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Alison Howell's

Custom made & crafted English Walking

Homepage
Trips & Tours
Why walk this way?
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Our Story
Blog
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- Contact us
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Nature reserve signpost

By Emma Surridge / February 21, 2025

Signpost with a badge showing Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve

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On our blog

The wild beauty of Exmoor

Exmoor: Wild, dramatic, and beautiful. Heather-clad moors, wild ponies, rugged coastline and wooded river valleys. It’s everything you don’t expect

Hiking a picturesque landscape in South West England

As part of our rolling schedule to check all of the trails in our walking & trips, Becky, Alastair and

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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

A stunning day out on Exmoor. Bright, blustery and

A stunning day out on Exmoor. Bright, blustery and views stretching on for miles. The perfect way to blow away the cobwebs.

#exmoor #exmoornationalpark #exmoor4all #ukhiking #ukwalking #coastaladventures #heather #somserset #visitexmoor #nationalpark #moorland #countrysidewalk #visitengland

Earlier this month, Foot Trails Co-Founder David H

Earlier this month, Foot Trails Co-Founder David Howell was in Exmoor putting the finishing touches to some of the walks in our latest trip Wild Coast & Wild Moor. It was an exhilarating day wandering the rugged landscape of Exmoor, across colourful moorland full of bright heather, along ancient footpaths and wooded river valleys to finish at a cosy country inn nestled in a quiet valley next to a prehistoric clapper bridge.

Exmoor is a stunning part of South West England. From its rugged a coastline with ancient fishing villages and Victorian resorts, to the wild open moor with prehistoric standing stones and tucked-away farming communities. It’s a beautiful, fascinating place to hike.

#exmoor #exmoor4all #somerset #visitengland #visitsomersetuk #coastalpathsuk #coastalwalks #visitexmoor #hikingengland #hikeuk #ukhikes #ukwalkingholidays

The Cotswolds never fail to impress. Especially if

The Cotswolds never fail to impress. Especially if you're walking the lesser-known paths, away from the crowds and national trails 😊

#hikeuk #hikethecotswolds #walkuk

Our walk in the Cotswolds last month took us to a

Our walk in the Cotswolds last month took us to a little-known corner of the region, down quiet local footpaths, along the towpath of an abandoned canal built in the 1700s and past meadows of wildflowers humming with bees and other insects. We ambled along, savouring the sounds of nature and letting our eyes wander to the horizon. The only people we encountered were local dogwalkers and the occasional family out foraging for some of the many blackberries in the hedgerows. It genuinely felt that we were a million miles from anywhere.

A few images from our research walk in the Cotswol

A few images from our research walk in the Cotswolds last month. Shady woodlands, quiet villages, and views for miles. Everything we love about this lesser-known corner of the Cotswolds 🌳

If you'd like to know more about our walking & hiking trips in the Cotswolds and South West, England. Visit our website (link in bio), or send us a message here on Instagram.

#ukwalkingholidays #hikingengland #hikeuk #hikethecotswolds #cotswoldslife #cotswoldvillage #ukwalks #countrysidewalks #ukhikers #englishcountryside #naturewalks #travelinspiration #visitengland #visitsomersetuk #visitdorset #explorebritain #englishlandscapes #quietinthewild #beautifulengland #hikingviews #treebrilliance #treemagic #drystonewall

Foot Trails Co-Founder Alison Howell has always lo

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.

So I (Emma) thought it high time I asked Alison a few questions about her links to the region and why she loves walking there so much!

You can read the full interview on our blog (link in highlight) to discover what it is about the Cotswolds that Alison finds so captivating and how this love of the region is woven into every Foot Trails trip in the Cotswolds.

#hikethecotswolds #inntoinnhiking #walkingholiday #visitthecotswolds #discovercotswolds #countrysidewalks #ukwalking #ukhiking #foottrailsuk #hikingvacations #visitengland #swisbest #cotswoldslife #cotswoldvillage #travelbritain #thisprettyengland #ukwalks #thisismyadventure #inthecountry #landscapelovers #englishcountryside #countrysidewalks #naturewalks

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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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