The Secret Naturist Handbook

[Greenbare Woods]

I came across the SNS some years ago but even then, I was put off by the idea of deliberate stealth, as if it was a game. I wanted simply to become more comfortable with what is natural.

You got my vote Martin.  Well said.

[ric]

stealth only works if your good at it.    better to be seen in the open than caught skulking naked behind a bush or whatever as if youre doing something wrong.

[nuduke]

I agree, Ric
But that takes some grit, resolve and balls to brave it out.
In my 12 years or so since I discovered the joys of naturism in nature, I have always managed to cover up in advance of possible encounters - which it has to be said have been very few.  I have certainly matured in this respect over the years, though.  At first, any slightest suggestion of the sounds of others approaching, while out walking, I would scurry into my clothes in a panic.  Over the years I have learned that only 0.1% of those sounds are really someone else and nowadays I don't cover up without waiting and watching for possible encounters.  If I have to cover up nowadays it is with leisurely pace and no panic.  As I say, that has served me well in avoiding encounters with others whilst naked.  One day I'll have the balls simply to do as many of you do and not cover up but bid the passer by a cheery hello!
John
John 

[jbeegoode]

 Cause:From TSNH

This page is not really about any kind of method or technique, it is more something to be aware of when walking naked outdoors. I had been out wandering around naked in the hills near home and was returning back to the car around 21.00. At that hour the area is usually deserted so I decided to walk all the way back to the car still naked. Normal, at any earlier hour I would have got dressed first.

I had just stepped onto a gravel road when a movement caught my eye. I light coloured object was moving towards me, I face! Someone was coming! As the distance was about 500m, I about turned and decided to slip into some cover until the person had passed them continue on my intended route. Finding a suitable spot I settled down, still naked, to wait until they passed by. However, after a while there was no sight or sound of the person. Had I missed them passing? Had they actually continued walking after seeing me or had they also about turned and headed back the way they had come? I had no way of knowing.

A quick analysis of the situation revealed some interesting points. Was I too deep in cover to hear or see their passing? I was happy that I could see one path they might follow but not all. I also knew that walking on the gravel was noisy, at least to the person doing the walking. Perhaps it was not that noisy after all, from the point of view of a nearby listener. Two points to consider next time.

Another point worthy of note was that I did not actually know if the person had continued to walk in the same direction I had first seen them walking i.e. towards me. They could have either continued, retreated or simply hidden nearby to see if I passed by later.

So, what's to be learned from this encounter? Firstly, I had been to quick to retreat. I was happy to have done a quick about turn but I should have checked what the person was doing before deciding on a course of action. A quick glance would have given me this information.

Another point to consider is to make sure you can see or at least hear when a person will pass you by. Other wise you could be waiting for even and they might never appear. But do be aware, in most cases if you can see them, they can also see you.

[jbeegoode]

Sorry for the delay, I've been laid up at DF's house with only her laptop and no access to my computer files. Last Monday I woke with a severe fever and other related symptoms, bedridden and nearly unconscious as I laid there. I spent a few days and then on with continued various symptoms until Friday night, I was worthless, but I did get home yesterday. I might add that DF and I are taking off on a trip tomorrow afternoon for a few days more. The posting won't continue to be every couple of days, until we return.

SO, here we are with an incident that happened in the evening hours without a torch/night light/flash, that is called "Cause." In such a situation, one can claim that they didn't expect anyone walking at night and was surprised. There was no intent to expose, or one can boldly act as if there is nothing abnormal going on, the 1000 pound ape in the room. Or hide, as he did.

One thing about hiding at night from flashlights is not knowing if your cover is sufficient. We don't know if this person had a flashlight or not.You can't see very far to tell how much vegetation is between you and your perceived problem. You may feel okay, but be sitting there with your bum exposed at one angle, flesh on green.

People at night are on higher alert, they often have fears with them. Encounters at night can be shaky for them. Wild animals in the bushes with highway men, snakes in the shadows below their feet and they don't know how many of them are in the band of rapist/thieves. There are fewer clues identifying the safety of the situation.

So, you make lots of noise? or a little noise?
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

Country Folk: From TSNH

When we visit the countryside for a secret naturist outing, we may think that we are alone and that there is no-one about. But in reality there are many other types of people who visit the countryside and who, like secret naturists, take steps not to be seen. As secret naturists we need to be aware who these people are and what they are up to.

Birdwatchers
The dedicated birder, and especially the Twitcher, can be seen anywhere, at any time of day or night and in any habitat. They are abroad particularly around dawn and at dusk, may build well concealed hides and wear camouflage clothing. They can be very inconspicuous and may be skulking around at similar times and places to secret naturists. As a secret naturist and birder myself, I can vouch for this. They will often be aware of your presence before you are of them, as they will almost certainly have binoculars and possibly a telescope as well.

Fishermen
Fishermen can be seen around open and running waters throughout the day, even through the night and although they do not generally take any great steps at concealment, they do sit quietly and can be easily missed. Coarse fishermen tend to stay in the one location while game fishers will move constantly as they cover the water with their casts. One obvious tip is that if you are near water, there may be fishermen about. Listen out for the tell tale whip of a cast or click of a reel being wound in. At night look out for illuminated bit indicators, glowing cigarettes and torchlight.

Gamekeepers
These guys are experts on their own turf and will know every nook and cranny on their beats. They will know intimately from long hours in the woods, often at night, the numbers, location, size and sex of each and every animal living in the area. However, gamekeepers may not really be a problem for secret naturists as they are more concerned with poachers and anyone wandering naked around their woods at night is unlikely to be poaching and may even keep poachers away. Most keepers you meet will question you and if you have a valid excuse for being there, they are usually reasonable and helpful folk to deal with. Many keepers may also have night-vision equipment to see in the dark. Water Bailiffs are similar to game keepers but tend to keep to rivers and streams.

Naturalists
Very similar to birdwatchers in many ways but may specialise on a particular species of animal, insect or plant. They can generally be regarded as safe to deal with unless you have disturbed their studies. Many will have recording equipment such as cameras and binoculars may also be in their kit.

Hunters & Poachers
Both are best avoided at all times, mainly for your own safety. Shooting parties will certainly take offence if you disturb the game they are trying to shoot and landowners may have close links with local police. If you come across professional poaching gangs, get out of the area as fast as you can. These gangs are usually made up of criminals out to make money and will not take kindly to your presence.

These are only a few of the many different types of country visitors who might not be so readily seen, even to the trained secret naturist. There are also many others and next time you are on a secret naturist outing, have a closer look at your surroundings, you might just be surprised who is about, even in the wee small hours!

[jbeegoode]

We place these people in a position to become voyeurs. The best way I know to capture wildlife photos is to find a channel for a water source and just sit an quietly meditate. I pick up on walkers and bikers, they usually make noise, but those sitting still have surprised me, just like animal strategies.

I might just let them sit and I walk by having my privacy disturbed. I have no intent to a harass obviously.
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

Dark Adaptation: From TSNSH

Darkness provides ideal cover for Secret Naturism but even at night, some illumination is necessary if you are to avoid stumbling around blindly.  You could plan outings to take advantage of moonlight, but while the moon can provide adequate light in the open, all too often it is at the wrong phase, hidden behind cloud or otherwise blocked from view. With this in mind, a little knowledge and advance preparation can make a big difference.

The human eye is a remarkable organ, capable of seeing in light levels which range from the brilliance of a summer noon to starlight.  Experience will show that your eyes adjust to darkness too and that what seems at first to be inky blackness can soon reveal details.  This process is well known to amateur astronomers and is often described as 'dark adaptation'.
The most immediate and obvious effect of darkness on the eye is the dilation of the pupil to let in more light, but this is not the only factor which affects dark adoption: your eyes also adjust the chemistry of the retina to make them more sensitive at low light levels.

The precise nature of these changes do not need to concern us here, suffice to say that dark adoption is not a uniform process and the eye actually takes longer to adapt to some colours than others. In the meantime, dim light sources may appear leached of colour. Studies have shown a significant amount of dark adoption has already taken place after 7 minutes of darkness while many texts written for newbie amateur astronomers will tell you that 20 minutes is ideal. By this time, the pupil will be fully dilated (an effect which decreases with age, incidentally) and the retina will be approaching its most sensitive. From now on, any new light sources will compromise the adoption process.

As mentioned above, dark adoption is not a uniform process and this is exploited by astronomers and others who wish to retain their dark adoption.  Of all colours, red light affects the eye least, and while a bright source would still have a detrimental effect dimmer sources may be used to illuminate without seriously compromising dark adoption.  A red light source is therefore recommended as a balance between enjoying the darkness and being safe.  But how do you obtain a suitable source of red light?

•   Try fixing a piece of red cellophane over the end of an ordinary torch.
•   Some models of Maglite seem to have an optional red filter which fits over the head of the torch.
•   Torches made with red LED's (light emitting diodes) in place of traditional incandescent bulbs.

The first two may suffice for occasional outings, but the dedicated Secret Naturist may wish to consider investing in the last.  True, they are more expensive, but the LED's are virtually unbreakable, offer a long battery life and all models seem to have a dimmer switch to vary the brightness.  Some even have optional white LED's for use as a regular torch.  Also, all models seem to have a lanyard allowing them to be worn around the neck - very handy when you have no pockets.

By using a red light source you can light your way without compromising your dark adapted vision, and in the process, you might just transform a good nocturnal mission into a great one.

[jbeegoode]

I think that when I post three at a time like this, that I'll wait and make my comments after all three. I can always just mention the title of the Article that I'm referring to. THE LAST THREE POSTS have been at once: Cause:, Country Folk  and Dark Adaptation:.

So, "Dark Adaptation" tells me of something that I forgot that is valued information now. Getting up in the night I have noticed and was recently validated in a science article, is greatly affected by light. The brighter light will wake you up and make it more difficult to fall back to sleep. I've been dimming the switch, but a red light could be the solution at home. To get up, climb out of a tent and pee and then get back to sleep, is much different, depending. The light definitely makes a difference. The problem is usually there is a magnificent entertaining array of stars, a moon or astounding peace and one must just appreciate it for awhile.


Anyway, 7 minutes and 20 minutes for adjustments is good to know. There is the initial phase when one sees enough, but it gets better and then better, still. Some people have more acute night vision than others. I had a partner 45 or more years ago in a few border scams (kids will be kids), that moved through the night like a cat. I would follow, sometimes stumble, glad to be with him. He had a few night vision Indian tricks, but without his hardware in his gifted vision, they would only do so much.
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

DARK NIGHTS

When the cold dark nights of winter come upon us, staying active as a secret naturist at this time of year can be difficult. Sub-zero icy temperatures, "lazy" winds that seem to blow right through you rather than going around and shorter daylight hours all conspire to keep us confined indoors. We might be naked indoors but it's just not the same. However, there are ways and means of enjoying secret naturism at this time of year.

When you find yourself alone at home during the dark evenings of the winter months you can, of course, get naked indoors and while this is quite enjoyable for a while it can soon become rather boring and something more interesting and challenging is sometimes required. One option is to make use of the cover that darkness provides us and go far a naked drive. It's not quite a good as being truly naked outdoors but is better than nothing. You can also "spice up" the activity by stopping at a suitable lay-by and walking round the vehicle. Try leaving the headlights on for added fun!

Another option for dark winter evenings is to make use of any outbuildings you have. I recently bought and erected a large timber shed to house my bikes and I've installing power and lighting. Once complete, I hope to be able to install a small heater and do some naked DIY.

When nudity at home looses it's thrill, it can sometimes be worth seeking out other indoor locations for nudity. It may take some skill and planning but finding ways to be alone in neighbours houses, the homes of friends and relatives and similar locations can provide some interesting secret naturism. Public buildings such as church and village halls might also offer opportunities for secret naturism, all you need do is to come up with a valid reason to be alone there.

One way to make outdoor nudity possible during the cold, dark winter evenings is to keep the duration of your nude outings short. It does not matter how cold it is, even during freezing weather you can easily manage quick bursts of outdoor nudity without getting too cold. The trick of staying warm is to stay active.

There are many ways of achieving this. One favourite is to take yourself to a location where there is a short circular trail or footpath you can follow. There you can strip off and walk or jog around the route, then dress again. Another way is to seek out interesting locations such as scenic viewpoints, hills tops, coastal cliffs, beaches, trig points and just get naked for a long of you can manage. It can all be quite thrilling if the locations are challenging or have an interesting atmosphere such as stone circles and graveyards!

[jbeegoode]

Feeling Guilty

When you've been raised into a society where nudity is frowned upon, many secret naturists, though not all, may find themselves experiencing feelings of guilt about their nudity, about their activities as a secret naturist. For some, these feelings do not arise, for some they are not an issue but for others it can be quite a problem. Feeling guilty after or during a secret naturist outing is an aspect of secret naturism we may need to deal with.

Let me start off by asking the question, why do we feel guilty? For myself personally, I think its down to the fact that we are doing something rather naughty, something that does not fit easily with the normal rules of society, perhaps doing something that is regarded as weird or stupid. We may not be actually breaking any laws as such, but we still feel uneasy about our activities. Secrecy may also come into it. By keeping our activities secret from family and close friends we may also be adding to our burden of guilt.

Personally, I'm no stranger to these feelings of guilt. On occasions in the past I've felt extremely uncomfortable about what I've been doing. On one such occasion I recall, I'd simply been out for a nude ramble in some woodland. I met no-one during the visit but on the drive home I felt that bad about what I'd done that I actually threw my bumbag with all my secret naturist clothing out the window! (I did return the next day to retrieve them but was unable to find them!)

There have also been times when an particular event has triggered these feelings, for example, when I've been seen naked or when I've had a close call. Strangely, I find that the late evening is often the time when I wonder what I'm doing with this secret naturist lark. Conversely, in early mornings, I find I'm very enthusiastic about secret naturism and want to get out there and get naked.

But when you actually look at it, there is really no reason why you need feel guilty, ashamed or uncomfortable about being a secret naturist. We are usually alone when naked and offend no-one. We are not causing any damage to property and we go out of our way to avoid people and causing them any embarrassment. What is wrong with being naked? After all we are born naked and the only real reason we need clothing is to keep warm.

There are, of course, other reasons, such as those deemed by society in general but physically we only need clothing to keep warm. When we look at some of the so-called primitive cultures found in warmer parts of the world, clothing only came into use after Christian missionaries came on the scene. At risk of being controversial I think that the bible and religion have much to answer for.

These days I find it much easier to cope with the odd occasion when I feel guilty about being a secret naturist. It's all down to mental attitude. When I find myself feeling guilty I just remind myself that I'm doing nothing wrong. I was born naked and that's the way I was meant to be. Society might frown upon my activities but I not breaking any laws and I'm not doing any harm to anyone.

Secret naturism is natural. It is simply the enjoyment of being naked in a variety of locations, while at the same time avoiding contact with members of the public. What is wrong with walking naked along a beach, rambling naked through a patch of woodland or riding a bike naked along a country lane? There is nothing wrong with any of these activities.

There have been times when I've tried to avoid anything to do with secret naturist, sometimes going so far as to destroy my secret naturism clothing and equipment and even erasing any web site I had online at the time. Yet I always eventually hear the call of the secret naturist. Often in the early morning I would get up and walk naked around the cool of the house and feel alive and refreshed. I would find myself standing naked on an exposed mountain top and realise that this is the only way to experience the world we live in, naked, barefoot and unashamed. Secret naturism is nothing to feel guilty about.

[jbeegoode]

I dunno. Maybe the end of guilt changes from SN to FRN. He just turned FRN to me in that last paragraph.

I don't think that I have had guilt from being naked since age 12 or thirteen, after the association with sexuality dissipated. As a teenager, I certainly didn't want the public ridicule at school that would probably be taken as "uncool."

As teenager, I can also remember riding plain out naked on the bumper of an old VW bug yelling and very drunk down a country road outside of B.C., Michigan. Teenagers and alcohol mix a strange brew.
Jbee

[BlueTrain]

I have sometimes felt guilty about taking risks, though not necessarily about being nude in and of itself. I'm not sure if being nude is even supposed to be thrilling or not. Pleasurable and enjoyable, yes, but thrilling? And what about fun?

By the way, I've seen a couple of bumper stickers advertising, in so many words, nudism. Do you suppose there are any for Secret Naturism or Free Range Naturism? Actually, I've never had a bumper sticker on my car but I want to get one that says Bitte ein Bit.

[jbeegoode]

I the 80's I had a Deadhead sticker, about being one of Jerry's kids and one that said, "Freedom wasn't won with a registered gun"

In the 90's, I had a girlfriend that covered her entire back end of her van with stickers.

Today, I have one small one that says,"Thank you Snowden." There's a pic of him.

I once had "party naked" on my bumper. Since I carnude, it doesn't seem to be something that I want to broadcast.
Jbee

[BlueTrain]

We have some differences.