The Dirty Sole Society's
			   Winter Barefoot Gathering '98

				Information

	Filed by: Joe Huntington
	Location: London, England
	Dates   : February 7-16, 1998.



     I and a friend,Dave,went on a trip to England from February 7th to
February 16th. Our host was Clive Kemp.
     Dave and I arrived at the Manchanster England airport about 7am on
Saturday February 7th. Our flight got in a little early. Clive arrived
barefoot a few minutes later. after exchanging greetings we went to Clive's
car for the ride to his home in Sheffield. I took off my shoes as soon as we
got in his car and, except for church on Sundays,I was barefoot until we got
back to the airport on February 16th for our flight home.
    After about an hour long drive we got to Clive's house. Dave took off his
shoes when we got to Clive's house and was barefoot until February 16th.
    Saturday afternoon Clive,Dave and I went to bradford to see a pantomine
performance at the Alhambra Theater. the performance was a combination
musical/comedy and was very good. The theater was an elegant Victorian era
theater. We had no problems going barefoot. In fact we had lunch at a
restaurant in the theater before the performance. the ushers were very polite
and no one made any comments about our barefeet everyone just enjoyed the
show.
    After the performance was over we walked to the parking lot (or car park
as they say in England) where Clive had parked his car. The temperature had
dropped down to the mid 30'sF,which was the coldest the temperature ever got
the entire time we were in England.
     On our way back to Clive's house we stopped at a big supermarket and
wandered about looking for soda and snack food. The store employees were
courteous and again no one made any comments about our barefeet. After that we
went to a take out pizza place and then back to Clive's house.
     The next day,Sunday February 8th,we went to Chatsworth House in the
afternoon. Chatsworth House is a large country estate. the grounds are open to
the public. There we went for an hlong walk. The temperature was in the 40'sF.
The ground was cool,but not cold. My hands felt colder than my feet. We walked
along a path consisting of firm but moist dirt. It felt very pleasant to my
bare soles. A few sections had a little mud,just enough to squish between our
toes!
     After awhile we ventured off the path and walked thru a grassy meadow
where there were sheep grazing. 
     After we got back to the car we drove to Bakewell,a small village. We
stopped and had Bakewell pudding at the "Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop".
The hostess sat us at a table right by the fireplace. The heat from the fire
quickly warmed our feet. After we finished eating we went downstairs to the
bakeshop. the dining room was carpeted bthe bakeshop had a stone floor.
Feeling the stone floor with my bare soles made me more aware that this was a
very old building,built in another era.
    On Monday February 9th we got up early for a train ride to London. Clive
drove us to the Sheffield train station. We parked in a parking lot near the
train station. The pavement was cool. None of us brought any shoes with us.
   After walking thru the train station and down to the platform by the train
our soles were already getting black. No one at the train station made any
mention of our barefeet.
   the train ride was very comfortable. We arrived in London a little before
noon. We got off the train and walked over to a reataurant in the station to
get something to eat. After lunch we walked down some stairs to the
"Underground" (the London subway). We walked thru several passageways to the
line we wanted. Our soles were very black by now.
   The subway train we got on was crowded. The floor had long wooden
slats,very interesting to stand on and to grip with our toes when the train
swayed! We got off at a station several blocks from "Big Ben". The weather was
dry and the temperature was in the mid to upper 40'sF. we walked to
Westminster Abby and walked by the Parliament buildings. Dave and I then
walked across one of the bridges over the Thames River. meanwhile Clive went
over to the dockand found out about boat rides. After taking some photos from
the other side of the Thames,Dave and I walked back over to the docks. There
the three of us got the next boat for a trip down to the Tower of London and
back. As we got on the boat one of the crew made a comment about how it must
be hard walking barefoot on the rough dock. We assured him it was not
difficult at all. The dock was covered with a coarse material which I assume
was to prevent it from getting slippery when wet. We had no problems getting
on board and had a good tour of the river.
    After the boat ride we walked around the city for awhils sightseeing. We
stopped at a pub near Trafalgar Square. Dave and I being used to seeing NSNSNS
signs in the US were a little concerned about whether we would be allowed in
barefoot. There was no sign (In fact we did not see any NSNSNS signs anywhere
in England,not even at McDonald's). But this pub had a very formal look. Most
of the men there were dressed in suits and ties. Clive did not think there
would be any problem and he was right. No one in the pub made any comment
about our barefeet.
    While Clive and Dave had a beer,I went across the stret to buy some
souveniers. I was looking at some T-shirts on a bottom shelf. the sacame over
and asked if he could help me. He squatted down to look for a T-shirt in the
size I wanted so I know he saw my barefet. He was very polite and did not say
anything about my being barefoot. He found the shirt in the size I was looking
for. I bought the shirt and he thanked me for shopping there. 
    After that I went back to the pub where Clive and Dave were waiting. Clive
wanted Dave and I toy  experience a ride in a London taxi cab (the big black
cabs). Clive told the cab driver to by Buckingham Palace. The cab driver was
very friendly gave us information about the palace. It was almost like a mini
tour. We had the driver drop us off at Leicester Square. We walked around the
area for a little while then went to the Imperial Pub where we were to meet
Emma Critchley,Ian Turner and Ian's girlfriend Jac.
    We sat down at a table and after a short while the door opened and in came
three barefooters. We knew immediately there were Ian,Jac and Emma. It was
great meeting them. We introduced ourselves to each other. then,since we were
all hungry,the six of us set off for a chinese restaurant,Wong Tei,for dinner.
The restaurant was just a short walk from the Imperial. The temperature was
colder now,probably about 40F.
    The restaurant was very crowded. We were greeted at the door by a man who
showed us to a table in the dining room on the upper level. We followed him
thru the dining area on the ground floor and up some stairs to the dining area
on the second level. No one at the restaurant said anything about our
barefeet. The food was very good. We all enjoyed the dinner.
    After dinner we walked around the Chinatown section of London and took
some photos. Soon it was time to say goodbye to our new friends. We walked
with them to their Underground station for their ride back. It was a great
evening!
    Dave,Clive and I still had about an hour and a half before we had to get
our train back to Sheffield so we walked around the Piccadilly Circus area. We
went into a few stores and a little mall. There were two security guards at
the mall who saw we were barefoot but said nothing. They apparently did not
care that we were barefoot.
    After that we walked to an Underground station and took the line back to
the train station. We stopped at a McDonalds across the street from the train
station. There was no sign and we had no problem going in barefoot. after
McDonalds it was time to get our train. It was a great day!
      The next day,Tuesday February 10th,Clive drove Dave and I to Derwent
Reservoir where we went for a hike along the reservoir. The temperature was
probably in the low 40'sF. The english countryside has many clearly marked
"public footpaths".The path we hiked along was mostly dirt. A few sections had
some gravel and there were a few sections that had mud. With my barefeet in
direct contact with the ground I felt very close to nature. We were in such a
natural setting and hiking in the most natural way. I thought of all the
people who in centuries past walked barefoot all year round in this same
English countryside. We hiked for about two hours.
     On wednesday February 11th we drove to Clive's cottage in Saltfleet on
the east coast of England. After unloading the car we went to the nearby town
of Louth for lunch. We had fish and chips at a restaurant named "Mr Chips".
Again no one there cared that we were barefoot. After that we walked around
Louth for awhile.
    That night we back to Louth to see a movie. There was no problem getting
in the theater barefoot.
    Thursday February 12th we went to the small town of Alford. We had lunch
at the "half Moon" pub. After lunch we walked around the town. The temperature
was very pleasant (low 50'sF I would guess). 
    After exploring Alford we drove to Mablethorp,a costal town and walked
around. We went into a market whic was a combination grocery store/general
store. It was a big store. Part of the store had an old wooden floor and the
other half had a cement floor. My feet enjoyed the different floor textures.
    On Friday February 13th Dave and I went for morning walk in Saltfleet.
Then Clive drove us to Louth again where we all had lunch at the "Wheatsheaf"
pub. the building was very old. Part of it had a stone floor. 
    After lunch we walked over to an indoor marketplace in the center of  the
town. I would guess the building was about 200 years old. The floor was an old
cement floor and had an interesting texture.
    Later in the day we drove back to Sheffield. That night we went to the
Crystal Peaks Mall,a large shopping mall with a multiplex movie theater. We
got something to eat at a McDonalds in the mall and then went to see the movie
"The Full Monty". The movie had been filmed in Sheffield and Clive was able to
point out some of the local landmarks shown in the movie. again there were no
"signs" and no one made any comments about our barefeet.
    the next day,Saturday February 14th we went to Bolsover Castle in
Derbyshire. Included in the admission price was the use of a self guiding
cassette tape. there were actually three separate sections to Bolsover Castle.
One section housed one of the earliest indoor riding schools. the riding area
was covered with loose,almost powder like, dirt. The dirt puffed between our
toes as we walked. It was delightful to walk in. 
     The next section was an early 17th century castle like mansion. it was
partially in ruins. the roof was gone but the walls were intact. The floor on
the ground level was stone. We walked dosome stairs to the lower level that at
one time housed the kitchens. the floor was stone and gravel. Some of the
walls and stairs between the chambers were in ruins. Because I was barefoot I
could get a better grip walking and climbing over the ruins.
     The third section was the "Little Castle". It was well preserved. Upon
entering the castle we noticed the temperature inside was much cooler than the
temperature outside. It was about 50F outside. Inside it was at least five
degrees cooler and the stone floors were colder than the inside air
temperature. Our self guiding tour led us to the chambers in the basement. The
floors were stone and had a variety of textures. The floors in the upper
levels were smoother and some of the rooms in the living quarters had marble
tile floors. As I walked thru the castle I about how some people must have
walked barefoot years and years ago on these same floors,especially in the
servent areas,feeling the same textures with their barefeet.
     Saturday night we went to "Bankers Draft",a new pub in Sheffield,for
dinner. The pub is in a former bank building. It has two levels and was very
crowded. Dave ordered chilli and said it was the best chilli he ever had!
Again we had no problem getting in barefoot.
      Sunday February 15th we had lunch at a restaurant and then went to a
Makro trade store (similar to a Sam's Club or Price Club or Costco). no one in
the restaurant or the store cared that we were barefoot.
      after that we went for a short hike in the countryside. That evening we
had dinner at a curry restaurant in Sheffield. The service was excellent and
neither the owner nor the waiter cared that we were barefoot.
      On monday February 16th we packed up and got ready for our trip home.
Clive drove us to the airport in Manchester. It had been a great trip!