An English Summer

As featured in;

The Los Angeles Times, Discover Britain Magazine, The Independent, Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Australian, National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet Magazine, The Huffington Post.

Summer walking, Alison Howell shares her favourite things about an English summer

• The sounds of summer – distant hum of combine harvesters working, happy birds and laughing children out from school. The fizz and crackle of drinks poured over ice..
• The smells of summer – cut grass, meadow flowers and the sea.
• Tastes of summer – home-made ice creams, chilled white wine, the freshest of salads and crusty breads.
• The warm sunshine and shady trees. Maybe not every day, but when the sun shines it’s wonderful :-), as is the dappled shade of an English wood.
• Picnics. Really eating any food outside. Rugs on the ground and fine local picnic fare like pork pies & chutney, scones with strawberries and cream and more besides. Everything tastes better outdoors :-).
• Those hazy views.
• Grasses and crops, swaying in the breeze and turning slowly golden as harvest approaches.
• Long late evenings and chilled out dusks.
• The feeling that summer will just go on for ever :-).
• Being able to walk unbundled and without a pullover.

Top tips for Summer walking

• Dress in several thin layers for summer walking. English summer weather can vary enormously from very warm and sunny to cool and cloudy, breezy or rainy. Be prepared for multiple weathers, sometimes during the same day, by having a waterproof, warm fleece and sun hat with you. You can more easily adjust a thin layer or two to be warmer or cooler.
• Be prepared for sun and heat, carry sun cream and block with you and also a sun hat. Check yourself whenever you pause to drink and add more block if needed.
• Take plenty of water, about 1 litre per person. You will be exerting yourself and exercising and will need to stay hydrated. In warm weather you’ll need to drink a cup of water every half an hour or so.
• Always take a mobile phone with you and contact numbers you may need for an emergency.
• It may be summer but waterproof walking boots are advisable. If weather conditions are for a prolonged dry spell you might consider a training shoe with a strong sole, so you could bring both a trainer and walking boot. During summer overnight dews, or a passing rain shower, will leave long summer grasses wet and you will need those boots. Comfortable feet are vital for enjoyment!
• Don’t forget your camera, there’ll be multiple opportunities for taking great photographs!

Ideal trips for summer walking

• Complete Cotswolds, Chipping Campden to Bath

  Inn to Inn Trips & Tours The Cotswolds

  Book this authentic and credible alternative to the Cotswolds Way. Complete Cotswolds is crowd free using local a lifetime of local knowledge, local paths and traditional villages and market towns. Walking adventure up to 16 nights and 135 miles. Walk every day or have rest days or sight seeing days built in.
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• Country Houses and Gardens on foot

  Splendour & Grandeur in the country

  A must for anyone who loves English country houses and gardens. From stately homes to wandering down long meandering driveways, see the South West's greatest gardens with a memorable Foot Trail. Stay for several nights in multiple locations of up to 6 different counties of South West England.
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• Journey Across The Cotswolds

  Inn to Inn Walking & Hiking, The Cotswolds

  Take time to walk the Cotswolds away from the crowds and you will be rewarded with a magical journey through its delightful stone villages and beautiful English landscapes. From top to bottom across this quintessential region, this is an inn to inn hike like no other.
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• Taste of The Cotswolds

  Short Break - Staying in one place, The Cotswolds

  Enjoy villages with honey coloured stone cottages and churches: a watery trail down by the River Windrush with its reeds and riverbank, take time to explore a Roman villa and grand Cotswolds country estate too. A Taste of the Cotswolds that will leave you wanting more!
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• Thomas Hardy’s Dorset

  Inn to Inn Walking & Hiking, Dorset

  Walk in the footsteps of author Thomas Hardy's Tess D'Urbervilles and follow her story through north Dorset. You'll take in Shaston (Shaftesbury) and Marnhull (Marlett) with plenty of Dorset countryside and hand-picked country inns and pubs and magnificent English countryside en route too.
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• Wessex Ancient Kingdom

  Our signature inn to inn walking trail

  This inn to inn (village to village) walking experience is your ultimate experience of hiking rural England. Full of history and breath-taking English countryside, from rivers to woods, character villages & cottages to breath-taking scenery & views, this trail has it all!
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• South West Explorer

  Walk, Tour & Explore up to 21 nights

  Stunning and varied walking and hiking adventure up to 21 nights in up to six of the South West of England's counties in one trip. You'll work with your own fully trained Trail Consultant who will help you plan and organise your own totally custom-made and fully flexible tailor made walking trip through the South West.
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