Hike Naked: Germany Opens New Nude-Friendly Nature Trails

[FreakinDJ]

Hike Naked: Germany Opens New Nude-Friendly Nature Trails

When "Germany's first hiking trail for nudists" opened on May 29, 2010 near the town of Dankerode, enthusiasm was running high - and not just among those who enjoy braving nature in the buff. Mayor Monika Rauhut hailed the trail as "the latest attraction here in beautiful Wippertal." (See 8 new natural wonders of the world.)

The trail was an instant hit, which got us to wondering if such a thing might be a good idea in Switzerland, where the issue of nude hiking will soon be taken up by the Supreme Court. The "unofficial spokesperson" for Swiss lovers of the outdoor activity isn't so sure. But Puistola GrottenpÖsch (not his real name) does see some upsides. A sanctioned trail would give many people an opportunity to experience the "bodily freedom" that only hiking in the nude offers - an experience that "fills you with happiness," he says.

In Germany, signs placed around the nude trail area warn: "If you don't want to run into any naked people, stop right here!" The message makes GrottenpÖsch uneasy. "It seems to suggest such a thing would be terrible," he says. "The sign could be taken as more of an encouragement than a deterrent." Nor does he like the idea that such a trail could be seen as a "ghetto" for nude hikers, particularly as such a thing might make people think "that it's obligatory to be clothed everywhere else." (See Switzerland's nude hiking in the winter.)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20110610/wl_time/08599207678300

[marmar]

1. Parts of the Tiergarten in Berlin are clothing-optional, and it raises nary an eyebrow.....

..... except among the gawking American tourists.

[HillbillyBob]

2. Most US citizens need to grow up, get real, and get responsible.

I just hate it when other citizens look at us as Ugly Americans. Shoot I look askance as many people and Im a citizen.

[seabeyond]

8. the absurdity of this argument is, any nudity create mass hysteria from the guys. suggest

tits adn they surround the women with cameras, jump up and down, clapping hands.... bewbies, bewbies, chants and others about strip it down. as they stand in groups clothed.

maybe if our guys did not make such immature asses of themselves over nudity, maybe it would not raise so many eyebrows.

oh wait... that isnt what you mean?

[Dogtown]

15. American males, that is.

Mommy/mammary fixation goes hand-in-hand with our puritanical/protestant pubescent provincialism.

Our society is sadly immature.

[seabeyond]

17. one extreme to the other and one is not better than the other. both are used in dominance of one

just different objectives.

there really was a time, a small time... when teenagers strippin down was this accepted nudity without it being a sexual performance from the female for the male.

i know. i played it in, had it, owned it and know the feel of it. it shifted to no longer the freedom of the female nudity but to the entertainment for the male. pisses me off.

the girls are buying it and dont get that they dont get to own their nudity for their sake.

and the guys buy into it not knowing what they lose.

[WinkyDink]

30. You have clearly never observed on scene the Euro obsession with porn!

[tabasco]

33. Please provide evidence that Europeans are more obsessed with porn than Americans.

Standing by.

[RainDog]

3. ouch n/t

[DebJ]

4. I'm presuming that mosquitos are not a problem there.... n/t

[aquart]

7. My first thought, too.

And mosquitos are are hardly the worst. Those tiny little biting black specks that fly....

[barbtries]

16. before i thought of bugs

i thought of rocks and snakes and thorns and all that stuff. so i imagine the nude hikers will still be wearing their hiking boots.

[JVS]

18. Bugs are not as big a problem in more temperate climates.

When I first lived in Germany I wondered why the windows didn't have screens. It turns out that there really isn't as much to screen out. Some people set them up though.

[pipi_k]

24. Deer hunting, either. Don't wanna be flashing

a lily-white ass around in the forest filled with deer hunters.


Seriously.

[KittyWampus]

25. And chiggers and ticks?

[personman]

27. they could call it: "skeeters on your teeters" nt

[personman]

32. Aw, come on, I thought that was gold.

I guess I'll just pat myself on the back. :P

-Andy

[MineralMan]

5. Ah, Nacktkultur.

Wunderbar!

[aquart]

6. Humans started nude.

And when the bugs started biting and the sunburn became too painful, we invented clothing.

Wise decision.

[RC]

9. Or the snow got too deep...

[Maru Kitteh]

10. The German nudist movement was largely started by proponents of eugenics

For obvious reasons.

[LeftinOH]

11. I don't understand the appeal of nudism -except for the part about removing inhibitions

about seeing/exposing the human body. Butt cracks should be covered up for a variety of reasons -and the rest of the privates usually requires some degree of protection -for practical reasons. Pockets are also nice to keep things in.

[firehorse]

12. go swimming nude and you'll understand

[JVS]

20. Nudism was a reaction to urbanization and the related issues of lack of contact with nature...

and also filth, poverty, and general ill health. The inhibitions thing was secondary.

The second half of the 19th century was a time of rapid industrialization and urbanization in Germany and saw the growth of the cities.

With the growth of the cities, they came into contact with issues like tuberculosis, lack of fresh air due to pollution, infrequent bathing, bad smelling and lice infested clothes, and overcrowding in general.

Basically the idea was that the healthiest way to be was clean, naked, out in the fresh air of the countryside, in the sun, and in a peaceful and natural setting. Doing naked nature walks was supposed be good for you. Further it was assumed that not doing this would make one weaker, sicker, and generally fucked up.

[kayakjohnny]

13. "Is that your hiking stick or are you just glad to see me?"

Ba-dump!

[frylock]

14. no thanks..

i like to carry stuff in my pockets when i hike or backpack.

[Myrina]

19. I'd love it but I seem to attract poison ivy from a mile away ...

... not to mention: how does one deal with itchy bug bites in unusual places? :blush: :hide:

[yellowcanine]

21. Apparently poison ivy is not a big concern in Germany.......

[LanternWaste]

22. I imagine sooner or later, those hikers will find out why humanity began using clothes

I imagine sooner or later, those hikers will find out why humanity began using clothes in the first place...

[LadyHawkAZ]

31. +1

[Fleshdancer]

23. bugs and sunburn would be my personal concern

but if others want to hike naked, more power to them.

[madinmaryland]

26. This thread is worthless without pictures. Uhmmm....

maybe not.

[Warren DeMontague]

28. It's way better than some of the other hobbies the Germans enjoyed in the past.

good for them.

[roody]

29. I enjoyed the nude beaches on the river in Munich

last summer. No big deal.

[MikeW]

34. they better know how to ID poison ivy and oak