Hurrah, I've just had my first outdoor barefoot experience and I simply must write about it. It was wonderful, everything I'd hoped for and more. And no, I don't mean around the house or in the garden, I do that all the time and have done for years, I mean out with friends in a busy public place. We visited Wisley Royal Horticultural Society, essentially a huge formal garden in Surrey UK. OK, I guess barefoot in the park is no big deal on this forum, but for me it was and I had even been a bit worried before hand; I really wanted to do it but would I have the nerve to go through with it ? What would people say ? What would my friends say ? Well in the end it was easy. It was a really hot day and kicking off my flip-flops to enjoy the cool grass seemed like the most natural thing in the world and certainly my friends didn't say anything (but nor did they copy me). And once those flip-flops were off they stayed well and truly off for the day. My only regret is that I didn't (and still don't) have the courage to go barefoot from the outset. Maybe some other time, but in a nutshell I didn't want my friends to think I was weird. And I enjoyed Wisley as I have never done before. Always a lovely place to go, this time my visit was enhanced a thousand times by the rich and varied textures beneath my bare feet; not just grass but also gravel, bark chips, block paving, water-worn stone (lovely, natural and cool, my personal favourite), the wood making up the little bridges over the various waterways (worn glass smooth) and even the cool tiled floor of the restaurant. And none of it gave me any trouble, even the gravel was curiously comfortable once I'd adapted the way I placed my feet. The whole day was great, once those flip-flops were off and my feet were completely and properly bare I can honestly say that I didn't give it a second thought. At no point did I feel awkward, even though I got a few (just one or two) stares from the older folk (Wisley is mostly frequented by very old people). But while they were cocooned in their hot and stuffy Sunday-best outfits on a blazing hot summers day (in strict accordance with the rigid dress-code of their day I guess, poor souls) I was gloriously comfortable, feeling completely relaxed and chilled, barefoot and with not a care in the world. In fact I quite enjoyed the occasional look of obvious shock and horror, and ended up turning up my jeans a little bit so that my healthily tanned and luxuriously cool and free bare feet were obvious for all to see. I wonder how many people were wishing they had the courage to do the same. That was such a positive experience that I felt compelled to try something a bit bolder at the first opportunity and as luck would have it I had an assignment in London the very next day. I found myself wondering if I could summon the courage to go barefoot through the streets of London. So the next day, after my assignment, I made my way to nearby Regents Park and put my idea into action, starting easy with a very long barefoot walk through the park, again enjoying the amazing rich and varied textures under my feet and wondering how I’d managed so long (I’m in my forties) without this experience. Once at the end of the park I just carried on, walking barefoot along the streets of a very busy London for several miles flip-flops in hand, although I never once thought to put them on. It was great, and of course no one could have cared less. Quite a week for me. I feel like I’ve found a portal into a new sensory world, one that is amazingly rich in all kinds of wonderful texture, and all I have to do is walk in my bare feet. But of course it’s not quite that simple because such a thing is frowned upon and regarded as weird. It’s a shame because people are really missing out. And as for my feet after all these miles walking through the parks and streets of London, well they’re fine, spotless and not a scratch on them. There is one important difference though, they feel great.
Blimey! Crikey! Gor! or, as we Yanks say: Way to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Going barefoot the first time really IS special---and if you're as open to it as you are, you'll find a whole world of stimulation and sensation and enjoyment awaiting you. All it takes is (maestro, please): "Just a little bit... Just a little bit.... Just a lit-tle bit of barefoot pluck!" Stand you to a pint, mate?
Welcome to outdoor barefooting, soupdragon! I agree that London is great for it, i go there two or three times a year, for barefoot walks with a friend, who is lucky enough to go bf 24/7. I recommend you try going bf on the underground, we've done that many times and it's always great fun. There are several London barefooters you can reach on the SBL (www.barefooters.org), we had a group meet in May, 9 of us.
