Meeting naturists when hill walking - would you be worried?

[JGACC]

Hi all, I'm interested to gather women's thoughts on this. I read a Facebook post by Macclesfield police this morning asking people to report if they see a male naturist in the Peak District (screenshot attached) as there has been a lot of reports over the last few weeks. I was really surprised that the vast majority of the comments are saying it's legal (which yes it is) and to leave him alone. As a young female who often walks in the Peaks on my own my first thought was...I'd be worried and extremely uncomfortable if I came across him and would probably hide behind a tree or rock and try to call someone. Am I paranoid or is this actually fine and something I should take as lightly as the majority of the (mostly, but not all male) commenting public seem to?

I'll admit I was surprised to learn that it is entirely legal to wander round anywhere nude. It does seem a lot of naturists have no sexual intent and are more interested in being at one with nature. The man in question doesn't seem to have been reported as carrying out threatening behaviour and is probably harmless but it still makes me worried and I don't know if I'm ridiculous or not. (I would rather be ridiculous than not in this case!)

@Pertella

Why can't I get back to the first page?

I can't either.

Plan, you seem to have some reading comprehension issues - I clearly made a distinction between people in naturist environments and social situations (eg where there are clear expectations that people may be naked) and the sadly too common situation of being presented with unexpected (usually male) nudity or exposure outside of these situations.

In answer to your suggestion I work on my attitudes - I do know quite a few naturists (who mostly seem to have a great attitude to body positivity, consent and boundaries) and also live in a European country where there is a much more relaxed attitude to naturism than in the UK, and topless sunbathing and communal naked changing, bathing and sauna are the norm (the latter is usually sex segregated, with occasional mixed facilities). I also work in healthcare and often see and provide care to people in a state of undress in a professional capacity - so peen, vageen and all sorts in-between hold little shock value or personal terror.
So I'm afraid the prejudice angle you are trying to twist my comments too doesn't really work either - I'm perfectly happy in with the concept of naturism, in dealing with the realities of the human body and in accepting nudity in socially appropriate contexts.

None of this makes me a jot less suspicious of the motives of someone who is insistent on nudity or exposing themselves outside of a context where you could reasonably expect to see nakedness.
I don't know anything about that person or their motives - the only information I have about them is that they are exposing themselves in a situation where this is not socially appropriate and therefore demonstrate that they are at best pushing boundaries/not considering others in their actions, or, as in many cases are engineering and enjoying forcing the situation of non consensual exposure.

^^ I can go back to any page from page 2. Page 1 gets an error message.

I know some naturists like to be nude when home alone, so it's not just about the communal aspects.

I've been known to wander around nude when home alone but I don't think that qualfies me as a naturist so it must be the public or communal aspect that defines naturism.

@Lamahaha

^^ I can go back to any page from page 2. Page 1 gets an error message.

I have to click on "view op" at the top and then bookmark the op before going back into the thread. Bit of a palaver..

People on nudist beach or in naturist camp d etc (visions of self conscious volley ball and ancient copies of Health and Efficiency magazine) are one thing - not mine but ok in that situation.

Lone bloke wandering around naked in places where it is likely he would encounter other people- nope, it’s exhibitionism.

So, I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that there's a good chance that a lone naked bloke in some random place isn't really a naturist.

Not just random places either. Just to confuse things, there's also my Schrodinger's Pervert - naked man at a nudist beach wanking at passing women. Obviously an offender but as soon as he takes his hand off his dick he's back to being just a nudist. The perfect defence.

I came across a naked rambler while walking a fairly busy stretch of the coast path a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t even realise he was naked until I’d passed him as he held his bag in front and I just assumed he had very small shorts on!
I question why anyone feels the need to strip off in a very public place, when he clearly hadn’t been wandering around nude in his own garden judging by his ‘ white bits’
I wasn’t alone but if i has been, I would have felt pretty uncomfortable.

I wish I had the balls to go out for a naked walk!

What, literally?

@madcatladyforever

Its funny though that only men do this, you never see naturists like me - fat, wrinkled and old - wandering about in the nude in public. I go for the sunbathing and the pool, naturist clubs have lots of land and a pool and you can really relax without people staring at you at a fraction of the price of a country club.

In Germany my daughter and I went to a ladies' area of a local sauna. It's a lovely wide garden area. There's a lawn with deckchairs and a pool and showers etc. No clothes allowed, and it really is just women.

A lot of wild fruits and nuts are ready this time of year for foraging, so I usually carry kitchen scissors with me to make clean cuts on the trees. I might find myself accidentally harvesting other nuts if a naked man jumps out of the bushes on my travels!

I've been in a public park in Germany which was well-known for nakedness (though it seemed to be exclusively male) which felt absolutely fine. I've been walking in the Blue Mountains near Sydney on my own with DS on a very quiet weekday when we saw a naked rambler sitting on a bench with his legs akimbo and everything hanging out and I was petrified.

Context is everything. Nudity in isolated places is more frightening, it just is.

@ScarsdaleSurprise

It's not always intent to cause physical harm though. People, are turned on by your reaction to being put in that situation. Flashers aren't interested in touching you necessarily but I still don't want to be in that position! That's why we don't want people wanking into the knickers in M&S changing rooms. No physical harm but I still don't want it to be happening!

I once had a TV delivered from Curry's. They brought it in and one bloke went back to the van whilst the other was doing the paperwork with me. Then he undid his trousers and got his penis out. In my hallway. I don't want to be subjected to that in my home or walking in the Peak District.

Did you manage to get him charged by the police? I fucking hate men (I know NAMALT)!

Yesterday I went for a walk in the countryside on my own. During lockdown I’ve normally been with the DC and it has been busier. But yesterday it was quiet and after 10 minutes I was spooked. I realised the only people I’d seen were men, that I was wearing sandals so couldn’t run, that my shorts were very short and that no one knew exactly where I was. If I’d then seen a naked man I would have been completely freaked out. As it was I had to abandon the walk after 20 minutes as I just felt so edgy.

A naked man in public is a threat. Any man who does this is a hateful misogynist who either doesn’t understand why women fear men or who doesn’t care.

I’m a woman and I love walking naked whenever I can.
I’ve spent the day with naked men and women at a clothing optional garden open day - Abbey House gardens.

Most male nude walkers will cover up, if they have time, if they see another walker, as a sign to show they mean no harm.
A flasher takes their kicks from exposing themselves suddenly and unexpectedly, not walking completely nude - a nude rambler is just naked in nature.

Those saying nudists should ‘stick to their areas’ - these are our areas. Perhaps you should stick to towns and cities for walks, if you are so concerned about the unlikely possibility of seeing a flaccid penis.

Those worried about their children seeing a walker - what do you think will happen? The walker will not chase them, or approach them, or call them over. They will walk on by. Children should be taught that the naked (non sexual) body is nothing to be ashamed or fearful of.
Is it healthy that they should associate seeing a naked body with feelings of panic or embarrassment?

Also, no one is being ‘forced’ to look at a naked walker. You can turn your head or even just avert your eyes if you feel the need.
If you find it impossible to look away, if you find your eyes roaming all over their body, honing in on the penis and declaring your horror of seeing such a thing, perhaps think why you feel you must behave in this way.

@chipperfish
Sorry but to my mind national parks with hill walks ARE a social situation in which you might expect to find a naturist as it is in nature and no different from a beach setting.

The prevailing theme on this thread is that naturists should confine themselves to designated concentrated camps or areas with warning signs is very fascist. Especially when the title and many posters are worried that naturist men are bound to be perverted sex offenders and a danger to them (which is completely prejudiced).

@Spanielmadness

Couldn’t agree more. Except I’m not a naturist, but I am tolerant of naturists and don’t assume they’re out to harm me like the fainting flowers on this thread.

Sorry but to my mind national parks with hill walks ARE a social situation in which you might expect to find a
Naked man.

In England this is quite a bizarre statement as public nakedness is not the norm.

How is it that women are expected to be naked in films, strip clubs etc for men's satisfaction but also are meant to welcome men's nakedness when men feel like it?

As a previous person said it's a display of male dominance.

Ah! Spaniel perfectly illustrates the mindset... we are normal you are not, fuck off back to your city!

Not an ounce of empathy for anyone elses perspective!

There's bugger all wrong with nakedness. The human baody is not disgusting. However we do have social mores and expectations and naked bodies where not expected can and do cause unease in many.

For some, that's women of course, a naked man when least expected can be a frightening thing. It depends on past experiences. Simply averting your eyes may not be possible. Howabout not "trying to cover up if you have time" when aproaching someone but actually doing it! Simply cover up when you see someone approaching - or not walking naked where that won't be possible!

@testing987654321

Sorry but to my mind national parks with hill walks ARE a social situation in which you might expect to find a Naked man.

In England this is quite a bizarre statement as public nakedness is not the norm.

How is it that women are expected to be naked in films, strip clubs etc for men's satisfaction but also are meant to welcome men's nakedness when men feel like it?

As a previous person said it's a display of male dominance.

Well Wikipedia agrees with me: “Naturism is the practice of recreational social nudity in a natural environment, such as at a beach, lake, or in a forest or other wilderness area.”

And naturists are not single sex, men only. It is entire families. Women, men, children.

English culture seems still very rooted in patriarchal Puritanism where the flesh is seen as evil and corrupt, such that nakedness is a sign of degeneracy.

Wouldn’t worry me at all.
And I sometimes go walking and / or camping alone.
I think it is a bit sad that we associate nakedness with sex and with deviance, and I would be happy with a bit more of what the Germans call FKK. (See that news article about a naked man chasing a wild boar that ran off with his picnic in a Berlin park).

I understand why people find a naked man disturbing or traumatic when they are so rare, which means that almost all our references are to do with flashing or il intent.

When younger I often sunbathed naked in isolated mountain spots, on beaches where it is not unusual and on beaches in other countries where it is / was more normal.

I'd be interested to know how many women feel safe walking alone in isolated areas at all

I don’t. I take dogs. I wish I felt differently. That’s something I envy men, that freedom to be out in isolated spaces and at night.

I wouldn't like it at all. Put your dick away no one wants to see it.

@ChattyLion

I'd be interested to know how many women feel safe walking alone in isolated areas at all

I don’t. I take dogs. I wish I felt differently. That’s something I envy men, that freedom to be out in isolated spaces and at night.

I do and feel safe.

My objection to naked rambling is the same as my husband's objection to it. No matter how much certain posters on here protest that it's all fine culturally in the UK public nudity is not acceptable, unless in the context of an organised naturist location or group.

It is not normal for random men to be walking naked in the countryside. It's such a departure from convention that I'd be wondering if the person had mental health issues and was possibly dangerous.

@DocOfTheBay

Wouldn’t worry me at all. And I sometimes go walking and / or camping alone. I think it is a bit sad that we associate nakedness with sex and with deviance, and I would be happy with a bit more of what the Germans call FKK. (See that news article about a naked man chasing a wild boar that ran off with his picnic in a Berlin park).

I understand why people find a naked man disturbing or traumatic when they are so rare, which means that almost all our references are to do with flashing or il intent.

When younger I often sunbathed naked in isolated mountain spots, on beaches where it is not unusual and on beaches in other countries where it is / was more normal.

The problem is the pervs get off on nakedness.

E.g. once I went topless on a nudist beach with a friend, the beach was fairly empty. Then we spotted a man staring and masturbating over us several metres away. I would never go to a nudist beach again.