The Freedom of Naked Hiking

ver many years, I have walked and hiked naked in the UK and abroad, and it is one of the great pleasures in my life.

However, I also accept that there are positive and negative sides to the pastime.

Above everything else, walking naked in the countryside puts me at one with nature, and allows me to be in my most comfortable state: nude. Being out in the open in this way has, certainly for me, immense physical and mental benefits.

Also, the law is on your side when you walk naked in the countryside in the UK: even though some members of the public may wrongly believe otherwise.

The simple fact is, according to British law, it is not an offence to walk, run or cycle naked in the countryside so long as it is not done to cause shock, offence or distress. I have had members of the public on the phone with the Police saying that it must be illegal as ‘this man’ is naked, only to be told by them it is not.

Impression

I am a reasonable man, however. If someone asks me to cover up, I will do so if they strongly object to my naked state, as I believe it is better to diffuse the situation until they have left and then return to being naked, instead of disagreeing with them over the issue, getting into an argument, and leaving them with a negative impression of naturists in general.

I have found however that many people will happily say hello as you pass them; some may even ask to join you as you walk. On one recent occasion, I was doing a local walk on the Pevensey Levels in East Sussex, where the terrain is flat and the fields open with lovely views, when I saw a family of two adults and two children walking towards a junction in the path ahead. I sped up to make sure I reached it way before them, and carried on my way. A few minutes later however, they caught me up and asked to join me on my walk. I happily agreed, and we all walked along together, as they explained naturism and the naturist lifestyle to the children, with no issues.

This example backs up the fact that children are not usually the ones with the problem of seeing a nude person; it is the parents feeling they need to shield or ‘protect’ them.

Nevertheless, usually, if I see a family with children coming towards me, I will cover up, just to be on the safe side. And, at the risk of stating the obvious, always try to plan your naked walks avoiding going near towns, villages, parks, schools and main roads. Or at least wear something on those stretches if they are essential to get you from A to B.

State

It’s fair to say that the countryside can be your friend and enemy at the same time. Its openness can relax you, as well as offer you great views. You get a free workout without having to go to the gym, and you can mentally unwind. The air, the sun and enjoying the flora and fauna can refresh you, all when you are calm and free of clothing, and in a relaxed state.

But then nettles or an insect can sting your bare skin, or a bramble can hook into you. You can slip on some mud and fall into it, covering you in a mess for the remainder of the walk (although the same can happen if you’re wearing clothes). And clothed or naked, you need to follow the countryside code: closing gates behind you, being careful not to trespass, and making sure you don’t scare or upset livestock. Farmers, in my experience, don’t seem to like naturists, and will often tell you to “go away,” or words to that effect. But do farmers really like anybody?

There are a couple of other potential downsides, like sunburn in places that don’t see the light of day too often if you’ve forgotten the suntan lotion, or chaffing between the thighs if you haven’t packed the Vaseline.

Memories

For me however, the positives far outweigh the negatives. I have spent many hours walking nude on some of my favourite walks, like the South Downs Way near Polegate or Lewes, with fantastic views of the sea one way and the countryside the other, or in the Chilterns National Park, passing through glorious woodlands and open fields. In Spain, I have great memories of Arcones, walking up the hillside through the forest and along the ridge for miles, naked in the hot sunshine, watching the vultures and paragliders soaring in the sky. Or over the open sandy barren landscape behind Costa Calma in Fuerteventura, where nobody seems to go, looking at the coast from one side of the island to the other with a turn of my head.

As a naked walker, on a well-planned route, you get to see places that most people don't. And with few there to question why you are naked in the first place.

©H&E Naturist 2025

‍