Walking alone in forests?

[Vemjs]

I was just wondering if most women are happy to walk through a Forest / big fields / nature reserves on their own for a dog walk? Or do you view this as dangerous?

Sorry it's probably not under right topic!

Not if isolated. Gives me the heebie jeebies.

[quote drinkingwineoutofamug]@Incognitool . Same here. Absolutely nothing around , wasn't even on a path, dog found it!
There's no rubbish but remains of a old camp fire . It was damn eerie to find, very unexpected .
Still can't add photo 🙄[/quote]
Mine was nowhere near the path either -- the path skirted along the edge of the wood, this little camp was deep inside the wood. I just wandered in out of curiosity the first time, and then went back intermittently because I found this little structure in the clearing so mysterious!

The other possibility for this kind of thing (at least where we lived then) is pheasant shoots -- the shots or the beaters getting in out of the weather.

I don't but mostly because I fucking hate dogs and there are loads of them running around the woods because there's so many bloody dog owners now. Not many murderers though.

Nope unfortunately not. I used to and had a few scary experiences which put me off.

I do in familiar places to me in my local forest & mountain am in & out there all the time & it's often deserted but I always get the chills if in places am not familiar with if that makes sense!!

Otherwise no, too many rapes and buried bodies.

Where on earth did you grow up, @TimeIhadaNameChange?

there's so many bloody dog owners now. Not many murderers though.

It's true - the pandemic has caused real difficulties for the forest-murderer community

Lol. It's certainly caused difficulties for the dog-hating community. Fucking dogs.

@SuziQuatrosFatNan

Lol. It's certainly caused difficulties for the dog-hating community. Fucking dogs.

Most people don't hate dogs. We hate the stupid owners. Dogs are awesome.

@SuziQuatrosFatNan

Lol. It's certainly caused difficulties for the dog-hating community. Fucking dogs.

Fucking dogs.

Concise and to the point 😁

With dog...I have a greyhound and I do think he would defend me though he's a gentle giant

Where do you live @TimeIhadaNameChange? It is really rare to be randomly murdered by a stranger, that's why it makes the headlines and the many women murdered by their partners barely makes any news at all.

I’m more worried about having a fall these days or my dogs being snatched than being attacked- would have been the other way round 20 years ago. It is more important to me to get out and be in my own and have a walk- if that got take away completely from me I would despair

I do with my two dogs but my partner knows where I am going and my location is turned on my phone.

I think it’s down to where you are and how suspicious of people you are. I live in London and wouldn’t personally but ‘back home’ in the north I would be much more likely too.

Generally yes and have done my whole life.

I take reasonable precautions though. I live more rurally now.

Did have an incident on a canal path once - in a city.

I also walk at dusk where I live with dogs

Grew up in a very rural area and would happily walk anywhere alone, day or night. Now we live in a suburban area I still do by day but do think about my route more after dark.

The only times I have ever experienced any trouble was in London and in my own home, courtesy of ex.

Like others, I am very saddened by the number of women who feel they have to curtail their freedom to an extent, in order to be safe.

Yes, I do it all the time. My area feels very safe though. I'd be much more worried about getting stranded on my own with a sprained ankle etc than anything else. I'm 49 and I don't remember ever feeling vulnerable or suspicious of anyone while I was on a walk, even before I had my dog. He is pretty big, but I'm not convinced he'd defend me - he's a massive wuss.

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross

What this thread does demonstrate is how difficult the human brain finds it to risk assess effectively.

How many of those who limit where they walk because of a perceived threat from strangers also choose to live alone, never socialise with men in any way and work in a female-only environment? Incredibly few, I would imagine. And yet that's where the danger to women from men actually comes from: your partner, friends or colleagues.

Completely different to those situations you describe.

People that live alone may have no choice if they’re single. They will likely have neighbours too.

And if a woman happens to be working with a man, alone, then he attacks her, she’ll know exactly who he is - so it’s unlikely he’d get away with it. A stranger in the middle of the forest is likely to get away with it because the woman isn’t likely to know him....

Yes I do. I have a large dog who is very protective naturally and dislikes men generally. I understand what PP meant by dogs giving a false sense of security but I've seen him on alert checking out males as we pass so I think he would defend me if needed. I also refuse to have my freedom curtailed by a very small risk.

I do everyday, but only because I know the area really well. I wouldn't go by myself somewhere I wasn't familiar with.

On route now

I love the woods near me and take big dog with me for long walks. I usually wear headphones and listen to a book whilst I'm walking but then again, I'm in rural Ireland so I'm not really worried about crime rates or being attacked.
Big dog would put any would be attacker off to be honest

Yes - without dog - I love walking in parks/woods along the river on my own - in London/suburbs/rurally. Really wouldn’t think twice in daylight hours. After dark only on lit streets or busy places eg top of primrose or parliament hills. It’s a shame - and I’m surprised - that so many people circumscribe their lives when the risks are tiny. I also wouldn’t want to instil or model illogical behaviour for my daughters. I obviously don’t want them to take silly risks but equally not to live fearfully and allow men to dictate their movements or to be overly reliant on boyfriends and not independent.

i did until a few years ago but then i had an experience of being followed and flashed in the woods where i walked the dogs, and around the same time i watched a programme about the murder of rachel nickell and both things combined made me feel unsafe so i stopped walking alone anywhere secluded.