Why I believe in Barefoot Shoes

And How One Walk Changed Everything

If you had told me years ago that one day I’d open a shop dedicated entirely to barefoot shoes, I wouldn’t have believed you. Back then, I was living in the U.S., working as a Nurse and living with severe rheumatoid arthritis. 

I had been told by doctors that I’d likely need multiple joint replacements in my toes. That I shouldn’t be walking long distances. That my bones were fragile and stress fractures were inevitable. There was even talk of a wheelchair in my future.

But then something happened that changed everything.

A Walk That Changed My Life

After my dad died, I returned to the UK on what felt like a kind of pilgrimage — a walk to reconnect with my homeland, and perhaps with myself. Despite being told not to walk, I walked.
And I kept walking...

600 miles.
One step at a time.
Getting stronger with every step.

That walk — which became the subject of my book Ali Goes Walking — wasn’t just a physical journey. It was a quiet revolution. I realised how much I had internalised the limits others had set for me. How many self-limiting beliefs I’d adopted from people who didn't understand the healing power of movement.

I returned a different person.
Curious. Empowered. Questioning everything I’d been told about health, healing, and what’s possible.

🌱 The Barefoot Turning Point

That’s when I discovered barefoot shoes.

Not through research or science at first—but through feel.
They were simply the most comfortable shoes I had ever put on my feet.

They didn’t confine or cushion. They let me feel the ground. They let my foot work. And slowly but surely, they changed everything.

Fast forward —and I can now say, hand on heart, that I believe barefoot shoes are one of the key reasons I'm still:

They’ve allowed my feet to function as they’re meant to: naturally.
Despite all the joint damage, my feet are strong. Given space, my toes have realigned into a position where they can function. My balance and gait have improved.  My whole body is working better from the ground up. And 27 years after my RA diagnosis, my feet are still carrying me—powerfully

🏡 A Shop with Soul

Eventually, I returned to the UK to live—landing almost by chance in Kington, Herefordshire on the Welsh Borders.  I bought a flat above a retail space on the High Street. My flat became a B&B for walkers on Offa's Dyke National Trail and below a small retail shop selling gear for walkers.

What started as a hobby business grew into something much bigger. The Walking Hub, my little outdoor shop, began to focus more and more on barefoot shoes as people discovered them—and their benefits.

Eventually, The Walking Hub moved to bigger premises just around the corner. And the original little space? It’s now been reborn as...

🌟 The Barefoot Shoe Box

The UK’s First Independent Barefoot Shoe Shop

A small but mighty showroom dedicated solely to barefoot and minimalist footwear. A place where people can explore, learn, and connect to a growing movement. It’s not a full retail space (we handle fittings and purchases at The Walking Hub), but it’s a space with purpose.

It represents my journey—one that started with limitation, but turned into something strong, sustainable, and full of movement.

💚 A Socially Conscious Step Forward

This isn’t just about shoes.
It’s about reimagining what's possible.
It's about creating a business that reflects my values: minimal impact, meaningful choices, and responsibility—to ourselves, our communities, and our planet.

If you’re barefoot-curious, if you're navigating chronic pain, if you’ve ever been told what you can’t do—I hope my story inspires you to listen to your own body. To trust your instincts. To walk your own path.

Come visit. Let your feet guide you.

📍 The Barefoot Shoe Box
26 High Street, Kington. HR5 3AX
👀 Showroom only – please try on and purchase at The Walking Hub, 20 High Street
🌐 More info: http://barefootshoebox.co.uk
📖 Read my story: Ali Goes Walking