This summer, I went on quite a few enjoyable naturist hikes. So far, I’ve always carried a backpack for storing my clothes and bringing water. In other naturists’ blogs, I had read about free hiking. In short, it’s hiking without a backpack, without any clothes on hand—just you and nature. The idea immediately appealed to me. Because only then do you truly experience complete freedom.
During our vacation on Walcheren, one morning I decided to be bold and try a free hike. In this blog, I want to share my experience with you, because as the saying goes: wisdom comes from trial and error.
Komoot is always a great help when choosing hiking routes, and the Waschappelse forest near Westkapelle seemed like the perfect spot for my first free hike. On a pleasant Thursday morning in September, I hopped on my bike around 7:45 and headed toward Westkapelle. When I reached the forest, I skipped the parking lot and rode to the end of the dead-end road. I figured the chance of meeting other hikers would be smaller there. At the gate at the end of the road, I got off, parked my bike, and looked around. No one in sight, so I stripped off and tucked my cycling shorts under the zip ties.
Normally, I start my nude walks with a lot of confidence, but this time I felt a slight tension. After all, you’re completely naked, and there’s nothing to hide behind if you meet other hikers. Walking through the gate, I stepped into a small meadow where cows were grazing, just outside the main forest. I felt the warmth of the sun on my bare skin, and a bit of the tension melted away. Calmly, I walked through the wet grass toward the gate that led into the forest.
In the forest, there’s a long, straight middle path, with a winding path looping around it. Far to the left is another straight path. The loops alternate between open spaces and trees. On the middle path, you can see from front to back, but not on the winding paths. In the distance, I saw a hiker with a dog on the middle path, so when I went through the gate, I turned left and headed for the second straight path. I saw more people there, so I backtracked a bit through a side path and took the first loop, which runs around a small open clearing where I enjoyed walking in the sun. With no one in sight, my calm and confidence returned.
Moving on to the second loop, visibility was minimal due to all the trees. I would only see oncoming hikers at the last moment—not ideal, but I continued until I reached the middle path again. No one was there, so I took some time to snap a few photos. Suddenly, the man with the dog appeared from one of the other loops. A little startled, I turned around and began my return to the bike. Only when I was back in the meadow did my calm truly return.
Back at my bike, I was relieved to find my cycling shorts still tucked under the zip ties. Clearly, I have boundless trust in humanity—if some prankster had taken them, I would have had to cycle fully naked back to the campsite. I literally had nothing else with me. Quickly, I got dressed and got ready to cycle to the nude beach at Domburg for a nice walk along the shore and a refreshing dip in the sea.
It was a valuable learning experience. Even though I wasn’t completely at ease, I still had a great walk. That said, proper preparation is definitely recommended for free hiking. Had I read a few more blogs, I would have known that. Now I know firsthand.
Timing
I clearly chose the wrong time. It may have been early in the morning, but dog owners often head out early too. Next time, I’ll pick an even earlier hour to minimize the chance of running into other hikers.
Know the area
Another thing—I had never been to this area before, so I didn’t know what to expect in terms of crowds. For free hiking, it’s definitely wise to choose an area you’re familiar with. You’ll know the paths, possible escape routes, and what to expect from other hikers.
Go all in
Proper preparation is crucial, and if you decide to go… go all in. You have nothing to cover yourself with, so if you unexpectedly meet other hikers, you’re simply hiking naked. Nothing more, nothing less. Nothing to be ashamed of, and you’re not doing anything illegal. You’ve made a careful judgment and determined that the area is suitable for nude recreation according to article 430a WvS.
I haven’t gone free hiking a second time yet, and the weather and surroundings near home don’t make it easy anymore. But next year, I’ll definitely try again, because I know the experience is absolutely wonderful.
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