Behind the scenes as a new Foot Trail is created

Last week, David & I (Emma) went to check one of our routes in Dorset. This was the first time I had walked this particular trail and I was expecting good things. But what I found exceeded that: stunning landscapes and the textbook definition of a rural idyll. We started in a beautiful village in […]

At Foot Trails, our paths are picked for joy, rhythm and peace – not just practicality. Our aim is – and always has been – to give our guests the best possible day’s walking, every day of their trip. It’s not just about getting from A to B or seeing the tick-box sites. We want

We often get asked this question. As much as we’d like to give a simple answer, we can’t. Simply because there is no ‘best time’. Every season tells its own story and there’s beauty to be found at all times of the year. March to April is all about gardens coming back to life and colour.

Earlier this month, Alison & I (David) were back out in the countryside checking a route in our Country Houses & Gardens. We were again blessed with clear skies and sunshine and it was a joy to see early spring flowers starting to appear. It’s a wonderful time to be out walking, when you can

At Foot Trails, our hikes are built on lived experience – from years of hiking, talking and listening to those who know the land best. We’re all about crowd‑free walking, which is why we avoid the national trails. Instead, we guide you off the beaten path into beautiful villages and landscapes you’d probably never find

February 14 brought vivid blue skies and lots of early spring sunshine to the South West of England. David and I (Alison) were doing something we love: creating a new hiking trail for Foot Trails, a task we often take on in winter and early spring. Recceing a new route is always a little unpredictable.

The beauty of the Cotswolds is deservedly world renowned: charming cottages, rolling hills, classic market towns and history stretching back to the Romans and beyond. It’s quintessentially English and popular the world over. Alison and I have long family ties in the area, and we have spent many years exploring its lesser-known lanes and footpaths.

Grey skies and the threat of rain – in many ways a typical February day in the South West. Even with low cloud hanging over the landscape, it felt exciting to be out in the Cotswolds, checking and updating one of our walks. We began at a 12th‑century Norman church in the heart of a

At Foot Trails, we avoid the crowds. When we plan a new trail, we start with where David and I would like to show you and then design our route around this. Guiding you to beautiful villages, stunning views, country houses and more. To the places you’d never find on your own. Exploring these quieter

Some winter days feel made for hiking, and the last Wednesday in January was one of them. As David and I (Foot Trails Storyteller Emma) set off from a picture-perfect village of grey Purbeck stone cottages it was under a sunny sky with a gentle breeze. We made our way into open fields and I

Nearly 25 years ago, when Alison and I founded Foot Trails, we set out to change how hiking was viewed. In 2002, walking was often seen as all about distance and A‑to‑B goals with only basic accommodation. We wanted something different: walking tours shaped by our own beliefs and rooted in the rural South West

One word defined Saturday’s hike recce for Foot Trails: Wind!  We test and check new trails quite often in the winter, and Saturday was exceptionally windy. This powerful force of nature was awesome. Throwing up spray onto us on the cliffs, buffeting our faces and threatening to take our breath away! This hike is for