Bare Foot in The Park

Britain has it’s very own bare foot park, the first of its kind in this country. It's a playground for feet, an unorthodox nature trail covered with a variety of surfaces; and, it's meant to boost our health and vitality. The trail, one kilometre long, is in a partly wooded area in the Italian gardens of the Trentham Estate, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

The textures on the trail, fall into two broad categories: those that feel good, and those that are high on the “yuck” and “ouch” factor. Into the former fall logs that massage the arches, a sloshy trough of water, timber slices laid out like Smarties, soft sand, hay, and a warm burbling stream

. Officially the trail is called a Barfuss Park. “Barfuss” is German for “barefoot”, and the parks are popular in Germany and Austria. Sebastian Kneipp, a Bavarian monk, developed the concept in the 19th century. He is the founder of a natural health system called Kneippen (pronounced knipen), a kind of waterborne reflexology. Kneipp believed that wading barefoot on wet grass or in shallow water stimulated the internal organs, strengthened the immune system and helped the body to heal itself.

For more details about the park and its benefits visit www.trenthamleisure.co.uk