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The Howell Way
Our Journal
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Trips & Tours
The Howell Way
Our Journal
Talk to an expert

Adobe Express – file (7)

By Emma Surridge / March 21, 2025

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On our journal

Day 1 of our guided Story of the Cotswolds trip

This week, David and I (Alison) are staying in the beautiful Cotswolds to deliver one of our founder-led guided hikes

Every Region Tells a Story: Where will you hike in 2027?

Did you know Foot Trails has trips in different regions of South West England? Each one has a different story

Capturing the taste of autumn

A few weeks ago, while I was out hiking at the end of August, I couldn’t resist the glut of

Life on Instagram

This week, David and I (Alison) are staying in the

This week, David and I (Alison) are staying in the beautiful Cotswolds to deliver one of our founder-led guided hikes with eight guests.

Here's an account of our adventures on day two (our first proper day of hiking)!

In the morning we met the guests and hopped aboard our transport for the short, scenic drive into the Cotswolds market town of Chipping Campden. Early autumn mist hung in the low valleys and through the windows we caught incredible, far-reaching views across the countryside.

This remarkable town shares its Chipping name with a few other English towns. The word "Chipping" means market or marketplace in old English.

Near the church, founded in the 13th century, we walked past the former site of the Hicks family home, which was destroyed in the English Civil War. Only the impressive looking banqueting hall now remains.

As we walked and listened to David's storytelling we admired the many historic buildings made of beautiful Cotswolds limestone and the wonderful historic wooden doors, many of which were decorated with attractive flower and leaf wreaths.

After our tour we set out on the couple-of-hours hike to Hidcote Gardens. Time passed with our steps and enjoyable conversations. A last climb uphill (with spectacular views) brought us into Hidcote Gardens.

This impressive garden, of the Arts and Crafts period, was created by Lawrence Johnstone. When Johnstone arrived in 1907 the space was a blank canvas and he created the beautiful series of garden rooms we see today.

After lunch, we toured the gardens admiring the many features, flowers, trees, a pond, an archway, and tree-lined avenues.

Following our tour we headed homewards towards our country inn. A climb took us out of Hidcote and up onto the top where we had breathtaking views across to the Malvern hills and even into Wales. We could see some 50 miles in the distance at times!

Eight miles later we returned to our village home and country inn. We'd done it! Ready to kick off our boots and prepare for pie night!

Alison

#FootTrailsUK #Cotswolds #ChippingCampden #VisitCotswolds #GuidedHike #WalkingHoliday #ExploreEngland #UKHiking #ActiveTravel #EnglishCountryside #RuralEngland

September was a glorious month in South West Engla

September was a glorious month in South West England - the summer slowly fading and autumn creeping in.

Here at Foot Trails, we’ve been out in the countryside this past month meeting guests and checking our routes from the Cotswolds to the coast. We’ve had lots of guests exploring our trails this past month and we’ve loved supporting them on their journeys. There are still many more days of glorious autumn hiking ahead and many more guests exploring our favourite trails in South West England. We can’t wait for more adventures.

Here’s a quick look at some of the routes we’ve been exploring this September.

Where are your feet taking you this autumn?

#EnglishCountryside #AutumnVibes #FallVibes #SlowTravel #WalkingHolidays #VisitEngland

World renowned, and rightly so! The Cotswolds is k

World renowned, and rightly so! The Cotswolds is know for its charming cottages and villages, its rolling pastoral landscapes entwined with stories stretching back to the Romans. But it's also known for being crowded in some hotspots. With our expert local knowledge and lifetime of walking and hiking in the region, we show you an off-the-beaten-path side to The Cotswolds, crowd free and authentic.

Avoid the crowds and experience this beautiful corner of the English countryside the way it was meant to be seen. Visit our website (link in bio) to browse our Cotswolds itineraries, or drop us a line at enquire@foottrails.co.uk to start planning your custom hiking trip.

#HikingUK #WalkingHolidays #TheCotswolds #VisitCotswolds #VisitEngland #ExploreBritain #UKTravel #OffTheBeatenPath #HikeTheCotswolds

Explore a landscape with a human story that stretc

Explore a landscape with a human story that stretches back 6,000 years. Wiltshire is a county of big skies, wide open hills and traditional villages. The story of this region is written in the landscape from Bronze Age barrows through Stonehenge’s standing stones to Medieval castles, cottages and cathedrals.

Uncover 6,000 years of history on foot with our Wiltshire hiking trails. Visit our website for inspiration or send us an email at enquire@foottrails.co.uk to start planning your trip.

#Stonehenge #UKTourism #SelfGuided #VisitBritain #TravelAndTourism #TourismIndustry #EnglishCountryside #GetOutdoors #HikingVacation #WalkingHolidays #WiltshireWalks #AncientLandscapes #HikeBritain #EnglishCountryside #HiddenEngland #HistoryTrails #SlowTravelUK #WalkingThePast #SlowTravel #VisitWiltshire #VisitEngland

Where the rolling green countryside of South West

Where the rolling green countryside of South West England meets the sea. Dorset's Jurassic coast offers dramatic cliffs and coastal views as far as the eye can see. Our routes take you beyond the coast path, however, to explore a landscape shaped by 185 million years of history: breathtaking geology, pretty villages, rolling countryside and Medieval castles with tales of smuggling and our seafaring ancestors!

If you're ready to plan a hiking trip on this UNESCO World Heritage coastline, take a look at our website (link in bio) or drop us a line at enquire@foottrails.co.uk. We'd love to share this stunning part of the South West with you.

#JurassicCoastline #CoastalHiking #UKCoastalPath #HikeBritain #SouthWestCoast #EnglishCountryside #HiddenEngland #WalksWithAView #GeologyLovers #HistoryTrails #SlowTravelUK #HikingVacations #WalkingHolidaysUK

North Dorset has a timeless feel with chalk downla

North Dorset has a timeless feel with chalk downlands, patchwork farmland and charming thatched cottages. A rural idyll that recalls the days of old England. Here, you can hike through a landscape shaped by Saxon kings, medieval lords and Victorian novellists such as Thomas Hardy. Our local trails will take you off the beaten path and deep into the natural beauty of north Dorset, on trails that we’ve been walking for over 25 years,

If you’d like to venture off the beaten path in this charming corner of South West England, visit our website (link in bio) for inspiration or drop us a line at enquire@foottrails.co.uk.

#VisitDorset #DorsetCountryside #DorsetLife #WalkingHolidays #HikingHolidays #WalkingUK #HikingUK #SlowTravel #QuietTrails #ThomasHardyCountry #ExploreEngland #BritishCountryside #ThatchedCottages #HistoricWalks #DorsetWalks #SouthWestEngland #CountrysideEscapes #DiscoverDorset #GuidedWalkingTours #HikingVacation #VisitBritain

Nestled in north Somerset, Exmoor is home to a rug

Nestled in north Somerset, Exmoor is home to a rugged coastline that falls dramatically into the sea. Weaving through wooded valleys, you’ll hike from the coast to the heart of the moor, a dark skies reserve where wild ponies and deer roam, with the sound of nature the backdrop to every footstep.

Ready to explore Somerset's wild coast in 2027? Visit our website (link in bio) or send us an email at enquire@foottrails.co.uk. We'd love to create a bespoke hiking itinerary for you.

#Exmoor #ExmoorNationalPark #VisitExmoor #CoastalWalks #WalkingHoliday #HikingHoliday #WalkingUK #HikingUK #SlowTravel #OffTheBeatenPath #QuietTrails #NorthSomerset #SouthWestEngland #ExploreEngland #BritishCountryside #RuggedCoastline #WildMoorland #UKNature #VisitSomerset #ExploreExmoor #GuidedWalkingTours #HikingVacation

Rural Somerset: A place of myth, legends and cider

Rural Somerset: A place of myth, legends and cider! With a slow, laid-back feel, you’ll hike in the footsteps of kings through a landscape shaped by tales of the legendary King Arthur and Alfred the Great. Traditional cider orchards, delightful villages, rambling thatched cottages, ruined abbeys and amazing Elizabethan houses are all part of the landscape here.

If you'd like to start planning your 2027 rural getaway, visit our website for inspiration (link in bio) or send us an email at enquire@foottrails.co.uk.

#FootTrailsUK #VisitSomerset #EnglishCountryside #WalkingHoliday #HikingHoliday #WalkingUK #HikingUK #SlowTravel #OffTheBeatenPath #QuietTrails #ExploreEngland #UKTravel #BritishCountryside #CountrysideEscapes #CiderCountry #ExploreSomerset #DiscoverSomerset #GuidedWalkingTours #HikingVacation #VisitBritain

Did you know Foot Trails has trips in different re

Did you know Foot Trails has trips in different regions of South West England? Each one has a different story to tell:

🌳Rural Somerset: A place of myth, legends and cider where King Arthur is said to have roamed and Alfred the Great sought refuge. Rural charm, gentle river valleys and the Georgian splendour of Bath

🌊Exmoor: From the coast to the wild moor, through wooded river valleys where white water tumbles, past prehistoric stone and tucked away farming communities to finish on the dramatic heather-clad moor.

🌳Rural Dorset: A timeless landscape of lush green meadows, rolling chalk downs and charming villages and cottages - like stepping into a Thomas Hardy novel.

🌊Jurassic Coast: Explore 185 million years of history. Where tales of seafarers and smugglers meet stunning geological formations and coastal views as far as the eye can see.

🌳Wiltshire: Standing stones, rolling chalk downs, quintessential thatched cottages and over 6,000 years of human history.

🌳Cotswolds: Classic Cotswolds countryside, towns and villages far from the crowds and the well-trodden trails.

If you'd like to hike the quiet side of South West England in 2027, simply visit our website (link in bio) or send us an email at enquire@foottrails.co.uk.

#FootTrailsUK #WalkingHoliday #HikingHoliday #SouthWestEngland #ExploreEngland #VisitSomerset #Exmoor #ExmoorNationalPark #VisitDorset #JurassicCoast #VisitWiltshire #VisitCotswolds #Cotswolds #DiscoverEngland #SlowTravel #WalkingUK #HikingUK #CountrysideEscapes #Travel2027

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Credits & small print

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

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