Switzerland bans nude hiking

Hikers enjoying the mountain air in Appenzell must cover up or risk being fined

Nude hikers wearing nothing more than sturdy boots in Switzerland must cover up, or risk being fined, following a country-wide ban on this popular pastime.

The ban was introduced after a high court ruled that local authorities can impose fines on people hiking au naturel.

The country's highest court threw out an appeal by a man who was fined £69 in 2009 after he walked naked past a family with small children in a picnic area and a Christian rehabilitation centre for drug users in the eastern canton of Appenzell.

Although Switzerland does not have laws against public nudity, the judges said that the region had been entitled to uphold a law on public decency. They said that the ban was only a minor infringement on personal freedom.

"It is not overly high-handed to qualify naked hiking as a breach of decency customs," the court is quoted as saying by the BBC.

Hiking in the nude has become an increasingly popular activity in Switzerland, with many people travelling near and far to take part.

Although Appenzell has some of the most stunning scenery, it also has one of the most conservative communities, according to a spokeswoman for the Swiss National Tourist Office.

The local tourist authority has been highlighting the beauty of its hiking trails but has become increasingly worried that an influx of nude hikers would put off non-naturalists from visiting the area.

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