Author name: Emma Surridge

We’ve been enjoying a vibrant autumn here in South West England. It’s been a joy being out on the trails these past weeks and watching the stunning autumnal colours.  A couple of weeks ago, Foot Trails Co-Founders Alison & David Howell were out in Wiltshire exploring the grounds of a country estate in our Country […]

This past weekend, Foot Trails Co-Founder David Howell completed a three-day hike from his local church to Salisbury Cathedral to raise funds for St Michael’s church in Melksham and the National Churches Trust. Over three days, David hiked through beautiful countryside on ancient tracks over Salisbury Plain (the UK’s largest military training area) past long-forgotten

Foot Trails is thrilled to announce the launch of its NEW 2026 brochure and NEW website. Featuring Foot Trails’ new look, our 56-page 2026 brochure showcases a tempting range of self-guided hiking and walking tours throughout South West England, including The Cotswolds, Bath and Avon, Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset and Exmoor. The beautiful photographs featured in

In 1995, Alison & David gave up their jobs and boarded a boat for France. Armed only with a small two-man tent and a few essentials, they hiked 680 miles across France, doing what they loved most, being close to nature and exploring. When Alison & David returned to the UK, they wanted to help

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

“We took a charming walk to Charlcombe, sweetly situated in a little green valley”Jane Austen, 1799 Alongside her writing, Jane Austen was famous 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 novels – her heroines can often

Exmoor: Wild, dramatic, and beautiful. Heather-clad moors, wild ponies, rugged coastline and wooded river valleys. It’s everything you don’t expect from South West England.  This unique landscape has long been a draw to Foot Trails Co-Founders Alison & David Howell. Its natural landmarks, prehistoric monuments, rocky rivers where white water tumbles make it a fascinating

As part of our rolling schedule to check all of the trails in our walking & 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. We started our walk at an imposing triangular tower built

When it comes to getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, there’s nothing better than walking in the countryside. Immersing yourself in peace & quiet; wandering quiet footpaths away from the crowds. This is exactly what we (David, Becky and Emma) were looking forward to with our latest trip to the Cotswolds.

Earlier this July, Foot Trails Co-Founder and Trail Creator David Howell was back in the Cotswolds exploring new routes to add to our walking & hiking trips in the region. What he discovered was beautiful, tranquil paths far from the crowds, and a landscape full of stories, history and fascinating tales: “The morning was shrouded

‘If you are in a bad mood, go for a walk. If you are still in a bad mood, go for another walk.’ Good advice, we think. But it doesn’t come from us. It comes from Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine. He’s purported to have said it almost 2,500 years ago. The ancient Greek

Foot Trails Co-Founder Alison Howell has always loved the Cotswolds. With strong ties to the region and family who still farm there, it’s an area that holds a very special place in her heart. Read on to discover what it is about the Cotswolds that Alison finds so captivating and how this love of the