During the last two decades, about 60 barefoot parks have been founded in Germany and Austria. They are open to the public and offer the opportunity to walk for some distance (up to three miles) on natural ground and to feel a variety of materials with the bare soles.

Moreover, visitors can enjoy balancing or climbing exercises und walk through brooks or even rivers.  Some barefoot parks include playground sections designed for barefoot use. This healthy combination of barefoot hiking and playing has become a real touristic attraction.

The Trentham Gardens Barefoot Walk, Stoke on Trent, United Kingdom

Witches' Water in Tyrol -- an excellent barefooting theme park in Austria

Some more examples:

Dornstetten in the Black Forest, Germany

Bad Wünnenberg / Westphalia, Germany

Bad Sobernheim at the river Nahe, Germany

Dornstetten            view the map:

This barefoot park was founded by the initiative of a local vein disease sanatorium. Situated in a forest and meadow area, it fascinates visitors with a spacious water playground. This kind of medical treatment is great fun!

Advice is given how to prevent and to cure vein disease:

Every week, thousands of people enjoy natural walking on an exceptional variety of grounds.

You can find more information about the Barefoot Park of Dornstetten on its German Web Site.

Bad Sobernheim      view the map:

This barefoot walk is the first one that has been founded in Germany. Since 1992 some million feet have found their path along the little river Nahe -- mainly over meadows. It is equipped with sections of varying materials including a bassin of loam for those who like to wear brown socks......

In addition, stations for harmless climbing an balancing exercises are included in the trail. Barefoot visitors of Bad Sobernheim can choose among several adventurous ways to cross the river, through a ford, with a ferry boat or over a suspension-bridge.

You can find more information about the Barefoot Path of Bad Sobernheim on its German Web Site.

Bad Wünnenberg

has a trail of less than one mile around a pond in nice landscape and offers walking on a variety of materials as well as through freshwater creeks.

Noboby is afraid of walking along the mud pool, for there is good opportunity to wash the feet at the end of the barefoot adventure.