We quote the course of contact with Austrian police, which we experienced at a nude NEWT week of naktivities.
Maybe because I was tempted to take pictures of every second Alpine flower in this varied nature, I was suddenly the last along with a British hiking friend, who had the task to take care, that none of uns would get lost. Quite a good idea because of large number of persons and languages, and because some of them had no experience in hiking through the Alps.
At a hillside
A group of houses in middle of the mountains
We took a lot of photos
Anyway, my slowness proved to be an advantage for the moment, when just two police officers were approaching us:
“Stop, police, stop – what are you doing here?”
Well, my companion did not understand a single word of German, let alone the local dialect in the Pongau area. So, I served the two officers my way:
“He is from England and does not understand German at all. We are naturists, we hike in the nude. We are a group of about 25 people from several countries. We are here together for a week to hike in the Alps. Here, where you live, it is so beautiful! Because we cannot make to hike up to the summit today, we are now on our way back to our cars.”
“So, these are your cars down in Goldegg?”
“Yes.”
“And your are going to hike naked to the cars?”
“No, we don't do that, when we arrive at villages, we get dressed a little.”
“Then your're lucky, otherwise, we would have to take you all to the police station! Who is the leader of the group?”
“His name is Richard Foley, he is also an Englishman. Certainly, he is already hiking a kilometer further ahead.”
“Where are you all accommodated?”
“We rented a big house, at Dienten near Hochkönig Mountain.”
“Where exactly? … Oh yes, We know it. […] How do you all make it to gather for such an event?”
“Today, that's quite simple: via Internet → www.naktiv.net”
“The owner of the property up there called us by phone. He was worried, because you are all naked. Of course, we have to to drive here and assure ourselves what's going on.”
“Sure, no problem.”
“So, have a nice holiday!”
“Thank you very much!”
Great, I thought, just a pity, that my companion did not understand a word…
Now, to close the gap between the group, the forest path down to the group was not entirely safe for me as a barefoot hiker. But my wish to talk and inform the other hikers of the “Have a nice holiday!” by the police was reason enough to hike as fast as I could.
Impressive variety of flowers
Open view into the valley
A waterfall – right place, right time to have a shower"
– Cited from: “A · Participant's report about a nude hike and an encounter with police during NEWT 2016 [20 January 2018]”
