This October day dawned bright, with a thin layer of cloud obscuring the sun and, even at ten o'clock, it was still a little cool as I set off walking up the muddy trail from Hammerstaett, just to the south of the village of Aschau. Aschau is the starting point for the cable-car up the Kampenwand, and on that side of the valley, it can get very busy with tourists, and I was hoping that the recent bad weather would further put a lot of people off too, on this, the opposite, side of the valley. I had left the tarmac and houses behind me, and as soon as I entered the steep trail zig-zagging up behind the village, I removed all my clothes, placing them in my rucksack, and continued walking now naked in the cool forest shade. Shortly, as I ambled upwards, I heard voices behind me, so I put on a burst of speed, only to hear voices ahead of me. Oh well, so much for trying to find a quiet area, I carried on regardless, which is the only thing to do in the circumstances. It felt great to be walking through the autumnal oranges and browns of fallen leaves, the cool air gliding over me, the sun working with the both decidious and conferous trees to create mottled patterns across the steeply wooded slopes. After some time, I emerged from the forest shade onto a high Alm, or open alpine pasture surrounded by steep slopes, and wild pines, the trail contouring gently upwards. Although I was warm from my exertions, my skin was a bit cool from the shaded forest air, and it was a marvelous feeling when the sunshine fell directly on my skin, bathing me in a welcome glow. The view opened out and, across the valley working with the sunlight, clouds wafted between the sunny ridges, creating moving contre-jour patchworks of light and shade.

I walked along the open path, soaking in that special naked alpine feeling, listening to what I assumed was a cow mooing loudly somewhere far above me. I went past a summer barn and up the steep slope behind, eventually catching up, and overtaking, an older couple walking ahead of me. They politely stepped aside as I approached, we exchanged brief greetings, and I said: "it's a beautiful day, isn't it?", to which they replied: "it certainly seems to be", with friendly smiles. I continued on, soaking in the surroundings, and maintaining a reasonable pace. After some time, I reached the col at the Klausenhutte, where I slipped on my shorts briefly - I regard gasthofs in a similar way to tarmac areas, there are usually high concentrations of people, and so always I almost always dress when approaching them. While I was sweating from the exertion of the ascent, there was also a warm glow from the sunshine reflecting from the rocks around about, and I stripped off again to follow the rocky ridge which wandered along to the summit of the innocous looking Klausenberg, to meet several couples sitting down for lunch. We all exchanged the customary greetings, and one friendly pair took a photo of me with their camera, and with mine, at the summit, for posterity. I walked on a short way to sit down for lunch, slightly away from the busy summit area, and soaked in the magnificent view of the green and rocky alps swimming among the clouds around the Kampenwand, directly across the valley I had just walked up.

Setting off after lunch, the descent followed the ridge north through high pine forests and glades. I passed several groups of people, including the two older ladies I had met near the Klausenhutte, who had expressed surprise at me only wearing shorts at the time. I suspect they were a little more surprised to meet me again now that I was completely naked but, as I told them it was certainly warm enough now, they still wished me a pleasant day as I walked past them. I continued along and down the long ridge, with the path becoming ever fainter as I left the main mountain thoroughfare behind me, until finally reaching a small Laubensteinalm where a family appeared to be living in a mountain hut for the weekend. I passed the alm and headed down the other side of the valley, steeply for a short while, passing another couple on their way up. Both greeted me and the woman said, with a big smile: "you'll be too warm then?", to which I naturally agreed. The trail became quite busy as I approached the Frasdorfer gasthof, and I dressed briefly, before stripping off again for the final steep descent to aschau. The trail was rocky and covered with wet orange and brown leaves, making the going fairly ardous. I reached the valley in good time, having had a marvelous day with stable, if cool, weather. The views had been outstanding and the experience altogether enhanced by doing the walk almost entirely naked.