It is really interesting to see folks from urban areas react to the dark and 'quiet' of the woods. Some of these folks have never really had the experience of near total darkness. I have some experience with kids at camp who get really freaked out by this. As to the quiet, it is not really quiet, just a softer, different sort of 'noise' and if you are not used to it, it can be scary at first.

Back when I called West Philly home, I remember one night for about 15 minutes when I did not hear a sound, and it really struck me. I was sitting on the rooftop, which was my place of repose, and was watching the night sky, when it occurred to me that I had not heard anything for quite a while, no traffic, no sirens, no other sounds. That actually freaked me out more than the woods.