Favourite places for free range naturism

[balead]

I'm sorry the area has been spoilt nudewalker. One of my places, a small area of scrubland is invaded every winter by conservationists who think it's a good idea to clear bushes. This has made it less private than before, but in summer when the vegetation is at it's maximum, it's still fairly private - as long as there are no sheep there such as this summer. The area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest because of the wild flowers, so I don't understand why they ever have sheep there in the summer, because guess what - the sheep tend to eat flowers!

[jbeegoode]

My favourite places are anywhere in the countryside, easily accessible by bike, where I can sunbathe naked in relative privacy and be able to walk around (preferably barefoot) from there. Having a "base" means that I don't need to carry anything on my walks except perhaps cover up, but not always that - it depends on how confident I feel.

A sunbathing session followed by a walk of up to an hour, followed by a sunbathing session... I can do that all day and not get bored.

I know two such places, both only about a mile from home on the edge of a large town. I don't need any more than that. I don't get bored of the same places because the weather conditions are always different (we rarely get two days alike in the UK) - temperature, humidity, wind speed, make every naked experience at least subtly different.

Does anybody else practice what I will call "base" free range naturism, where they leave and return to the base multiple times throughout the day?

My home is a base to the surrounding desert mountains. I have a property that I must be stealth in until I build a fence. Off property, there is winding nature walk to a large quiet rock. It is about ten/fifteen minutes (haven't worn a watch there yet) and however much baking I want to do. I usually only go there once in a day, however. Also, from home, I can hike for miles nude after leaving the neighborhood.

When we backpack, we will go to a more remote and free base camp and then fan out from there. When we car camp, we hike from that base, or drive to a trailhead, or exploration and the 4x4 becomes the secondary base.
Jbeegoode

[Johnsun]

As a newbie on this site, I thought this could be a good thread to make my first "proper" post.  Here goes:

My favourite places for free range naturism for the past few years have been in the hills of southern Spain and also on Spain's volcanic Canary Isles in the Atlantic Ocean off North West Africa. 

It helps that, at least on paper, it is not against Spanish law to be naked in public - also my wife speaks some spanish which could come in handy. This makes it easier to relax and enjoy the experience without needing to be unduly concerned about meeting others on the trail.

Mainland Spain is a spring / summer / autumn (fall) destination for British naturists - just a bit too cold in the winter.  As usual, most stay on the south / east coasts where there are numerous naturist resorts.  But most visitors stay close to the beach and never discover the hills a few miles inland.  Up at about 600m (1000ft) altitude the temperature is just right for nude hiking - low to mid 20's C  (70's F), whereas the coast can become uncomfortably hot - into the 30's C (90's F).

At low altitudes, shade can be hard to come by, with low spiky vegetation (maquis / sage brush), prickly pears and aloes - where these have not been replaced by acres of apartment buildings or golf courses.  Higher up, this gives way to widely spaced Pines, which whistle gently in any kind of breeze and offer a some welcome shade.  Low levels of undergrowth make for easy walking and visibility is good enough to see people approaching in time to assess whether to cover up or not.  Gaining a ridge, you are rewarded with views of higher rockier peaks, villages of white houses with tiled roofs, valleys sometimes flooded for water catchment.  Best of all are the "Natural Parks" - Paraje Natural - where it is possible to walk for miles withoout passing a building and people are heavily outnumbered by free-ranging bell-ringing goats.

Spring is the best time of year for finding flowing streams and maybe a pool for skinny-dipping - and plenty of wild flowers and butterflies by the trail.

Moving a few hundred miles further South to the Canary Isles - these are a year round destination where day length and temperature are pretty constant.  At sea level its a steady 25C (77F) give or take a degree or two.  For free range hiking my favourite island is Tenerife. 

The volcanic peak, Teide, at 3700m (over 12000ft), is sometimes snowcapped.  The huge crater around it is a world heritage site - its multicoloured seas of solidified lava are not to be missed!  This has an altitude averaging 2200m (7200ft) so feels distinctly chilly despite the intense sunlight.  Unfortunately it is always thronging with visitors and this together with its aggressive climate probably rule it out for naturism!

The hardy can hike (nude) up the outside of the crater from the Vilaflor road to the rim (2400m - almost 8000ft).  The wind can be chilly at times, but the sun is strong - you are usually above any coastal cloud at this level.  Your efforts will be rewarded with a stunning view across the crater to the peak 5 miles away!!!  Awesome.

The South West facing slopes of the volcano between 900 and 1200m (3000 to 4000ft) are the best place for free range naturism. They are sparsely clad in Pine and segmented by some quite dramatic volcanic barrancos (canyons).  This zone of the island is known as the Corona Forestal.  Some well marked but little-used trails criss-cross this wild hillside, with views opening up across the ocean to the nearby island of La Gomera (which often sports a cloudy Tam o'Shanter over its laurel-forested summit) to the West. 

The SW coast is where the resorts are, so after a good morning hike it is easy to call at one of the nudist beaches (La Tejita near the airport or La Caletta near Adeje) on your nude drive back to your hotel / apartment.

If anyone else shares my enthusiasm for nude hiking in Spain / Canaries, give me a shout!  Would be great to exchange notes.

I'll try to post a couple of trip reports at some stage.  It has been very interesting reading some of the reports you guys have already posted - especially the ones from stateside.

[jbeegoode]

I like working at projects around the house, other's homes helping out, indoors and out. Out gets me sunshine and suntan, and better exercise, and dirt and soil, and wood, and fire, and water.
Jbee

[nuduke]

Johnsun
You seem to have found some idyllic haunts to be naked.
Having had a fair few holidays in Spain, (several of them in the same place, less than 1Km from a naturist park of which I was completely unaware!), in Andalucia mainly, I am aware of the terrain you describe so vividly.  At the time I was encumbered by young family and elderly parents and so the opportunity to go off and explore the hills was never there although we did go on car drives and organised trips into the mountains and the pines that you describe.  So I envy your opportunity and intrepidity to get well off the beaten track. 
One question which presents itself - how do you protect yourself from the sun?  When cooler at higher altitudes, I guess the UV levels must be huge and possibly the sun's heat deceptive due to the cooler atmosphere. What precautions do you take if any and are you, as a result, nut brown all over?


Yes!  Please do contribute further trip reports, as you said you might.  We love hearing about our respective adventures!
John

[eyesup]

One question which presents itself - how do you protect yourself from the sun?

When I was at OLT, at approx. 9000 ft. elev., I walked for 3-1/2 hrs. without any UV protection at all. Slight burn but no adverse affects. A lot of this is genetic. I haven’t used any kind of lotion since I was in college and had bought into the whole suntan philosophy and thought a tan was a big deal. Things change. Tempus Fugit!

I don’t use lotions or sunscreens. Too many toxins.

Duane

[jbeegoode]

Out on a boat.
The sea and air in all my hairs. Climbing around as boats require unencumbered. The freedom and lack of others nearby. Finding remote private places to land, like beaches. The sense of autonomy and making my own rules.

Negatives. are sitting down on hot sun-soaked vinyl forgetting a towel, or a piece of chrome.

Ah, getting off and into a dip in clear waters. Fishing and not getting scale on crusty clothes.
Jbee

[jbeegoode]

I just had the experience of living eleven days in a free environment. It was free ranging, and not really factory farmed. The beach was free and most establishments, but a hundred feet and we were in town on a street and had to dress, except a few places. Dress code was very minimal even there.

I expected a sense of “naked” or discomfort, or unsure at first. I never felt that way. It was very natural and everyone around me seemed to find it not unusual. Accepted and plenty of nude peers all around me made it seem very normal, practical, and sensible to not wear anything. The thrill was gone, as it should be. I sure missed that when I had to get cooped up in clothing again and navigated airports and public tension spots.

Zipolite, as liberated and relaxed as I have ever felt in my nude travels. Life as it should be, where the textile option is an amusing joke to me, but an option and choice none the less.
Jbee

[nuduke]

I just don't believe it!  Got a bit of good weather at last and I hiked out to my local naturist spot with every intention of doing a SN few minutes.  The ditch or drain that separates the 'island' of secluded woodland, surrounded by field drains, was pretty full inhibiting my ingress to the SN spot.  The ground I had been on so far across the fields was pretty well drained but it was all in these channels.  I spent a while looking at the likely crossing points and found one where branches and other woody debris had built up and it afforded, just, a foothold to leap the across the drain.  However, the island was a soggy mess.  Mostly sticky mud underfoot and extremely flooded.   What was a clearing, where I could get undressed and progress out to a rear field, was unreachable as the ground was a series of lakes.  It was very picturesque and slightly mysterious with the green ponds everywhere, but no place for disrobement.  The ground in the thin causeways between pools was thick, soft mud - dangerous and impassable.  I noted quite a lot of deer footprints around the wood, indicating that they visit here often.  Have to look out for ticks.
Hey ho! So another non starter for me for a bit of naked in nature time.  Lets see how the weather develops.
Here are some pictures.  Note the third picture showing my wood from afar and the field drain that runs into it
John


       

[jbeegoode]

Maybe that's why it isn't farm land? Dang! Is mud like that fun in barefeet? I don't know much about mud. Ponding can hide foot cutting branches. Tough to lie in the sun, well not so tough, but never get clean and explain it the the Mrs.!

So, you got some good weather. I knew that it had to be in there somewhere.

Plan B and C, I suppose. Glad that you are out and about.
Jbee

[Greenbare Woods]

Saw this video on Twitter.   Naked drumming on the street corner in Wales.  Good going mate. 

https://twitter.com/i/status/1246108067940511745

[John P]

It's Wales all right. Notice the bilingual writing on the road!

[nuduke]

Maybe that's why it isn't farm land? Dang! Is mud like that fun in barefeet? I don't know much about mud. Ponding can hide foot cutting branches. Tough to lie in the sun, well not so tough, but never get clean and explain it the the Mrs.!
So, you got some good weather. I knew that it had to be in there somewhere.
Plan B and C, I suppose. Glad that you are out and about.
Jbee

That water is a) stagnant, b) on top of heavy gloopy clay (that's why it's standing water) and c) as you say harbouring a lot of foot cutting stones, sticks and so on.  So it's really not the stuff you want to wade through however tempting.  It's the same with our local river.  Shallow enough in a lot of places to 'play' in or wild swim, nobody does because it's thick silt at the bottom and you sink in up to your calves, sort of like quicksand.  I have waded in it chest high with waders whilst helping clean up invasive species of plant (Himalayan Balsam) with the local river trust officials.  It was very frightening - we had to wade in pairs and one had to help the other frequently to stay upright and be able to walk.  That's one reason, Jbee, why I am very jealous of all those lovely cool stream you and DF get to find and play in.  Wading our river was fun but not for swimming. 


I haven't been back to the wood yet although I have walked across the other side of the field.  We have been experiencing over a week's dry spell so I guess it will have drained by now.  I'll get out next week if the weather doesn't close in too much and if I have time.  If I have time?  Actually, it's got ridiculously busy this stasis and boring lockdown - well for me it has!  We are having a run of nice weather - see How was your month.
John

[Fellsnude]

Thought I'd revive this old thread - Karla seemed to approve the idea some years back.

Favourite places for FRN - mostly in Cumbria, north-west England, where I live, but the weather is not always appropriate!

1. Silecroft beach, on the west coast. It has a free car park. Most of the small number of beach users don't go more than 5 minutes' walk from the car, and the beach stretches 2-3 miles in each direction, and about a quarter mile out to the low water mark. It's all pebbles and rather uncomfortable at high tide though. Most years we're lucky to get more than 4 or 5 days when it's warm enough to be nude, but we watch the forecast and try to make time to go.

2. A selection of the less-frequented hills (fells) within about an hour's drive of home. Best are the grassy, rolling ones where you can generally see anyone else approaching some distance away. I'm getting braver about being seen but Mrs F isn't (including on my behalf - she's not often naked on fell walks herself but it's not unknown). I'll put some more detail up  - probably best in Trip Reports I guess. We had some great naked walks towards the end of the first big Covid lockdown.

[jbeegoode]

Every place has a unique quality about it. I think that I like mountains best, but then there are Rockies, and Appalachians, There are fun geologic ones and lush forest, or alpine, vistas or cozy woods.

If I had to choose between mountains, forests, beaches, or desert, I couldn't choose a favorite type. The idea that I could choose a favorite spot, impossible. Way too many wondrous, fun and spiritual spots on this planet.

I think that I could say that I prefer less populated places for my free range. It isn't really about other people.It's about the nature.

One spot I love and repeat, not only because it is a day trip is Redington Pass. It is liberating, there are people, but not too many. The mediation of walking on bedrock surfaces and climbing barefoot all over is something that I can do hours and days on end. There are several trip reports about Redington on my website "TheFreeRangeNaturist.org.  A fabulous aquatic granite playground...when it rains enough.
Jbee