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A barefoot path is not only wellness for the feet, but is fun for young and old alike. The path is quickly created in the garden and can also be removed again if necessary.
In a nutshell
- Barefoot path is used to relax and sensitize the feet
- Substrates can consist of organic or mineral material
- there are no limits when it comes to design
What is a barefoot path?
A barefoot path is a path that is walked "bottomless". So the feet can not only get a breath of fresh air, but can also feel different material properties. Which materials are used depends on what you want to do with the soles of your feet. It is important that the path remains as such and does not become an obstacle course.
Create a barefoot path
If you want to create a mobile barefoot path, you only need a few larger plastic tubs, appropriately sized boxes or other flat containers in which two to three steps are possible. If the wellness-path-for-the-feet should be permanent, it is recommended
- to create filling beds,
- to lay them out with a water-permeable fleece and
- attach to the edges.
For both variants, the height of the substrate should be at least ten centimeters. In this way, light filling materials do not compress too much too quickly and firmer ones ensure a certain stability so that the feet do not twist.
Round stones are ideal for a barefoot path as they are very comfortable on the feet.
substrates
It is up to you which substrate you use for the individual filling beds. It is important that no pointed or sharp-edged material gets into the beds, so as not to injure your feet. In any case, the barefoot path should offer variety. As a rule, it consists of three types of routes:
- mud track
- fixed routes
- Fill beds with loose material
To get started, you should choose a soft surface so that your feet can adapt to the new environment. After that it can get a little more strenuous. Then there is another recovery phase. The finish should be on a comfortable surface so that the soles of the feet can recover.
loose material
On a barefoot path, loose materials are all those that can easily get mixed up when walking over them.
Colorful glass gravel (glass chippings)
- blunted shards of glass
- available in many colors
- glitter in the sun
Notice: If broken glass is used, choose an unusual color so you can tell it apart from real broken glass that someone might have put underneath.
Carrara round gravel
- pay attention to the grain
- Compare prices
bottle cork
- no plastic corks
- are available online
barley husks
- available in hardware stores or online
wood chips
- from the hardware store
larch needles
- fall from the trees in autumn
- feel like forest floor
- several wheelbarrow loads are necessary (e.g. from tarred paths with a larch avenue)
larch
leaves
- fallen leaves from your own garden
- ask neighbors
clay / mud
- more suitable for shady places
- should always be mushy
- pay attention to the combination with other filling materials
Shellfish
- are embedded in sand
- Check regularly for sharp corners or edges
shells of hazelnuts
- feel comfortable
- are available online
porphyry chippings
- available in different colors
- rather short distances recommended for beginners
Round gravel (rolled gravel, trickle)
- Grain sizes from 4 to 8 or 8 to 16 millimeters
Notice: Grain sizes of 16 to 32 millimeters are rather uncomfortable and should only be used for very small beds.
sand
- ideal for getting started
- Feet can adjust
sawdust
- ask at a carpentry shop
- also available as bedding (small animal supplies)
grit (precious grit)
- the finer, the more suitable
- Recommended grain size: 2 to 5 millimeters
- no larger than 4 to 8 millimeters
bark mulch
- for shady sections
- dried bark mulch feels prickly
- Pine bark is preferable to spruce bark (less uncomfortable when dry)
grape seeds
- are offered as filling material for heating pads
- are very cuddly
water
- place at the end of the path
- set up two buckets for stork treading
- Put anti-slip mat on the floor
solid material
Solid materials are substrates that do not mix with others when walked over. So that loose material does not get mixed up, sections with solid ground are laid out between sand, sawdust, etc.
basalt columns
- durable
- appropriate size often obtained as a waste product
Cobra Pebbles
- flat to round pebbles
- Grain between 40 and 60 millimeters
- Available in various brown or earth tones
grass
- Fill the track with a piece of sod
- press well
hedges (trimmings)
- only hedges without thorns and prickles
- remove tall branches
chopped green waste
wooden planks
- with contours of the tree trunk
- also look good too
wooden pavement
- are easy to care for
- can be designed differently
hop vines
- ask at farmers nearby
Jurassic lime
- some harder material
- "test" with your hands if necessary
chestnuts
- collect in the fall
- store cool and dry in sand
Notice: Moldy chestnuts do not go into the filling bed.
Keuper sandstone
- with colored gravel in between
- attractive material from Middle Franconia
moss
- from your own garden
- put tight
- press well
logs
- Diameter: 8 to 12 centimeters
- place smooth pieces next to each other without gaps
- in longitudinal or transverse direction (different routes)
- definitely need an enclosure
paper
- crumple up old newspapers
- Do not create infill bed after mud or other wet materials
stones
- Laying pavements from round stones (cat cobblestones)
- can also be moved at a distance
- free stones at larger distances must be well anchored in the ground
flagstones
- are known to many feet
- should only be used sparingly
wooden stick
- Remove splinters and branches that are too long
- show with the bark upwards
- Filling section with soil reduces the risk of tipping over
fir branches
- collect in the forest
- should only be used fresh
cones
- for shady and damp places
- Use fresh cones from the forest if possible
- crumble quickly when dry and exposed to the sun
- Spruce cones ideal for stuffing
- Pine cones often too prickly
- for beginners: a maximum of two to three steps
frequently asked Questions
Are there barefoot paths suitable for children?Yes this is not a problem. The path is especially fun for children if they can help collect the filling materials. In addition, the mud track should not be missing for children.
Can I design a barefoot path according to the seasons?Spring, summer and autumn are suitable for seasonal design, especially for beds with loose or loose material. Stones and logs provide variety in all seasons.
How much does the filling material cost?That depends on what material you want to use. Since many materials from the garden are suitable, you can use them to provide a variety of substrates at low cost.