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Alison Howell's

Custom made & crafted English Walking

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Blog
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National Trust’s Montactue House

Leave a Comment / By Sarah / August 14, 2017

National Trust’s Montactue House

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On our blog

The magic of Dorset in spring

Dorset – a place of rolling green countryside, wooded combes, beautiful thatched cottages and stunning coastlines. It’s a landscape that’s

Jane Austen & Bath

“We took a charming walk to Charlcombe, sweetly situated in a little green valley”Jane Austen, 1799 Alongside her writing, Jane

Life on Instagram

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been nam

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been named winner of the Customer Satisfaction Award in the Altaris Business Awards! The awards recognise travel companies that have demonstrated excellence across operations, customer service, and overall business performance.

We’re particularly proud to have won the Customer Satisfaction Award, as customer service is always at the heart of everything we do here at Foot Trails. We love using our local knowledge of South West England to craft bespoke walking & hiking trips for our guests, so this award is particularly special, and wonderful recognition of our work.

Thank you to all of our guests who make this possible! We can't wait to welcome more guests to explore the paths less trodden in our beautiful corner of England.

#AltarisAwards #AltarisBusinessAwards #GlobalBusinessAwards #TravelAwards #winners #walkuk #hikeuk #visitengland #visitsomerset #visitthecotswolds #visitdorset #visitwiltshire #swisbest #englishcountryside #visitbritain #hikingadventures #beautifulbritain #ukhikes #weloveengland

Dorset - a place of rolling green countryside, woo

Dorset - a place of rolling green countryside, wooded combes, beautiful thatched cottages and stunning coastlines. It’s a landscape that’s inspired poets and writers down the centuries - the most famous perhaps Thomas Hardy. It’s not hard to see why this region is so inspiring: it’s a timelessly rural place with a laid-back feel to life that makes it a wonderful place to wander and explore.

We had a great day out back in May, checking one of our routes in Dorset. It was springtime, and the countryside was bursting with life: bright flowers, young lambs and clear skies with white fluffy clouds. As we climbed an ancient hillfort partway through our hike, we were treated to magnificent views in every direction, the sea glimmering tantalisingly in the distance.

Images like these are just some of the reasons why Dorset is such a favourite for us and why we love sharing this landscape with our from all over the globe. 🥾🥾

#dorset #visitdorset #visitdorsetofficial #englishcountryside #visitengland #eggardonhill #eggardonhillfort #coastalwalks #jurassiccoast #walkingholidayuk #walkuk #hikeuk #hiking #ruralengland #countrysidewalks

We had a fantastic August this year, welcoming gue

We had a fantastic August this year, welcoming guests from all over the world to our trails, and we loved supporting them during their time with us.

We were also out and about ourselves last month, checking our existing walks and exploring new routes in the wild landscapes of Exmoor and in the rolling countryside and country estates of Wiltshire and Somerset.

The golden days of autumn are nearly upon us, and we can’t wait 🍂 But if you’re already dreaming of exploring the lesser-known trails of South West England in 2026, now is a great time to book for spring. Simply visit our website or send us a message here on Instagram. We’d love to talk through your hiking plans for 2026!

#spring2026 #walkuk #hikeuk #walkingholidayuk #ukwalking #exmoor #exmoornationalpark #wanderlust #exmoor4all #englishcountryside #stourhead #Somerset #visitsomersetuk #visitwiltshire #visitengland #englishcountryside #ruralengland #visitbritain #hikingadventures #countrysidewalks

2025 marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’

2025 marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth (16 December 1775). Alongside her writing, the famous 18th century novelist is renowned for her love of walking. She referenced it often in her letters to friends and acquaintances, and walking always seems to find its way into her books.

Bath is arguably the city most associated with Jane Austen and she mentions it in all of her novels, describing buildings and streets that are still recognisable to modern-day visitors.

We can fully understand why Bath was such a major source of inspiration for Ms Austen. Both the city and the surrounding countryside are stunning. Surrounded by wooded hills with the river Avon meandering through its heart, the Georgian city is a real gem. Walking from the serene tranquility of the countryside, through the stunning parklands of Bath, along the canal towpath and into the heart of this vibrant, bustling city is a wonderful experience, and something we never tire of sharing with our guests.

Now is the perfect time to start planning your hiking adventure in South West England. We’re already taking bookings for our spring 2026 arrival dates. So if you’d like to explore the beautiful country city of Bath and its surrounding countryside, simply visit our website (link in bio) or send us a message here on Instagram.

#visitbath #visitthecotswolds #visitsomersetuk #visitsomerset #hikeuk #ukhikes #beautifulbritain #englishcountryside #walkuk #lovebath #visitengland #bathspa #somerset #weloveengland #ruralengland #beautifulbritain #swisbest

We’re delighted to announce the launch of two NE

We’re delighted to announce the launch of two NEW small group guided events for 2026. Led by Foot Trails Founders Alison and David Howell over 6 nights/5 days, these trips are great for couples, friends and individuals.

Starting on Monday 22nd June 2026 and Monday 5 October 2026 respectively, guests will explore two of Alison & David’s favourites: Wiltshire and Dorset in June 2026 with the 'Kings and Kingdoms' trip and the 'Story of The Cotswolds' in October 2026.

Both trips have a maximum of 8 places available and are fully guided by David and Alison. Guests will join them hiking inn to inn, staying two nights at each cosy country inn on route. Daily walks are around 8 miles (13 km) in length.

The trips include accommodation in handpicked country inns, breakfast, lunches and dinners as well as luggage transfers, transport drop-offs and walking and hiking with David and Alison.

If you’d like to explore these beautiful regions with Foot Trails’ Founders David & Alison Howell, take a look at our website (link in Guided highlight) or send us a message here on Instagram. We’d love to see you in 2026!

#guidedtours #walkingholidayuk #hikeuk #walkuk #ukhikes #ukwalks #guidedhikes #guidedwalks #cotswolds #visitthecotswolds #gowithaguide #hikethecotswolds #visitwiltshire #visitdorsetofficial #visitdorset #igerswiltshire #visitengland🇬🇧 #beautifulbritain #englishcountryside #foottrailsuk

"Happiness? The colour of it must be spring green.

"Happiness? The colour of it must be spring green."
Frances Mayes

Can there be anything more joyous than the onset of spring after the cool, dark days of winter? For us here at Foot Trails, seeing the first spring flowers brightening the fields, verges and woodlands always puts a spring in our step and a smile on our faces.

As much as we’re enjoying the long, heady days of summer (and looking forward to the mellow mists of autumn), we've also been planning spring trips for our guests and it got us day dreaming of the joy the season brings. The fresh green of the countryside as everything bursts back into life, the sound of lambs bleating in the fields, and the explosion of birdsong as migratory birds return for the summer and start looking for mates. The days are bright and cool (and getting longer) and there is colour everywhere - from cheery bluebells and yellow daffodils to bright blossoms and the frothy whites of cow parsley, hawthorne and horse chestnut blossoms. It’s simply a wonderful time to be out walking and hiking in South West England.

Our Spring arrival dates sell out every year, to secure your adventure, get the best choice of dates and bedrooms, now is the perfect time to start your plans. If you’d like to explore the lesser-known trails of the South West - from the Cotswolds to the coast - simply visit our website (link in bio) or send us a message here on Instagram. We’d love to talk through your plans for spring 2026!

#springhikes #spring2026 #walkingholidaysuk #hikeuk #ukhiking #visitengland #visitthecotswolds #visitsomersetuk #visitwiltshire #visitdorsetofficial #walkuk #seekthepositive #ruralengland #swisbest #englishcountryside

Exmoor: Wild, dramatic, beautiful. At this time of

Exmoor: Wild, dramatic, beautiful. At this time of year the heather is out in force across the moor. The bright purple blooms contrast vividly with the lush green vegetation. Providing the perfect backdrop to days of wonderful hiking.

#hikeuk #hikingengland #exmoor4all #exmoornationalpark #foottrailsuk #walkuk #ruralengland #ukwalks #visitsomersetuk #visitsomerset #ukwildponies #exmoorponies #leavethecity #ukpotd #englishcountryside #ukwalkingholidays

The second half of our Living Painting walk took a

The second half of our Living Painting walk took around the grounds of a grand 18th century country estate with magnificently landscaped gardens designed around an impressive lake. We wandered the lake and gardens at our own pace, taking in the carefully curated views (and some refreshments at a lovely cafe) before tearing ourselves away to continue on our route. Which took us to a lovely wide valley lined with trees. 🌳

Emerging from the valley, we soon returned to the imposing tower where we had started our day’s adventure. It was a fascinating day’s walking and it felt like we had experienced a multitude of landscapes in just a few hours - woodlands, farmland, valleys, grand estates, 17th century monuments and beautifully landscaped gardens. The perfect way to explore the stunning landscape of South West England.

Becky, Alastair and Emma were walking our Living Painting trail, which is part of our Wessex Ancient Kingdom and Country Houses & Gardens trips. If you’d like to know more, simply visit our website or send us a message here on Instagram.

#walkuk #englishcountryhouse #countryhouse #englishhouse #countrygarden #countryliving #gardeninspiration #stourheadgardens #stourhead #nationaltrustsouthwest #foottrailsuk #wiltshire #igerswiltshire #visitwiltshire #visitengland #capturingbritain #explore_britain

From an 18th century folly to a grand country esta

From an 18th century folly to a grand country estate nestled in the Wiltshire countryside.

As part of our schedule to check the trails in our walking & hiking trips, Becky, Alastair and myself (Emma) were excited to be walking our ‘Living Painting’ trail, which is part of our Wessex Ancient Kingdom and Country Houses & Gardens trips.

This stunning route took us through tranquil countryside: shady woodland, rural farmland that looked like it hadn’t changed in hundreds of years. We wove our way past curious sheep, hardly encountering a soul as we walked. It was the perfect way to switch off from the everyday and connect with nature 🌳

#wiltshire #stourhead #alfredstower #walkuk #hikeuk #swisbest #visitengland #englishlandscapes #countrysidewalks #ruralengland #englishcountryside #quietinthewild #naturewalks #countryhouses #gardens #travelinspiration #leavethecity #ukwalkingholidays #foottrailsuk

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Credits & small print

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Photography credits: Alison & David Howell. Alun Callender, The National Trust, English Heritage

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