Would you walk through the woods at night?

[CluedoCat]

Pitch black at 6pm, with no lights. So dark you can't see your own feet.

The walk is about 10 minutes.

only if i can bring a torch ;-0

I regularly (eg every night in winter) walk back from my horse's field to my house. Its a 5/10 minute walk, across a village road, across two fields then down a country lane with no street lights.

I don't even bother with a torch any more!

and it never gets so dark that you can't see your own feet. My eyes always adjust. recently its rare thats theres no moonlight.

I used to live in the country and know a lamper (that is someone who shoots foxes/rabbits at night using lamps to momentarily dazzle them) and was often told tales of men, dressed in clothing from ex-army supply stores, who would be wandering around at 3.30 a.m. doing nothing except being weird, often with very big knives on their person.

I suspect that many of these men are now safely at home playing Call of Duty, but it would certainly make me nervous of being in the woods late at night.

Having said that, one of these weirdos once came out of some bushes in a suburban woods in a local nature reserve at 3.00 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon as I walked by. Luckily I was there with a large group who were some distance behind so I was able to safely beat a hasty retreat.

I'm a bit of a dark phobe but alone with a decent torch, yes. And with my dog absolutely. But without either of the above, no chance.

As a child I used to do this (it was a major shortcut home after athletics training). My parents had no idea, but I used to run the entire way through the pitch black then out through a gap in the fence.

I think I'd be more hesitant to do it now.

I had ponies as a kid, short cut through the wood in daylight was fine. One late night I realised I'd left my camera on the gate post so I ventured back to get it in the dark. The way there was fine but on the way back, moonlight, bit of a breeze and I got spooked. I ran, I feel, I cried my whole way back. I was about twelve so NO never again my brain would never allow it, I was traumatised for years!

I don't like random cock that did make me laugh.

Ha ha the replies to this make me feel more normal after an incident which I've never lived down.

Took DC and their cousins for an afternoon walk on my own, with hot choc in flasks and snacks, to a Nat Trust place which was miles of woodland with lots of hills. Got lost and couldn't find my way out. Dusk falls and the panic rose as we seemed to going round in circles. No one else in sight. Called DH at work but he couldn't lead us out. It gets to after 6 pm, park ranger not answering, and is pitch black so I call the police to ask them to rescue us!! They obviously want to know where we are but I cant find any landmark. Absolutely shitting myself and kids starting to panic (toddler twins and 3 primary age) because they can see I am. Finally find our way out before the police find us. Embarrassing!

Not sure what made me so terrified in the dark other than the fear that 'something' might be lurking. Adult niece and nephew always bring it up as soon as I see them.

Fuck no!

I was having this same conversation with my OH a few days ago. 10 years ago I would have walked on my own, in the dark, through the woods no problem, now I wouldn't even like to walk through with a group! I would spook myself out too much! Plus you just never know who is lurking around.

Yeah, with a torch.

I go running in the woods at night with a head torch. It's no more dangerous than the day, it's all perception. The scariest bit is coming across dogs because you can only see their eyes glowing out of the darkness.

To be honest my local woods are still very busy in the dark with dog walkers and people commuting on foot so it's not exactly lonely and deserted.

No never on my own, possibly would with DH (he's quite scary looking). I was attacked as a student late at night in the dark on my own and I am never putting myself in that position again. It's the living you should fear not the dead.

No,because knowing me,I'd trip over a tree root and end up flat on my face.

Not on my own. Realisticly the biggest risk is tripping. Our local woods are a pokemon hot spot and quite a lot of men won't go in in the dark on their own either. I have been within a few metres of the entrance, and the background noises are unnerving. Most years there's some kind of report of threatening behaviour or assault, I know of one confirmed by the police.

With a pack of Brownies on a night hike, no problem!

I'm in a dozy suburb so happy running at night on well lit streets and some of the wide, well lit jitties. In the daytime I'm happy in open countryside on my own. There's a big difference in being deprived of one of the major senses you use to assess your safety. (And the rats are surprisingly big, I've seen them in daylight)

I do this quite regularly albeit with a couple of dogs, but they're only little border terriers, so I don't know how good they'd be for protection! Anyway, I think the biggest risk is probably falling over in my area, and I admit it's probably not the best thing to do, but I absolutely love woods, especially in the dark!

Plenty do where I live, it's quiet but pitch black and they walk dogs, with torches.

If there had been one 'incident' in the last 30 years, no!