quarries, golf courses, etc. I place one here every few days. We can discuss, anecdote, embrace, or dismiss any of them as the roll along. We should probably not discuss it generally, until maybe the end so as to end up redundant from the git go.

Here is the first on the list.
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

Ancient Places: From The Secret Naturist Handbook

There is no denying the fact that I just love being naked at ancient sites and will make deliberate steps to seek out these types of location. Ruined castles, abbeys and churches, old overgrown graveyards, Iron Age hill forts, ancient earthworks, Roman roads and forts, underground chambers, burial mounds, standing stones and stones circles. Just about any location that has an atmosphere or even just looks old and decrepit.

My favourite type of ancient place at the moment is old ruined castles and I've managed to get naked at three so far. The first one is in the Scottish Borders, near Gordon. Greenknowe Tower actually only dates back 400 years or so but still has that look and feel of a truly ancient place. You can explore the barrel vaulted ground floor, the first floor hall and a small area at the top. There is also a narrow and twisty stone-build spiral stairway to climb. Just keep an eye on the road for people arriving.

Hailes Castle can be found near Haddington in East Lothian and certainly looks the part. It's not quite to easy to walk around naked here as there are houses no more than 50m away but it you arrive around dawn during the summer months you will have the place to yourself. There's a huge basement/cellar and various halls and rooms, all open to the sky. The river below is also tempting for a skinny dip.

There isn't much left of Fast Castle, on the coast of East Lothian, near Dunbar but this is more than made up for by the sheer majesty of the location. The castle sits perches on a ledge about halfway down the cliff face and has sheer drops on three sides. Access is via a narrow walkway. This is popular spot so plan to arrive very early and expect people to arrive around breakfast time, so don't hang around naked too long. There are no wardens in attendance at any of the above sites.

Many ancient sites are particularly good for secret nudity at night when the atmosphere of the place is heightened, especially under a full moon. Stone circles and standing stones seem to glow in moonlight and being naked there takes some beating.
From the secret naturist point of view, religious sites are no doubt very controversial and many will find nudity at such locations wholly unacceptable. Personally, I do not see any problem here as no harm is done other than that we cause ourselves by having over-active imagination when naked at such locations. It difficult not to think about bones, skulls and the like when walking naked and barefoot across the grass of a cemetery.

Practicing secret naturism at ancient sites is no more difficult than anywhere else, the usual rules apply. Just carry out your normal reccy and planning and use your common sense to see what site is suitable and what is not. I would suggest good practice at ancient sites is to try and not let people see you enter or leave them, they will sometimes wonder what you are up to. Carrying a camera and tripod is a good cover story.

One word of warning when visiting these ancient sites is to not let your imagination run away from you. These places can be quite spooky at night, under the full moon or when mist is blowing in the wind. Just stay calm and don't watch creepy episodes of the X-Files before venturing outside. You have been warned!