Scottish mountain walkers strip naked in new viral challenge

Walkers exploring the Scottish countryside could find themselves red-faced if they stumble upon a brand spanking new social media trend.

A new not safe for work challenge encourages walkers to bare their bum when they the summit. Source: JPI Media

First it was the ice bucket challenge. Then it was cinnamon challenge. Now? Baring your backside at the top of a hill.

The Instagram trend is growing daily. As is the 300 strong Scottish specific “bummit on a summit” Facebook group. Pictures are not full frontal, that violates community guidelines, but instead just of the walker from behind.

The group which was founded a year ago describes itself as, “hikers and climbers that let it all go free at the summit.” Some of the pictures posted from this summer include iconic walks in the Cairngorms to fields in Largs.

“The group is up to 300 members now but not too many have braved a picture yet… but again it was all a bit of harmless fun!”

“There’s been a steady rise in numbers since it started. I'm not sure how word is getting around but there was one weekend with a surge of 100 people joining. I urge more people to go for it and ask or research what hills are best as some of the moderate hills can be found to have lots of families, and I wouldn’t want it to affect people’s decision to hike.”

Speaking to The Times, Kirsty Hamilton, 28, who runs a cleaning business in Killearn, Stirling, has stripped off three times for “the buzz”. The first time was atop Ben Aa’n in the Trossachs, then on Ben Vorlich and last month on Stob Bàn, in the Grey Corries in Lochaber.

“I also like doing it because of the body confidence issue,” she said, “women don’t usually strip naked at the top of mountains but I hope this will give more of them confidence.

“The response I get is ‘Go girl!’ It’s about not caring what your body shape is: everyone has bits and bobs.”

There is no law against being nude in public in Scotland. Although it could be considered breaching public legislation if the person committing the act is aware that he or she might cause outrage to “ordinary people”.

Not everyone approves of the trend. Nick Drainey, an outdoors writer who runs the View From the Hill website, said: “This sounds ridiculous, especially in Scotland. I have no intention of doing it and would not recommend it.

“Scotland’s landscape is so beautiful, it surely does not need adding to with bare buttocks. This can be off putting, if not scary, for other, clothed walkers.”