Barefoot Outside (Uk)

Amazing weather to kick off the barefoot season...For anyone not in the UK we’ve had temperatures from 14-20C in the last week or so - it’s been great to lose the shoes so early in the year but also a bit worrying. It’s been more like late April or early May than February, I’ve never been barefooting before while snowdrops are out. Still it’s felt beautiful underfoot!

 

How's everyone's Easter going? Barefoot I hope! I've been barefoot since Thursday evening and I will not be wearing any footwear until I'm back to work tomorrow.
Good Friday saw me out in a market town was very sunny and the cool stone cobbles felt fantastic under bare soles, went into a few shops and a pub with ease.
Saturday I had to go do some last minute shopping down the local home store and supermarket. I was as always anxious going to the supermarket barefoot but all worked out fine and I loved the soothing cool tiles.
Sunday well I just chilled and went for a nice walk in the nearby woods, the sunlight peering through trees and the warm dirt underneath my bare soles was wonderful.
Today! Well just another relaxing day, might go on another walk. I'm out for a meal this evening which I will be barefoot for aswell.

 

That sounds a lot like mine. Amazing weather for an Easter weekend I did a 300 mile road trip (no shoes with me), walks in hills and woods which are looking stunning now everything is coming to life. I can’t believe how dry the ground is for the time of year, I’d like a bit of rain to make the ground nice and soft. I find supermarkets are generally fine, the only one I’ve been told off in was a Tesco. I heard a lot of comments about my feet this weekend and some people asked questions, there’s no doubt you have to be ready for the attention but it’s totally worth it. Very sad the thought of wearing foot coffins tomorrow

 

Sounds like a fantastic weekend! Oh please don't remind me about the foot prisons. Arghh

 

It was nice and relaxing. Cramped and stuffy already though, can’t wait for 5pm! How did you get on at your meal out?

 

Lucky you! I have to wait until 6pm!!! My feet are burning and longing to be bare again. Was a struggle this morning after 4 days barefoot.

My meal out was lovely thanks, only down the local brewers fayre pub thingy. The warm tarmac of the car park to the lovely brown scrubbing doormat was nice underfoot then the cool ceramic tiles was welcome relief before stepping into the plush carpet. It wasn't busy and I was pretty obviously barefoot in my shorts. Nobody said a word I dare say they noticed.

Sadly no other adults in bare feet plenty of flip flops though and a few younger children happily running in and out without shoes or socks on which I thought was nice.

 

Sounds good, love the feeling of going from cool tiles to thick carpet. It's funny when kids see you barefoot as they often whip their shoes off to their parents dismay! It's a shame it's turned so cool outside but good to have some rain, hopefully it'll make the ground softer. I have to admit it was a bit painful in some woodland areas last week, beechnuts and rock hard ground tests your barefooting skills!

 

The last few weeks have been great for us UK based barefooters, fairly dry and warm. I never go out to get dirty soles, but with the recent weather the pavements and roads have made my feet filthy.

Ive also seen a few more barefooters too, especially near the coast and not always near a beach.

There was a young lad running in trainers, and then at the end of his run he took his trainers off and walked back through the town barefoot.

 

Not many, if any, barefooters in Birmingham. Think I'm the only one now that Pete the feet has passed. Warm pavements = dirty soles. Love it.

 

After being barefoot continuously for 10 days, apart from wearing flip flops for about 2 hours in total, I've got to go back to work tomorrow. Not only shoes, but socks as well. Not looking forward to it.

Still, only 4 days til another barefoot weekend. It's the Worksop Pride on Saturday, the weather forecast is good so I'll be disappointed if I don't see at least one or two others there barefoot.

 

That’s gonna suck.

 

Oh man I feel for you I know the exact feeling. I went back to work today after a blissful barefoot week off. Not so much as a sock on for 9 days.

I have to say though I don't think a day in shoes has done any good at all. My heel hurts.

Still back in bare feet now and its raining out so a nice cool walk with the dogs is going to be this evenings activity.

 

I must say that wearing shoes and socks felt really strange this morning, and not seeing my bare feet for 10 hours was not cool. At the end of the day I did my usual routine of changing into t-shirt, shorts and flip flops for the short walk to the car (bare feet are definitely not allowed at work) then doing the 40 minute drive home barefoot, which always feels good.

 

So yesterday morning I went out about 7 for a nice walk around town, it's great on a Saturday morning, really busy, street cleaners, the market being set up, people on the way to work and so on. Feels good to stroll around, barefoot and not giving a damn what anyone thinks.

This morning I went out really early at 4am, couldn't wait to feel the cool surfaces underfoot, not many people about sadly, but still good fun. Walking barefoot on a Sunday morning just as the dawn chorus begins is a lovely experience.

A few things I love about going barefoot early (and not so early) on a summer morning,

The way different surfaces feel, some still quite warm, some quite cool.
The sound of my feet slapping against some of those surfaces when it's quiet.
Walking through the puddles after the hanging baskets have been watered and leaving a trail of bare foot marks.
Looking at the reflection of my feet in the shop windows.
Waiting to cross roads, my toes hanging over the edge of the pavement, flexing them and feeling the fresh air between.
Stepping off the curbs and landing on my tip toes, feeling very light on my feet and alive.
The look on different peoples faces, some seemingly shocked at the sight of bare feet, some probably wishing they could do it, though very rarely does anyone say anything.

I really love the sense of vulnerability you get when out barefoot, of being exposed, the feeling of doing something the vast majority wouldn't dare to do. They don't know what they're missing.

 

Yes, very often parents are shoddies ((

 

Starting to get a litter colder now in the UK, but the warmth of the underground in London is great - the only problem your soles get filthy Ive seen a few barefooters recently but not that many. Supermarkets seem to be popular, and petrol stations. I saw a guy doing a hike barefoot the other week, as we both noticed each other was barefoot.

 

We are doing a London barefooters meet-up this Saturday 9th November. Meet under the clock at Waterloo railway station @ 11:30. We can then decide where we’d like to go. If fine, a walk along the river perhaps, let’s see! See Facebook page - Barefoot Living UK

 

I'd love to come, but I dont think I'd make it from Auckland in time! Im intrigued we dont have these types of groups in NZ, maybe because so many people are barefoot as a matter of course, the need for this type of solidarity and support is not needed. Hell, if we have such groups imagine the turn out!

 

OK I'm intrigued to know....did this get off the ground? Did anyone turn up?

 

Yes we had around 10 barefooters turned up from around the South East and the Midlands. We just spent the morning chatting to each other getting to know each other over a coffee and some food. We are wishing to do another one when the weather gets milder. Checkout the Barefoot Living UK group on Facebook.