Author name: Emma Surridge

We’re entering the last weeks of autumn ahead of the winter solstice and the festive season is gathering pace here in rural England. Decorations and lights bring joy on dark nights, children’s excitement levels grow ever higher as the ‘big’ day approaches, and local churches mark advent, the anticipation and preparation for the coming of […]

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So with this in mind, after refreshing the Foot Trails brand look earlier this year, (we do hope you like it) we decided to commission some new photographs to convey our Foot Trails hiking experiences and update our look. We chose professional photographer Matt Lincoln and

“Not all who wander are lost”The Riddle of Strider, JRR Tolkein We love a good wander, taking time to explore the landscape to observe and find quiet. We seek the quiet paths, crowd-free routes, so you can explore like a local. Hiking screen-free brings intimacy with how you experience the countryside and nature. It gives

We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve won a bronze award at the Bristol, Bath & Somerset Tourism Awards. Alison & David, Foot Trails founders, attended a prestigious gala event in Bath yesterday evening to receive the award on behalf of the Foot Trails team. “We’re overjoyed to win this prestigious award and to be named

Well known for its geological wonders, the Dorset coast also has some alternative, and surprising, landscapes to wander in. Last week on a grey November morning I set off to explore the fringes of Poole Harbour. Formed at the end of the last Ice Age when several valleys flooded, it’s a unique habitat with a

Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove, known worldwide for their natural beauty, are two of the most iconic locations on the Dorset coast. Walking towards the coast with these vistas opening up before you, dropping down to the beach to enjoy the sounds of crashing waves on shingle beach and the view of this arch that’s

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