I’ve read all of Anna’s book but I have a tile and it’s that I have to be travelling. It’s a self imposed rule but it feels McNuffy so I go with it. Because of said rule this has been patiently waiting for me to get on a train and March 2023 I finally went on many trains, a plane and quite a few tube/metros and went in headfirst. Anna’s team are editing clips from each stage into vlogs for her YouTube channel. They really chart the ups and downs of the trip, from the beauty of remotest Scotland to down days in tears on tarmac. Anna’s social media is full of photographs of her feet on the mend, bloodied, battered or covered in dirt. Anna McNuff had never run a mile without shoes on before. And yet, one British summer, she set off to run a (very) wiggly route from the Shetland Islands to London – on a mission to cover the distance of 100 marathons… in bare feet.

Barefoot Britain – McNuff Books

Anna’s previous adventures include cycling 5,500 miles through the Andes, 11,000 miles through every US state and even rollerblading 100 miles around Amsterdam. But even for Anna’s lofty standards, 100 barefoot marathons seems pretty mad. And with that, and a trademark McNuff hug, I retire from the group and watch the 10-strong remaining runners head further south down the map of Britain. One is running in their barefeet, all the way to London. I’m actually tending more towards roads now,” she laughs. “Grass is amazing but it’s when I don’t know what the trail is going to bring it’s difficult. The worst thing is the tarmac with the chips over the top. That is brutal. But for the most part suburban and city tarmac is fine.”Meeting with Girlguiding members along the way Anna has helped inspire them to have the confidence to seek out new challenges and believe they can do anything. Anna met with over 70 units along her journey and many of these heart-warming moments are featured in her book.

Barefoot Britain: A running adventure like no other eBook

So when we got in touch to suggest an interview about Barefoot Britain, it only seemed right that we join her on the road for the chat. To move onto the obvious question though: why barefoot? Anna’s feet are in for a whole lot of running. Photo: Richard Murgatroyd The daughter of two Olympians, McNuff grew up in a family where the pursuit of physical and mental excellence was encouraged. From age 6 she played football in a boys league and later went on to play for Wimbledon Ladies FC. At aged 16 she took up rowing and went on to represent Great Britain. During her time in the Great Britain Squad, McNuff became a World Champion at the University Games in 2006, [1] and won a bronze medal at the 2007 European Championships. Due to injury she retired from rowing and embarked upon new endurance challenges as an adventurer. From climbing mountains and cycling across continents to running marathons barefoot, these books inspire you to push yourself to the limit and experience life to the fullest. She says she isn’t an evangelist for barefoot running – ‘You should run in whatever you’re comfortable in’ – but that was the element that changed the challenge from being tough but achievable into something genuinely scary. The group of 22 runners in Edinburgh is the largest Anna has welcomed yet on her trip. “When I run out of energy everyone else gives me energy,” she says. “It’s like this big ball of brightly coloured running joy, tumbling its way through Britain. It really cheers me up.”I wanted to do a run where I felt that level of terrified and excited and the thought popped into my head – ‘why don’t you do it in your bare feet’? Straight away another little voice said ‘that’s mad!’ And I thought, hang on – if I think it’s mad then maybe it’s a good idea?” Starting on the Right Foot Alastair Humphreys has a style of writing that I love. It’s funny, entertaining and will probably make you cry at points too. You really feel like you’re living the highs and the lows that come with his adventures.

BAREFOOT BRITAIN - Anna McNuff

Whether you’re an armchair traveller or an outdoor enthusiast, these adventure books are sure to capture your imagination and take you on an unforgettable journey. She has been running five days a week, sometimes marathon distance, sometimes shorter, along a route that’s enabled her to inspire in person as many of the UK’s almost half a million Girl Guides as possible. That’s meant treading on sheep poo and thistles in all of the UK’s National Parks, but also chewing gum and kebab wrappers in plenty of cities. Anna’s new book all about her Barefoot Britain Challenge is inspirational to girls because it shows us that anything is possible if we put our minds to it. Adventure is so important and Anna’s new book means that girls can be inspired from home as well as out and about. Girlguiding is all about inspiring girls and encouraging adventure.” Overall though, she seems to be coping remarkably well. Anna’s feet have been through the good and bad so far on Barefoot Britain. Photo: Anna McNuffAnna McNuff had never run a mile without shoes on before. And yet, one British summer, she set off to run a (very) wiggly route from the Shetland Islands to London - on a mission to cover the distance of 100 marathons... in bare feet. The group are waiting for Anna McNuff. And they let out a huge cheer as the floppy pink hair and bare feet of the acclaimed outdoor adventurer bounds across the street to meet them. From the Shetland Isles, Anna’s run - which took five months - took her down the northeast coast of Scotland towards Inverness, before heading down to Glasgow and Edinburgh via Aberdeen. That’s why I’ve run the length of the UK in my bare feet – to show girls and young women that taking risks and doing things that scare them, big or small, can be incredible.