Our Walking Journal

Close up of a pair of hands holding a Foot Trails trail guide in the countryside

How to find your way hiking in the English countryside

In England, we’re blessed with over 116,000 miles of public rights of way, giving us remarkable access to the countryside. Although much of this network crosses private land, the public have had the right to use the paths since time immemorial. It’s one of the (many) joys of hiking in England — you’ll likely be

Read more →
David and Alison Howell sit on bent over tree trunk looking at a map.

Why we hike without screens

“I’ve always loved being able to step away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life in the countryside. Even as a child, I relished the freedom I had to wander the fields and lanes around the Cotswolds village where I grew up. There’s something about immersing yourself in nature that lets all other cares

Read more →
A rolling green landscape with a line of trees on the brow of the hill.

Where we walked in March

March was another fabulous month of walking & hiking for the Foot Trails team. We were treated to some beautiful spring weather – wandering quiet country lanes past bobbing daffodils and under bright pink and white tree blossoms. We were out checking a existing route in Dorset at the start of the month as well

Read more →
A beautiful yellow stone cottage partially covered by a tree in full spring blossom.

Hiking in the footsteps of an exiled king

In 1651, Charles II undertook an epic six-week journey to flee England after being defeated by Oliver Cromwell in the Battle of Worcester. Our journey on this bright spring day in March would be much shorter, but we would be following some of the same paths that Charles took nearly 400 years ago. Getting to

Read more →
View of a classic Cotswolds wool church next to a grand country house. In the foreground are green fields and sheep.

Why the Cotswolds matter

Ultimately, the Cotswolds are important to David and I because they are synonymous with home and family. They are the setting for countless treasured memories throughout my life: long summer days spent in the English garden at my grandparents’ house in Cirencester, cosy winter evenings by a log fire in a traditional pub, time spent

Read more →
A chestnut tree in bloom standing in front of a traditional Cotswolds stone cottage

Hiking the Cotswolds off the beaten path

There are over 3,000 miles of footpaths in the Cotswolds alone. While the national trails and famous villages are deservedly popular, they are only a small part of what this remarkable region offers—there is so much more to see in the Cotswolds. At Foot Trails, our ethos begins with taking you away from the crowds

Read more →