Estelle Keeber never used to exercise. ‘I was the type of person who’d drive to the shop around the corner,’ she admits.
But then, five years ago, everything changed. Not just for Estelle, but for hundreds of thousands of people across the UK who discovered the joy – and literal escape – of walking as the world became engulfed by the deadly covid-19 pandemic.
In the months after lockdown started, government figures from the fateful revealed that 39% of people said they were walking more than before the pandemic struck. And while banana bread and Houseparty may have had their moment, the nation’s walking obsession is still going strong, with the hashtag #walking used on over 30.5 million posts on Instagram and more than 830 million Google search results for local walking groups.
For Estelle, it offered her a sense of freedom – in many ways.
‘When we went into lockdown and the opportunity to get out in nature was limited, I suddenly started to crave it,’ she tells Metro. ‘I started doing Couch to 5k but got injured and the impact of running wasn’t an option – so I started walking.’
However, Estelle soon discovered that soaking up nature on a basic level wasn’t enough. As she progressed from local walks to long hikes on her own, she used it as an opportunity to embrace the naturist lifestyle.
‘I had never even considered it before, but I’ve always been comfortable in my own skin,’ explains Estelle, who runs social media company Immortal Monkey. ‘When I was walking I felt hugely connected with nature and it occurred to me that the connection could feel more complete if I was able to feel nature against my skin more.
‘We’re so used to feeling the breeze on our faces or hands but there’s a deeper connection when it’s on all of your skin.’
To learn more about the naturist community, Estelle booked herself into a nudist spa – and has never looked back.
‘I’m now working with British Naturism and am organising a naked ramble with them,’ she adds. ‘I’m a naturist and there’s a difference between that and nudism.
‘Nudists like being naked and naturists enjoy the connection with nature without being clothed. There’s a park in Nottingham which is a naturist park where people can walk unclothed.
‘The signs say clothing is optional so it’s a great way for naturists to interact with clothed people. It’s not illegal to be nude in this country but it is to cause distress if you’re naked so there’s a fine line which is why parks like the one in Nottingham are so important.’
For Estelle, her discovery of walking has been truly life-changing.
On National Work Naked Day in February this year, she launched The Naked Truth podcast, which explores body confidence and aims to spark honest conversations and help listeners embrace their natural selves.
‘The podcast is about more than nudity, Estelle explains. ‘It’s about creating a movement of self-acceptance and showing people that confidence starts with embracing who you are.
‘I would never have believed I’d become a naturist and a hiker when we went into lockdown but I get so much from both aspects of my life.’
A version of this story was first published on 29 March 2025.
