My first naked hike

My First Naked Walk

There’s a first time for everything — and that includes naturist walking. For me, that first time wasn’t all that long ago. It was something I’d wanted to try for quite a while, but I had never taken the time or found the courage to do it.

Now, the region where I live is quite densely populated, especially during summer when many tourists are around, so it’s not easy to find a suitable location and route. After all, you want to stay within the lines of Article 430a. Being naked is something I do because I enjoy it, not to show myself to others — although I don’t mind if someone happens to see me by chance. It’s funny, isn’t it? You don’t do it to be seen, but for the sake of general acceptance, it would actually help if people saw more often that nudity can be perfectly normal and without any ulterior motives.

Anyway, I’m getting off track again. My first walk actually started unintentionally during a break on a bike ride. I cycle quite often and had already experienced how wonderful it feels to do that naked. In mid-September 2024, my husband was at work — he had an evening shift, which always gave me a good opportunity to go cycling. It was a beautiful day, and towards the end of the afternoon I set off. As always, when the temperature allows, I rode bare-chested and wearing only my cycling shorts. My destination was the Dijkgatbos. I once went there on a school trip as a child. Even though it’s not that far from where I live, I hadn’t been back since.

The monument of the dike breach

The Dijkgatbos owes its name, unsurprisingly, to a gap in the dike. At the end of World War II, the Germans blew up the dike, creating two enormous holes and flooding the entire Wieringermeer. After the dike was repaired, the Wieringermeer was drained again, and at the site of the breach a nature reserve emerged: De Wielen. There’s now a monument at that very spot, and I decided to stop there for a drink.
When I walked a bit further towards the dike, I saw a path on my right leading to a steel structure. Since it was around dinner time, I didn’t expect to meet anyone. If there ever was a good moment and a perfect place for a first naked walk, this was it.

After parking and locking my bike, I went through the gate to the walking path. I looked around carefully, and once I was sure no one was nearby, I took off my cycling shorts. They went into my bike bag, and I started my very first real naturist walk.

What I didn’t know was that the path was only about 150 meters long. It led to a kind of birdwatching spot made of upright steel panels, with openings to look through and information boards about the surrounding nature. After that, you could only continue for a short distance. The walk wasn’t very long, but I took my time reading all the signs, walking around, and sitting on a bench to enjoy the evening sun on my bare skin. I felt completely at ease and relished the sense of freedom.

Since I was home alone for the rest of the evening, I wasn’t in a hurry to leave. I strolled leisurely back to my bike. To enjoy the wonderful feeling of freedom a little longer, I didn’t get dressed right away but climbed up the dike to take in the view. The IJsselmeer stretched out before me, looking absolutely stunning.

Eventually, I walked back to my bike and reluctantly put my cycling shorts back on. Time to head home. It was still quite a ride, but the weather was beautiful, and I had gained an amazing experience. My first naked walk was a fact — and I knew for sure it wouldn’t be my last.