The UK is full of ‘walking towns’, but if you’re heading to one of them, you’d better have some cures for tired and sore tourist feet.
Locals will tell you that the best way to see London, York, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Bristol, Lincoln, Cambridge, Oxford, and dozens of other popular cities is on foot. Then you’re touring huge museums or around charming, but huge, street markets and discount shopping towns. And don’t forget a two-mile or two-mile hike on the lakes, peaks, or the South Downs. If at the end of a day or two your feet are not begging for mercy, then you are not doing your job as a tourist.
It’s easy to forget about those hardworking pups when planning itineraries, organizing spending money, and packing. But have a thought for your feet. If you don’t, they will get a nasty revenge.
It is mainly about the shoes
You’d think that sturdy, comfortable shoes would be an obvious choice for sightseeing. But you’d be surprised how many visitors we see hitting the sidewalks at popular tourist spots wearing canvas espadrilles, flip flops, or absolutely flat irons. You can see from the pained expressions on their faces that they already regret their choice of footwear.
Of course, stock up on bargain-priced Louboutins during the Harrods sale or make a pilgrimage to the original and incredibly smug Manolo Blahnik shop on London’s King’s Road in search of killer stilettos. But take them home and save the scorching pleasure of wearing them for later.
Comfortable and attractive travel shoes don’t have to mark you as a tourist. Take a look at these comfortable city and country travel shoes for women and travel shoes for all types of men.
Well, you have sensible shoes but you still have bloated and tired food. Take a look at some of the following proven remedies .
Support Hosiery
Nurses and other workers who stay on their feet all day know that support stockings aren’t just for pregnant women and postmenopausal women. The gentle pressure of a good pair of knee support stockings, stockings, or socks helps prevent swelling of the feet and tired, sore calf muscles. These days they look like normal tights, stockings, and pantyhose. You can even get them as sexy thigh highs, with lace up to the thighs. And they also dress up as light knee socks that you can wear under pants or jeans.
Maybe you’ve already bought a pair of compression socks recommended for long-haul flights. Put a few extra pairs in your luggage to use during your travels.
Support socks for men
If you value your comfort, don’t be too macho to try men’s support socks. They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, from ankle socks designed to support ankles and arches to knee-high socks and specialized sports versions for cycling and hiking. Go smooth, silky, or thick and warm. Go wild colors or go for professional blacks and navy blues. No one but you knows that you are using a support hose, and your feet will thank you for believing me.
Hot / Cold Therapy Booties
We love the idea of these unisex hot / cold therapy booties from NatraCure. They’re soft, fleece-lined ankle socks, the kind you could slip into for padding in your hotel room after a long day on your feet. But what makes them special are the gel packs – a pair of them comes with every pair of booties. Heat the gel packs in a microwave or chill them in the freezer. Then slide them into the integrated sleeves (top of foot, around the heel, or under the forefoot) for warm or cool relief where you need it. If your room is not equipped with a microwave or refrigerator, ask your hotel or B&B hosts to do it for you.
HeatFreeze Arch Massager
Toss one of these knotty polyethylene devices into your suitcase and you can get a deep tissue massage when you need it. The 6 “long massager looks like a cross between a soccer ball and a hedgehog. You can heat it in hot water, chill it in the freezer, or use it as is. Roll it under the arch of your foot and apply as much pressure as you want and all those little knobby bits stretch out and beat the tension and swelling of your tired feet. The more pressure you apply, the more relief you will get. But be prepared, like any other deep pressure massage, the more difficult the pressure the more it hurts!
Gel inserts for thong sandals
As we already said, it is hard to believe how many people visit the UK in the summer and try to wear flip flops or flat soled sandals all day. If needed, these thong sandal gel inserts from Natura Cure might help. They have a low profile that is supposed to distribute pressure, and being gel, they are smooth and cool. These clear inserts also surround the strap with gel to reduce friction and pressure between the fingers. Personally, we don’t see why the hell you’d be touring in thong sandals anyway. But these can help ease the pain and aggro caused by your shoe vanity.
Why not get on a bike?
Perhaps the easiest way to save your working feet is to give them a break from time to time by choosing some other form of transportation. Most of the larger cities in the UK now have bikes that you can hire from street stalls in city centers. Or you can rent at a city or country bike shop. Even electric bikes are not available to rent to ease the strain of those uphill climbs. Cycling puts a lot less pressure on your feet than constant long-distance walking and allows you to train a little while watching.
