I couldn’t have picked a better week to be off work, hot and sunny - perfect for bare feet! It’s been one of those weeks where a lot of people feel the need to comment especially as there are greeters at most shop doors. Most don’t bother but I was interrogated at the checkout in The Range, the lady realised she’d been abrupt and apologised straight away, said she wasn’t judging just wondered why - because it feels better! Eventually she said “good for you” and had a pleasant conversation...maybe she was a wannabe barefooter...who knows. Also a lady working in a garden centre laughed out loud and said “no shoes” as she walked past - I asked her what was wrong with that and she said “nothing, it’s a great idea” - I wondered why be so rude then but she’d walked off. Also at the entry of B&Q a young bloke asked if I had shoes and of course I said no - said he’d have to radio his supervisor to check it was ok as trolleys were a risk as well as nails, glass etc, the usual stuff - I said it is as there’s no legislation to stop me on safety grounds, thankfully after a stupid delay his supervisor agreed. Hardware stores always feel amazing barefoot, I’ve not ever come across anything hazardous just lovely cool dusty floors and the garden centre area feels amazing when they’ve watered the plants.. I’m rambling now but the same day I was also told by an old woman “that’s dangerous, barefoot outside” - I told her shoes were the real danger and she seemed baffled... I just find it strange how you can go months without comments then have several all clustered together. I’ve noticed there’s less people that wear sandals than there used to be so I guess bare feet are very noticeable, especially when wearing shorts... Anyway I’m enjoying my barefoot week, currently sat by the river on a bike ride
Sounds like a busy barefoot day. Great you had chance to get out barefoot. I'm still at work so I'm out walking the dogs every night barefoot and this week has just been glorious and I have even spotted 4 of the younger generation out in bare feet which is good.
That's great to hear. I also saw a couple of others barefoot in the city and they had no shoes with them. I went barefoot hill walking yesterday, that got a few "you're brave" comments but the terrain was perfect, soft grass and damp warm muddy trails
I went on a 5k hike around the Lake District this week, felt amazing - only saw one other person with no shoes in sight.
That sounds great. Whereabouts did you go? I’ve not done much barefoot hiking around there but did High Rigg I think it was. That’s grassy instead of those horrible gravel paths and felt amazing, boggy in parts too which felt quite cold, very nice on a boiling hot summer’s day.
This was Blea Tarn - the gravel car park is nearby and its a nice walk around. Theres a wooden bridge over a stream part way along, always nice to leave a few bare foot prints along the way. I've seen people swimming in there before now too.
I went to a beach today, and had a wander around the town barefoot, in fact I didn't take any shoes even for emergencies. It was pretty hot underfoot today, but managed to get my feet filthy (and sandy all over too) The best place was the supermarket with underground parking - they always tend be be extremely dirty - full of oil and muck. There were a few people barefoot even a way from the beach. One in a supermarket with filthy soles, and an entire family queuing for a fast food restaurant, and one at a petrol station I was also at.
I just spent the whole morning barefoot in a run-down seaside town. I left my flip flops in the car and wandered into town. I stopped for a coffee on the sea front but did not manage to go into a shop because of security, although I managed to walk straight through a shopping centre. It was a glorious morning and there were lots of different textured paving and some rough roads and paths.
My last time in England was a couple of days in Feb five years ago. If you want some looks, barefoot in London in February will do it!
Great week to have had off work the weather couldn't be better. Been on my travels all over the West Midlands barefoot and not an ounce of problems. Even had several complimentary comments from people who seemed genuinely interested in why I do it. One woman thought my feet were beautiful and began inspecting them with her fingers commenting that she liked my blackened soles - that was a bit creepy lol.
