This is probably a self-answering question, to which the answer is "any human action will cause an impact" but....
Today I went for one of my very first "off the beaten path" walks in the woods. While it only lasted about 15 minutes, and the path was mostly in view for the whole time, AND it's been piddling it down with rain for at least 48 hours, I had a constant, horrible, overwhelming feeling of "YOU'RE DESTROYING EVERYTHING YOUR MASSIVE CLODHOPPERS COME INTO CONTACT WITH. STICK TO THE PATH LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE YOU CRETIN!!!"
I didn't like this feeling. I don't want to feel guilty just for wanting to explore and enjoy woodland - especially since I spotted two deer today (within 3 miles of a massive city centre, surrounded by conurbation!)
Now, I was wearing a very cheap "outdoors-y" kind of shoe, neither trainer or walking boot, but somewhere hideously in-between. Very big, very heavy; but at the same time, they keep my feet warm and dry and provide EXCELLENT grip on uneven ground.
Is there any kind of (affordable...meaning under £40-50) footwear that can perform usefully outdoors in the average British weather but which won't have such an immediately devastating impact on whatever land your foot touches? And if there is any answer but "no" where can I buy such shoes?
Today I went for one of my very first "off the beaten path" walks in the woods. While it only lasted about 15 minutes, and the path was mostly in view for the whole time, AND it's been piddling it down with rain for at least 48 hours, I had a constant, horrible, overwhelming feeling of "YOU'RE DESTROYING EVERYTHING YOUR MASSIVE CLODHOPPERS COME INTO CONTACT WITH. STICK TO THE PATH LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE YOU CRETIN!!!"
I didn't like this feeling. I don't want to feel guilty just for wanting to explore and enjoy woodland - especially since I spotted two deer today (within 3 miles of a massive city centre, surrounded by conurbation!)
Now, I was wearing a very cheap "outdoors-y" kind of shoe, neither trainer or walking boot, but somewhere hideously in-between. Very big, very heavy; but at the same time, they keep my feet warm and dry and provide EXCELLENT grip on uneven ground.
Is there any kind of (affordable...meaning under £40-50) footwear that can perform usefully outdoors in the average British weather but which won't have such an immediately devastating impact on whatever land your foot touches? And if there is any answer but "no" where can I buy such shoes?