Useful Finds: From The Secret Naturist Handbook
On any secret naturist outing you never know when you might find yourself in difficult circumstances. Perhaps you've lost your clothing or the weather has turned for the worst and need to find shelter. Hopefully your prior planning with allow you to cope with these situations easily but there are things you can do that will give you additional knowledge that might also prove helpful.
What I'm actually talking about here are the objects and places that you come across during your travels. For example, a derelict barn or out buildings might be used to provide temporary shelter during a sudden storm, or some discarded polythene which may be used to fashion a shelter or even clothing in an emergency. Simply remembering where these items are can make all the difference to getting home safe and sound, and also unseen.
On all my secret naturist outings I make a point of mentally noting anything that might prove useful in a variety of emergency situations. For example, places where I can seek shelter can be useful and bridges, buildings, hollow trees, drains, barns, abandoned vehicles, tunnels, caves and so on are all mentally recorded.
The ability to make emergency clothing is also something I like to consider when outdoors. Whenever I come across large sheets of discarded polythene, such as that from big bales, I not only note where I found them but also, if on my local patch, will hide some on location for potential future use. Any rope, wire, string or twine you come across is also most useful for fashioning clothing as well as some form of cutting implement such as glass or sharp metal. Even the ring pull from a beer can will easily cut polythene.
Here in south east Scotland, it is rare that you will not find litter and tipped rubbish, no matter where you are. While this can be annoying and unsightly, litter can also be used to our advantage. For example, discarded polythene bottle may be used to carry water, paper (if dry) makes good tinder for starting a fire, rubber from car tyres can be set alight to attract attention and so on. All manner of litter can be put to good use should the need arise.
The likelihood of actually needing to make use of this knowledge if probably remote but it can be quite interesting to simply look and see what you can find as you explore, perhaps giving some thought to what use you can put any given object or place to.
By way of an example, I did this exercise in some woodland, actually an old estate garden, not far from the house. I came across an old shed that had collapsed yet which still provided good shelter from rain and wind. There was also a road bridge which I could shelter under if required. Polythene bags were also dotted around the place and although small could be fashioned into clothing. You might not look very cool and would certainly attract attention but you would be able to walk in public without exposing yourself.
Another useful item I came across were a number of discarded plastic drinks bottles, and also some fresh water springs to fill them from. Even in wet weather I was able to find timber dry enough to burn along with tinder to get the fire going. Some discarded cast iron and rock quart might also produce a spark if you had the skill to do so.
