The Secret Naturist Handbook

[John P]

British hikers (ramblers?) are very affectionate toward trig points, as though they welcome you to the top of every major hill. Of course children can't resist climbing onto them! But I see on Wikipedia that they only date back to the 1930s:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangulation_station

The same article shows a picture of an American equivalent, but here they're just a brass plate cemented into a rock. There's one in my neighborhood, but I only know about it because it's on the Open Street Map database. Although it's at a trail junction, I doubt if many people notice it. Oddly enough, it's not on the highest point in the vicinity, and these days, it's surrounded by trees with no view at all. The landscape must have been different when it was installed.

[Peter S]

We have a variety of trig points, not all concrete blocks. A simple metal circle nailed to the pavement is another form, or even a symbol carved into a wall; these are urban manifestations. As long as they mark a fixed point of known position and height they fit the bill. Unfortunately aerial mapping has largely replaced their use.

[rrfalcon]

Yeah, I was gonna say, our US survey markers are a lot more boring than the UK's trig points. It's usually just a metal marker embedded in stone or concrete at ground level (as shown in the photos for this Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survey_marker ). Still, I believe there are people who try to reach as many as they can, and it would be a nice additional goal to do that naked!

[Greenbare Woods]

Yeah, I was gonna say, our US survey markers are a lot more boring than the UK's trig points. It's usually just a metal marker embedded in stone or concrete at ground level (as shown in the photos for this Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survey_marker ). Still, I believe there are people who try to reach as many as they can, and it would be a nice additional goal to do that naked!

In the US, often you find the bronze survey markers on the corners of each SECTION.  A section is a square mile, 640 acres.  36 sections makes a TOWNSHIP, 6 miles square.  The importance of "sections" was greatly enhanced by the passage of "An Ordinance for ascertaining the mode of disposing of lands in the Western Territory" of 1785 by the U.S. Congress.  The 6 mile Township grid breaks down over distance because the earth is round and not flat. Eventually it has to have an adjustment section that is not square to compensate for the spherical land.

Eastern US in the Atlantic coastal states is more of a hodgepodge because there was no organized survey method when the lands were colonized.  Two of our most famous Presidents were land surveyors in their younger days, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln.

In addition to markers at the corners of each section, often there are iron stakes at the middle point of the section to define each quarter section.  On the south boundary of my land there is an iron stake marking the center of a Section.  All of the corners of this Section are behind barbed wire fences posted with "No Trespassing" signs, so I've never gone looking for them. 

[jbeegoode]

WILD CAMPING: From the Secret Naturist Handbook

While wild country camping is an excellent activity in its own right, for the dedicated secret naturist, it can be one of the most useful tools at their disposal. There are two main reasons why. The first reason is that it allows you to be in a wide variety of locations at times where nudity is likely to be possible. The second is that it gives you a legitimate reason to be outdoors and way from home, for long periods of time, a particularly good excuse for those sharing accommodation with family or friends.
With the former reason, the ability to be in locations that would otherwise be difficult to get to, you can, by camping out, make that location available for secret nudity. A good example would be a location where it would be unwise for reasons of security to leave a vehicle unattended for long periods at night or where leaving a vehicle would arouse suspicion.

An example I would use locally here in Scotland, would be Aberlady Bay Nature Reserve, to the east of Edinburgh. To leave the car at the reserve lay-by for more than a few hours at night would pose a real risk of the car being stolen and might also raise suspicions that someone was up to no-good in the reserve. By camping out you have a great reason to be just about anywhere and can get up to anything you wish.

In the example above, a suitable plan would be to arrive by late evening and head for a pre-planned spot to hold up until darkness fell or the area was free of visitors. You need not actually pitch camp but it does give you a good base to work from. This would give you the ability to be in the area for long periods of time, say overnight, giving plenty of time for some naked exploration and you could cover a considerable area in the time available.

It might be worth pointing out that you do not actually have to do any camping. You could actually spend the entire night on an adventurous secret naturist outing, perhaps undertaking a hazardous mission to infiltrate a difficult location such as a castle, urban building, Area 51 or the like. Obviously, actually having a tent, stove, sleeping bag, etc, does give more credibility to your activity but as you are not really going to sleep out you need not have expensive equipment. A cheap sleeping bag, lightweight tent, stove and a few bits and pieces will suffice.

[jbeegoode]

My mind has occasionally wandered to wondering about those UK laws. There is the people's free roaming, rambling even across private property, there. What is the law and custom for those who need to camp along the way during a ramble? A tent and a fire. Are there actually wild camping areas in the UK, other than barren prairie looking moors and and munroes? (Is that what they named Marilynn after?)

You all have created a description of your "crowded little island" to the point of my confusion. Where does one take their trailer, or motorhome/SUV? By the way, cheap tents and rainy drizzle days don't mix very well, naked, or clothed.

As for backpacking, camping and glamping here in Arizona and the west, I think that I have continuously expanding volumes at my website on that.

How feasible is a nude vacation in the UK ala what DF and I do. Naked door to door with a good hike in between and nude camping?

Wondering aloud (Watched a Jethro Tull concert Youtube video the other day, got some Thick as a Brick lyrics floating around (and some Wishbone Ash))
Jbee

[John P]

Something Americans don't immediately understand is the way public footpaths are everywhere in England. In the southern part of the country, you'd have a hard time traveling 2 miles in a straight line without crossing one! The paths are all marked and landowners can't get away with blocking them, but they're rights of way and not public ownership of land. You don't have the right to walk just anywhere, only where the paths go. (But in Scotland, you can cross open land anywhere.)

Camping along the way really isn't legal. If you set up a tent late in the day in a sheltered location, and get it out of sight early the next day, you'd probably get away with it, but the landowner would get pretty annoyed if he caught you lighting a fire. And parking a trailer is something you can't do anywhere you please.

One wonderful thing that you can find in Britain but not America is a footpath all the way (probably "almost all the way" is more likely) around the coast. And housing development along the coast is mostly limited to towns. That gives you a lot of scope to find beaches where you can go nude.

[ric]

Most wild camping in UK is done in motor homes, wild camping .co.uk is a good source of info.

It's more difficult with a towed caravan but possible if you park up late and leave early. As far as I know wild camping with a tent is illegal apartfrom Scotland and possibly Dartmoor

Though wc is illegal it's a civil offence, police arnt involved initially. Landowner has to go to court and get an eviction order which then has to be enforced by baliffs.   Farmers do find spreading manure can be a quicker cheaper method.

[jbeegoode]

UK has tent makers and tent sales. Where does one use a tent, then?
Jbee

[ric]

Commercial campsites and the kids in the back garden, music festivals

[Peter S]

Wild camping works like any other illicit activity - don’t get caught! Whether it’s farmland or moorland if you’re tucked away unseen and don’t draw attention to yourself you’ll be OK. Anyone other the land owner or park ranger probably won’t take any notice - we have a national trait of not wanting to get involved (unless it’s a suicide bomber on London Bridge but that’s a different kettle of fish), in the same way most textiles don’t call out naked ramblers.

[jbeegoode]

Backpacking doesn't exist? No mountain nature preserves to roam for days? Remote munros in Scotland and that's it? No place with trees?

So, the is the mainland continent I guess.
Jbee

[Peter S]

We do backpacking but not as you know it. It would be difficult to go for more than a day or so without hitting human habitations. Backpacking here would mean carrying all your gear on back from campsite to campsite, rather than disappearing into the woods or mountains for days on end.

[MartinM]

Trespass is not generally a criminal in the UK, the exceptions not being relevant to camping in the hills and ‘wild’ lands. Wild camping is generally tolerated on uncultivated wild land (mostly mountain and coastal land) if away from roads, houses etc. An owner can only sue for damages, and a genuine wild camper leaves no mess or damage and is gone in the morning. Action is likely to be taken where regular camping occurs near to roads and a mess or nuisance results, eg around Loch Lomond.

Relatively few in UK wild camp but, as a crowded island, it is still quite common to come across them, particularly if you are out late in the evening or early morning. Etiquette is not to leave tents standing during the day but it still occurs in remote spots sometimes. E&W have a right to roam over large areas of mountain & moor etc. While this does not include camping or swimming, traditional usage is unaffected and generally tolerated unless damaging owners interests, eg fishing or sporting.

Also, what the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve...

Fires are not generally tolerated, and are usually associated with anti-social behaviour such as leaving driinks cans, broken bottles and a mess where people have often trespassed my vehicle.

[BlueTrain]

Camping in this country is sometimes associated with fire rings, empty cans and broken glass, too. The leave no trace ethic has not penetrated very deeply. But trespassing is a shooting offense in some places in the U.S. Some people are very sensitive about property ownership, sometimes even if they don't own the property. But there are lots and lots of places to camp not far from where I live and with some discretion and familiarity with the area, even nude hiking, as I still do. But I wouldn't go this time of the year. Not nude, anyway. I've had some of my most enjoyable outings in the winter.

In the East, where there is virtually no wilderness, it is difficult to do any long distance hiking (and camping) without running into other people or habitations. But there are a few places, to be sure. The famous Appalachian Trail runs through well-populated areas and because it tends to follow the ridges, it's easy to see houses most of the way, especially at night. But the trail goes through or near towns, too. Can't speak for the trails out West, though. Beyond the Mississippi River, though, the population thins out. In fact, some places have become somewhat depopulated.

There was an article by A. G. Cousins that appeared in the December 1971 issue of The Scots Magazine. He described his 26 day walk from Cape Wrath to Glasgow. So clearly long-distance hiking is possible in the U.K, or at least in Scotland. I've been to England and Scotland, as well as France and Germany (lived in Germany for two years in the 60s) and I wouldn't describe those places as crowded, not by my standards. I even went through places in England that were very much like places in West Virginia. In the Eastern U.S., however, from Washington, D.C. and maybe even Richmond, to Boston, it's almost one long urban and suburban strip. It is a strip, though, and one doesn't have to go very far west to be in really rural places, though hardly what I would call wilderness. Even so, there are deer in my backyard now and then. There have been bears spotted in the county occasionally, out to see the world I guess, so it's probably only a matter of time before I see one from my dining room window. So far, I've only seen them when I was on the Appalachian Trail in the summer.