The secret to feeling young might be as simple as walking barefoot outdoors. Sometimes I just enjoy being silly with my grown daughters. Today was such a day. When we first removed our shoes and I realized that we would be beginning the 3. I mean, come on, had I not raised these girls to stay OUT of the mud? Not only am I now permitting it, I am encouraging it. It was cold and mucky a word we use in the South and solicited squeals and giggles.
The girls thought it was fun too. Turns out that ignoring said initial mommy instinct and strolling shoeless is quite liberating and loads of fun. There is a lot to be said about the health benefits of this particular type of exercise. And, yes, there is a foot wash that you can use when you return to get your shoes. The path is a flat loop and is quite easy for the most part. One side offers wide-open, ever-changing scenery through a great big meadow bordered by a hiking and biking trail.
On the barefoot side, the terrain is mostly hard-packed dirt, mulch and grass. Scattered throughout are several stations of pine cones, tree bark, river stones, wine bottle corks, volcanic rock, sandstone and brick. For those interested in foot gymnastics, there are wooden rollers, balance beams, ladders, and posts in stair-step formation.
The trail crosses the Nahe River twice. You can choose to head feet first into the chilly, brisk, knee-high river while clutching two ropes for balance or you can simply walk a bit further and go across the bridge. To get back across the river, you can inch single file across a rope bridge suspended above the water, or choose to take a small ferry.
We opted for the suspension bridge. The path ends at a snack bar overlooking a playground. There is also a playground just before the suspension bridge. It took us about an hour to walk the entire path. There was a lot of conversation and laughter during this time. I honestly cannot recall the last time I went barefoot in public on a random Wednesday. Once I overcame the mud and dirt caked between my toes and up to my knees, I immensely enjoyed this adventure! Click here for additional information.
