This post is in partnership with Worldcrunch, a new global-news site that translates stories of note in foreign languages into English. The article below was originally published in Tages Anzeiger.
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.”
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 Grottenpsch 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 Grottenpsch 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.”
