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  • Trips & Tours
    • The Cotswolds
    • Coastal Hikes
    • Land of Kings
    • Heritage and Gardens
    • Family & Friends Groups
    • Events: Group Walks
    • All Trips
  • The Howell Way
    • The Howell Way
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King John interior snug

By Emma Surridge / September 22, 2024

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We don't follow the national trails.
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On our journal

Extending our Golden Cap coastal trail

Saturday arrived with clear deep blue skies, not a cloud in sight, and warm temperatures. We are in the midst

Where to see stunning coastal views in South West England

South West England has over 700 miles of beautiful coastline offering a mix of small towns and villages, rugged cliffs,

A new video for Foot Trails

24 years ago, Alison & David Howell launched Foot Trails, determined to avoid formulaic mass tourism and focusing instead on

Life on Instagram

Last Saturday arrived with clear deep blue skies, Last Saturday arrived with clear deep blue skies, not a cloud in sight, and warm temperatures. We are in the midst of a mini heatwave in England so David and i set off from home early to walk before it got too hot as we had Foot Trails mascot, dog Molly with us! Today, we worked on adding a few miles to our Golden Cap Trail. Golden Cap in Dorset is the county's highest sea cliff. From it there are spectacular views over the sea and surrounding countryside and the estate on which it sits is also beautiful. There are many ancient tracks here and the gravel track we began our walk on is part of the former London to Exeter road. We descended the hill and Golden Cap immediately came into view. This shapely mound is a dominant structure in the surrounding landscape. Soon we reached the cliff edge and gazed out over the sea. Around to our right the seaside town of Lyme Regis sat in the bay. We crossed a wooden bridge and headed momentarily through the trees, grateful for the shade. Emerging into fields where cattle lay resting. The countryside looked green and lush. A short hill climb was ahead of us. We began our climb, pausing periodically to look back at the views over the sea, which was as calm as a mill pond. No breeze. At the top of the hill a wooden bench gave us another excuse to pause and take in the magnificent view. We had connected with our existing trail and began the short walk back to our car. Next David will write up the trail notes so that you our guests can enjoy this Trail addition too when you explore the Dorset Coast! If you would love to explore the Dorset Coast on a Foot Trail, try our ' Coastal Seascapes of Dorset' walking holiday or ' Taste of the Jurassic ' walking holiday. There is more information on our website (link in bio) or you can send us an email at enquire@foottrails.co.uk. We'd love to chat through your plans. #GoldenCap #JurassicCoast #Dorset #UKTravel #VisitDorset #ukhikers #coastalwalking #coastalwalks #HikingUK #countrysidewalks #EnglishCoast #ukcoastline #ruralengland #WalkingAdventures #walkingholidaysuk
South West England has over 700 miles of beautiful South West England has over 700 miles of beautiful coastline offering a mix of small towns and villages, rugged cliffs, sandy bays, pebble beaches and hidden coves. It's a beautiful part of the United Kingdom at any time of the year, but in summer, some areas can become popular. Our Coastal Seascapes of Dorset and Wild Exmoor Coast & Moor trips take you to some of the most iconic spots and remote corners of the Dorset and Exmoor coasts, offering spectacular views without the crowds. In our latest blog post, we’ve chosen some of our favourite lookout points for fabulous views and beautiful coastal hiking this summer. If you'd like to explore the South West coast this year, simple visit our website (link in bio) or send us an email at enquire@foottrails.co.uk. We'd love to hear from you. #DorsetCoast #exmoor #dorset #exmoornationalpark #walking #exmoorcoast #JurassicCoast #CoastalWalking #EnglishCoast #RuralEngland #EnglishCountryside #uktravel #southwestcoastpath #england #englandtravel #ukhikingtrails #coastalwalks
What are we loving right now? Walking through fiel What are we loving right now? Walking through fields of golden buttercups. #Buttercups #ButtercupField #Wildflowers #SpringFlowers #SpringMagic
Earlier this month, Alison & I spent a day in the Earlier this month, Alison & I spent a day in the Cotswolds making a short film about The Howell Way - our set of values that shapes everything we do here in Foot Trails. In it, we talk about all things Foot Trails, explaining what you can expect on one of our bespoke, self-guided walking holidays. We loved spending the day in the beautiful Cotswolds countryside, filming in some of our favourite villages and inns. We hope you enjoy the video! David Howell If you'd like to explore the paths less trodden in South West England, simply visit our website (link in bio) or send us an email at enquire@foottrails.co.uk. We’d love to chat through your plans. #UKHiking #UKWalks #WalkingUK #HikingUK #HikingEngland #visitengland #DiscoverEngland #walkingholidaysuk #walkingholidays #GetOutside #DiscoverEngland #selfguided #slowtravel
Your reviews and feedback, why do they matter so m Your reviews and feedback, why do they matter so much? At Foot Trails we believe that the true measure of success isn't just the miles you’ve walked, but the memories you’ve made along the way, and the quality and richness of your experience. That's why reviews and feedback are not just welcome; they are the lifeblood of Foot Trails. They enable us to maintain our high standards and to continually evolve. In the world of travel, trust is paramount. Guests considering a self-guided walking holiday often rely on the experiences of others before committing to a journey. Authentic reviews provide proof and transparency. They offer an unbiased look at what it's truly like to walk with Foot Trails, helping prospective guests to feel confident in choosing us. The stories, photos, and heartfelt praise shared in reviews are incredibly powerful. They inspire others. Over the years, guest feedback has helped to make Foot Trails the experience it is today. We have tweaked walking routes, the contents of our Walk and Explore Boxes and customer service due to feedback. When you take the time to share your experience, you are helping us create more meaningful and memorable walking holidays for everyone. Thank you for making Foot Trails better, one step and one review at a time. Alison Howell #walkinguk #countrysidewalks #walkinguk #naturewalk #traveluk #englishcountryside #weloveengland #england #britain #british #explore #hiking #hikeuk #ukhiking #walking #walkingholiday #hikingholiday
“Perfect. As though Foot Trails had been inside ou “Perfect. As though Foot Trails had been inside our heads and curated the trip in ways we didn't even realize we wanted.” Nora, USA At Foot Trails, we take care of the details for you, creating a bespoke itinerary tailored exactly to your needs: What you want to see, how many days you want to hike, how many miles you want to walk each day and more. This tailor-made document contains all the times and details for each day of your trip, including breakfast times, departure times, luggage transfer details, meeting times for cars, walk start points, lunch and refreshment advice, places of interest and dinner reservations. Leaving you free to hike care-free with just a day pack and a few essentials for the trail. If you feel inspired to explore the quieter paths in the Cotswolds and South West England, visit our website or send us an email at enquire@foottrails.co.uk. https://foottrails.co.uk/ #hiking #england #greatbritain #uktravel #walking #trails #activetravel #selfguided #summertravel #UKHiking #UKWalks #WalkingUK #HikingUK #BritishOutdoors #ExploreUK #visitengland #ruralengland #slowtravel #leavethecity
Where we walked in April... April was a month of Where we walked in April... April was a month of colour and brightness with the countryside springing back into life. Bluebells, wild garlic, wisteria and tulips burst onto the scene, adding spectacular colour to woodlands and villages up and down the region. We continued to welcome guests to our corner of England to explore the lesser-known trails and paths from the Cotswolds down to the Dorset and Exmoor coast. We were also out in the countryside ourselves, exploring our favourite bluebell and wild garlic spots. Checking trails in Wiltshire and the Cotswolds and meeting up with guests out on walks. If you’d like to know more about booking a hiking trip in the tranquil countryside of South West England, simply visit our website (link in bio) or send us an email at enquire@foottrails.co.uk. #visitengland #hiking #walking #england #ruralengland #getoutdoors #cotswoldsliving #visitwiltshire #visitdorset #visitsomerset #englishgardens #englishcountryhouse #englishcountryside #hikeuk #walkuk #seekthepositive #leavethecity #RuralEngland #countrygarden
"We had a fantastic time on our Wessex walk and ap "We had a fantastic time on our Wessex walk and appreciate all the support along the way. It truly was a memorable experience for the six of us." Margaret, Canada More wonderful words from guests who completed a bespoke Country Houses & Gardens tour in April. We created a tailor-made itinerary that took our guests through an ancient landscape with a distinctly medieval feel: Castles, charming villages, magnificent country houses and beautiful gardens, just some of the highlights of the trip. If you'd like to explore of the South West's most iconic country houses & gardens on trails that take you away from the crowds, visit our website or send us an email at enquire@foottrails.co.uk. https://foottrails.co.uk/holidays/english-country-houses-gardens/ #englishcountryhouse #historichouses #englishgardens #england #walking #slowtravelling #gardensofengland #englishcountryside #walkinguk #hikinguk #selfguided #activetravel #UKtravel
We don’t need an excuse to lace up our boots and g We don’t need an excuse to lace up our boots and get out in the countryside at any time of year. But in May, the countryside is particularly inviting. The winter months now seem long forgotten as the countryside bursts with greens, whites and yellows - hawthorn, cow parsley and swathes of buttercups. The promise of summer is in the air and everything seems bright and fresh. May is simply a wonderful month to be out and about. If you’d like to explore the paths less trodden in South West England this summer, visit our website (link in bio) or simply send us an email at enquire@foottrails.co.uk. We’d love to share our corner of England with you. #hikeuk #walkuk #swisbest #spring #countrysidewalks #ruralengland #cotswolds #visitwiltshire #visitengland #visitsomerset #visitdorset #slowtraveling #seekthepositive #selfguided #englishcountryside
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Photography credits: Alison & David Howell. Alun Callender, The National Trust, English Heritage

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