Always beach or river ready, a trusty pair of wellies has to be top of the packing list for any UK staycation, mini break or day out where mud or water is involved and the object of the day is to keep feet warm and dry while having lots of fun.
You can forget any worries about wet socks or water stains on box-fresh trainers. Wellies don’t even need a dust down and will be perfectly dry and ready to slip on for your next adventure.
Those who work in the great outdoors have always counted on wellington boots as essential kit. They’re the obvious choice when durable, waterproof, zero maintenance footwear is the order of the day.
Nearly everyone owns at least one pair in their lifetime. Wellies are perfect kid attire: affordable, colourful, always suitable for outdoor fun – even the most discerning mini-fashionista will pull on a pair of wellies with glee. Which is great seeing how it’s so important to get children out of doors, rain or shine.
Wellies can be easily repaired too, all you need is some waterproof and mouldable glue, like Sugru to keep them lasting a lifetime. Then if you grow out of them, they are the perfect hand me downs!
Outdoor exercise combined with a healthy diet helps to keep young immune systems nice and strong. And all those lovely endorphins produced while having a great time outside in the fresh air are essential for good mental health.
Jumping in puddles, keeping small feet safe while rock pooling, damming a stream, making a mud creation, kicking up clouds of leaves, being a snow angel and making the most of the magical white stuff when it comes. Endless fun, made possible by wearing a pair of trusty wellies.
Budding ecologists will love kick sampling a stream for wildlife: facing downstream with a net, scuff the stream bed with the heel of your wellie and see what catches in the net (before releasing finds back into the water).
We love our boots so much there’s even a sport dedicated to them – and one that Britons can proudly claim to have invented! Welly Wanging sees competitors throw their wellington boot as far as possible from a running or standing start, or, in a varied form, hurl the boot from the foot as if kicking off a pair of socks.
When it is finally time to say goodbye to a pair of faithful old friends, they don’t need to be consigned to the bin to become part of the growing landfill problem. Some manufacturers offer incentives to customers who return their worn out boots for recycling so it’s worth checking.
You could also upcycle your old stalwarts. Wellies can make fun plant holders, especially if they already have a hole for drainage. They can also serve as alternative buckets for smaller garden tools, and even as pet food feeders once the toe area has been removed.
You could see if there are local charities or organisations in your area who take serviceable boots – some country hotels and festivals like to keep a stock of waterproof boots in all sizes available for visitors to use.
All in all, the cost per wear of a pair of wellington boots probably scores as well as any other item of clothing. They can seem to last forever! And with the first hint of autumn now in the air, it’s that lovely time of year to look forward to the changing season, and to some refreshing short strolls in the company of our best footwear friends.
“It might be raining outside but it’s no reason not to wrap up and get wet! Many people think playing in the rain will give you a cold, but a good diet and regular exercise will keep your child’s immune system strong. So why not jump in some puddles!”
