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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
    • Our Values
    • Our Story
    • Sustainability
  • Our Journal
  • Talk to an expert
    • Booking Enquiry
    • Book a Video Appointment
    • Our Team

Alison & David

By Emma Surridge / May 3, 2023

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We don't follow the national trails.
We follow the Howell Way.

Our way of walking, our way of caring.
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On our journal

Foot Trails: Where it all began

In 1995, Alison & David gave up their jobs and boarded a boat for France. Armed only with a small

The magic of Dorset in spring

Dorset – a place of rolling green countryside, wooded combes, beautiful thatched cottages and stunning coastlines. It’s a landscape that’s

Jane Austen & Bath

“We took a charming walk to Charlcombe, sweetly situated in a little green valley”Jane Austen, 1799 Alongside her writing, Jane

Life on Instagram

Foot Trails’ NEW 2026 brochure and NEW website a Foot Trails’ NEW 2026 brochure and NEW website and are live! Featuring Foot Trails’ new look, our 56-page 2026 brochure showcases a tempting range of self-guided hiking and walking tours throughout South West England, including The Cotswolds, Bath and Avon, Somerset, Wiltshire, Dorset and Exmoor. The beautiful photographs you will see have all been captured out on our trails. You can also find out about our ‘Howell Way’ philosophy.  We’re also excited about our new website www.FootTrails.co.uk  Alongside an exciting new look, you’ll find example itineraries and more information about Foot Trails’ trips and tours.  We’d love our new brochure and website to inspire you to start planning your 2026 adventure. If you’d like to chat about your plans or would like to book your 2026 adventure, simply get in touch with our expert team by emailing us at enquire@foottrails.co.uk or sending us a message here on Instagram. #walkingholidaysuk #hikeuk #walkingholidays #walkingengland #hikingadventures #walkuk #hikeuk #walking #selfguidedtour #foottrailsuk #beautifulbritain #englishcountryside #weloveengland #swisbest #visitengland #visitbritain
We've been working on something exciting behind th We've been working on something exciting behind the scenes here at Foot Trails, and we’d love to share it with you: A new look for Foot Trails’ brochures, website and social media platforms. We love the results and believe it perfectly reflects our values and ethos. In many ways, this new look represents a return to Foot Trails’ roots: Earthy tones and layered textures inspired by the weathered paths and landscapes of South West England. We’ll be rolling out the new look over the next few days and also launching our new website and 2026 brochure. Please do look out for them. It’s the perfect way to look ahead to next year, and we’re excited to hear from you about your 2026 travel plans! #walkingholidaysuk #walkuk #hikeuk #hikingadventures #selfguidedtour #visitengland #visitbritain #visitsomersetuk #hikethecotswolds #visitthecotswolds #visitdorset #visitwiltshire #exmoor #exmoornationalpark #countrysidewalks #englishcountryside #selfguidedadventure #walkingholiday #activetravel #weloveengland
Foot Trails: Where it all began In 1995, David & Foot Trails: Where it all began In 1995, David & I gave up our jobs and boarded a boat for France. Armed only with a small two-man tent, a few essentials, we hiked 680 miles across France, doing what we loved most, being close to nature and exploring. When we returned to the UK, we wanted to help others have their own adventures, experiencing the beautiful landscapes on our doorstep in South West England, all through the simplicity of walking & hiking. Foot Trails was born from this inspiration in 2002. Twenty-three years later, David & I are as passionate as ever about our little patch of England. You can watch the full video of David and I chatting about our journey and Foot Trails' new look on our YouTube channel (link in bio). Happy Trails! Alison Howell #foottrailsuk #walkuk #hikeuk #walkingholidayuk #hikingtrails #swisbest #visitengland #visitsomerset #hikethecotswolds #visitdorsetofficial #visitwiltshire #englishcountryside #countrysidewalks
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been nam We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been named a finalist in the 2025 Bristol Bath Somerset and Gloucestershire Tourism Awards in the International Tourism Award category! This prestigious award celebrates the best in tourism and hospitality in the South West, supporting industry leaders, rising stars and passionate professionals. It’s a huge recognition of all of our hard work in providing wonderful trips in South West England. We’re extremely proud to have been named a finalist and can’t wait to find out which award we’ve won at the awards evening at the end of November. We’d like to say a huge thank you to Tourism Awards - South West for this recognition. And also to all our guests, your support, feedback and comments play a key role in everything we do, and helped us to impress the judging panel! #BBSTA25 #Congratulations #TourismAwards #GoodLuck #TourismSuperstars #walkingholidaysuk #visitengland #swtourismawards #hikeuk #hikingvacation #swisbest #visitsomerset
This past week, we’ve really started to see the This past week, we’ve really started to see the first signs of autumn. Chilly, atmospheric mornings with the sun rising and burning away the mists clinging to the fields; bright, clear, warm days perfect for walking the rolling chalk downs with views stretching off for miles; shafts of sunlight illuminating leaves just starting to turn into the golds, reds and browns of autumn; the smell of ripening fruits as we walk the country footpaths and lanes, with the apple harvest in particular promising to be bountiful this year. And then the darker evenings as the days slowly get shorter and we can’t help but think ahead to cosy nights by the log fire. We’ve loved being out in the countryside this week, witnessing this wonderful season of change, and can’t wait to embrace the joys of autumnal walking in South West England over the coming weeks. #walkingholidaysuk #walkuk #hikeuk #hikingbritain #autumnvibes🍁 #autumn🍁 #fallvibes #swisbest #hikingthecotswolds #visitthecotswolds #visitsomerset #visitengland #visitwiltshire #visitdorsetofficial #seekthetrails
We’ve been overwhelmed by the interest and booki We’ve been overwhelmed by the interest and bookings for our new founder-led walking/hiking events for 2026. Our six-night Story of The Cotswolds trip in October 2026 has now sold out, and we have just one bedroom, a superior double, available for Kings and Kingdoms, arriving Monday 22nd June 2026 for 6 nights. Guided by founders Alison and David Howell, you'll explore the stunning landscapes, villages, scenery and sites of South Wiltshire and North Dorset on this inn to inn style hiking adventure. To take part you should be comfortable walking and hiking 8 miles each day. All meals are included and so are luggage transfers, transport drop-offs and guiding with Alison and David. Accommodation is provided in a superior ensuite double bedroom at three hand-picked country inns along the route. Welcome drinks will be served on arrival. To receive a full itinerary and brochure or to send your booking enquiry, please email us at enquire@foottrails.co.uk or send us a message here on Instagram :) #guidedwalks #guidedwalking #walkingholidays #walkingengland #naturegetaway #hikingadventures #outdooradventure #walkuk #hikeuk #hikingholidays #visitdorset #southwestengland #dorset #wiltshire #walking #guidedhikes #guidedtours #englishcountryside #foottrailsuk #beautifulbritain
The coast of Exmoor is a dramatic, rugged and wond The coast of Exmoor is a dramatic, rugged and wonderfully scenic region of the South West. Contrasting starkly with other coastal stretches of the South West, the Exmoor coast offers sweeping views off into the Severn estuary, rocky headlands, pebble beaches, and hidden coves. Steep wooded valleys cut into the cliffs as wild water makes its way from Exmoor to the sea. Picturesque seaside towns and villages hark back to times when smugglers roamed and, later, when Victorians sought the fresh sea air. Out on the moors and salt marshes, ponies and red deer roam. It’s a stunning landscape that’s long been a draw to Foot trails’ Founders Alison & David Howell. So it was a natural choice for our newest trip Wild Coast & Wild Moor’. Back in spring of this year, David was out on the coast of Exmoor, finalising routes for our new trip. The bright spring sunshine provided the perfect backdrop for the wild beauty of Exmoor. To find out more about our 2026 trips in this fantastic region of the South West, visit our website (link in bio) or send us a message here on Instagram 🌊 #exmoor #exmoornationalpark #exmoor4all #porlockweir #swisbest #visitengland #hikeuk #walkuk #walkingholidaysuk #hikingvacation #hikingbritain #coastalwalks #coastwalk #ruralengland #southwestcoastpath #coastalscenery #selfguidedtour #ukwalkingholidays
We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been nam We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been named winner of the Customer Satisfaction Award in the Altaris Business Awards! The awards recognise travel companies that have demonstrated excellence across operations, customer service, and overall business performance. We’re particularly proud to have won the Customer Satisfaction Award, as customer service is always at the heart of everything we do here at Foot Trails. We love using our local knowledge of South West England to craft bespoke walking & hiking trips for our guests, so this award is particularly special, and wonderful recognition of our work. Thank you to all of our guests who make this possible! We can't wait to welcome more guests to explore the paths less trodden in our beautiful corner of England. #AltarisAwards #AltarisBusinessAwards #GlobalBusinessAwards #TravelAwards #winners #walkuk #hikeuk #visitengland #visitsomerset #visitthecotswolds #visitdorset #visitwiltshire #swisbest #englishcountryside #visitbritain #hikingadventures #beautifulbritain #ukhikes #weloveengland
Dorset - a place of rolling green countryside, woo Dorset - a place of rolling green countryside, wooded combes, beautiful thatched cottages and stunning coastlines. It’s a landscape that’s inspired poets and writers down the centuries - the most famous perhaps Thomas Hardy. It’s not hard to see why this region is so inspiring: it’s a timelessly rural place with a laid-back feel to life that makes it a wonderful place to wander and explore. We had a great day out back in May, checking one of our routes in Dorset. It was springtime, and the countryside was bursting with life: bright flowers, young lambs and clear skies with white fluffy clouds. As we climbed an ancient hillfort partway through our hike, we were treated to magnificent views in every direction, the sea glimmering tantalisingly in the distance. Images like these are just some of the reasons why Dorset is such a favourite for us and why we love sharing this landscape with our from all over the globe. 🥾🥾 #dorset #visitdorset #visitdorsetofficial #englishcountryside #visitengland #eggardonhill #eggardonhillfort #coastalwalks #jurassiccoast #walkingholidayuk #walkuk #hikeuk #hiking #ruralengland #countrysidewalks
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Photography credits: Alison & David Howell. Alun Callender, The National Trust, English Heritage

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