Bright sunshine invited on Palm Sunday, to open the nude hiking season 2020. Aim was the first hike of a newly explored path for WNT with long barefoot stretches, a bathing opportunity and a rest area with one of our cars previously parked there, to have water and food without the need, to carry it with us. At 15°C and strong wind at the start of the hike, the hikers started barefoot and with short trousers causing astonishment among other hikers, who wore long trousers, shoes, and coats.
Temperature rose, the wind decreased, so that after we were warm enough 5 km to take off our clothes. At the rest area after 10 km, a couple came biking, stopped, and asked: “We probably got lost – can you tell us how to get to Ladbergen?” We talked for a while at a COVID-19-compliant distance, which didn't make it easy to show screen content on the smartphone. As farewell, both wished us a good appetite. Then, another couple cycled by, he shouted to her: “Look, nudists!”, then turned and waved to us happily.
New WNT hiking route suitable for bare feet | 1
Field mustard | 2
The nude second part of this hike was really fun: The air temperature rose to 20°C, the wind decreased, all encounters were very friendly. I learned something about green manuring with mustard plants and the difference to rapeseed. We met numerous families, young people, and adults. Looking at their faces, we saw, how much fun they obviously had encountering us.
3 km before the end of the hike, we arrived at Dortmund-Ems Canal, which invites you to take a bath. The water temperature of 8°C was quite refreshing, but compared to ice bathing at 4°C or less, it already felt like spring. Besides, there is no wind under water – the warm wind in the air dried up the body quite fast afterwards in common work with the sunshine. It was a wonderful, happy spring excursion!
– Report and photos: Rainer