If you go down to the woods after dark, you might be in for a big surprise...

Northants is gaining a reputation for the adult activity 'dogging'!

Forget the surge in people playing rugby after last year's World Cup, it appears the UK's fastest growing leisure activity, in both a participatory and spectator sense, is dogging!

According to a website that we should perhaps not name, dogging is a "predominantly British activity that involves outdoor exhibitionism in car parks, laybys and wooded areas."

More explicitly, dogging is the term used to describe people who either have sex in a car whilst being watched by others, or those who enjoy watching it.

The pastime hasn't escaped the pure and clean countryside of Northamptonshire - in fact it seems it's rife in the rose of the shires! And one of the places that's earned the unenviable reputation of being a hotspot for doggers is Irchester Country Park.

After dark

Popular: wooded areas

Mike Anderson is a countryside manager based at the park. He says: "there have been national surveys in countryside sites and I believe the statistics are that there's been a 60 per cent increase in dogging type activities over the past 12 months. From that survey I know we are on one of the websites."

But Mike says while it does happen, it's not actually causing any major problems: "They don't leave a mess, they do it after dark, and families heading to the park for a day out never come across the salubrious activities."

Steamy windows

"It's confined to the car parks, it's confined to the cars, there are two car parks here that are open 24 hours, we do have cameras on them to deter other anti-social behaviour but it doesn't appear to put off this group of people - either they don't see them or it adds to the thrill of it."

The un-named website also says that the pastime is predominantly for people between 30 and 50 - and also for the middle class. Where the research has come from we're really not sure we want to know!

Laybys not immune

And it's not just country parks that are getting all the action, so to speak. Laybys are apparently all the rage too.

Richard Reed works for the county council's Highways Department:

After dark - dogging goes on

"There are two sorts of laybys. The one which is left from road improvements and then there are the ones that are immediately alongside the road. The latter ones aren't a problem as you can see what's going on in them but the ones where its a redundant bit of road, and you've probably got hedges and plantations between it and the main road, then yes that' s a bit more of an attraction as it's out of sight."

So just remember if your dog's begging you to take it out for a walk, it's probably best to avoid laybys and country parks after dark - unless you and Rover are prepared for a big surprise!

Have your say

What do you think about dogging? Let us know! Please use the form below to send us your comments. Honiss I go dogging most weekends, its so much fun and so exciting! carl murphy Ive been dogging for years, its so much fun you get to meet so many interesting people owen powell What ever floats your boat enjoy life to the max and have as much pleasure as possible im more into recreational drugs and snm "Jugs" Me and a few friends decided last night, "Hey let's go see what's all the fuss about!" So we went to a local known 'Dogging' layby. There were a few car's, and it was known to us that if you flash your lights, your up for action! We just messed about laughing, getting scared by more car's coming in.But i wanted to know what would really happen! So i dragged my friend with me to walk along the layby, hand in hand, squeezing out of pure fright!To cut a longer story short, there were a few men standing outside a car, so we were polite and said "hi" and they replyed, and ended up standing chatting to the nicest people we have ever met at 1.00 A.M! They were telling us all the gorey details and what the different signals mean!It felt so naughty, but that made it feel soo right!It was a great night! I think it's a fantastic thing! Carry on Dogging!X uk_eddie Its not new. I'm 45 and have been at it since I was 16. Lost my virginity as a teenager doing it. As long as its discreet and out of the 'public' eye its fine. Also, take away your mess and only leave footsteps. Problem is though that the police all over the country are now harrasing the dogging community. So much so that in one area in a popular place they searched to woods late at night in the dark trying to bust people having sex. Havent they got better things to do. dave as long as no one is getting hurt why not give it a go its very exciteing ollie hulahan i love dogging its a good chance for poeple to meet and have good clean adult fun topheavy WOW its brilliant, no harm is caused to anybody, Dont knock it until you've tried it. Rose I think it is great. Too bad we don't have anything like this in Canada. As long as they are away from other people who frown on it and aren't trying to force it on anyone what's the harm. Billie It only harms them that want to be harmed. I'm a gay and me and my partners go dogging and get a good audience and frequently spectators wanting to join us. Tony I think its really a very healthy activity! My wife was more agreeable at forst, but now seems a wee shy... Nipple It is my favourite passtime. I just love to join in and don't mind if people watch me in action. bradley i love it i can't get enough of it. nick i would like to know where zoe and becky do it Randy from Anaheim CA I sure hope i can start your trend over here in California. You Brits STILL have good ideas. Steve Very pleased to see the BBC posting this article. It's nice to see people feeling the freedom to losen up and enjoy themselves after a couple of hundred years of Victorian values. I'll think I'll give it a try. MIKE ME AND MY FRIENDS DO IT EVERY WEEKEND IN AND AROUND LEEDS. Zoe and Becky We do it all the time and find it exilerating. We think that more people should try it. It doesn't do anyone any harm and is a leisure activity. Dan I think it could be great fun. Richard Don't want to join in, but as long as it doesn't intrude on other peoples lives everyone to their own. Name: Comment:

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