Our Walking Journal

A female hiker is sat on the edge of a hill looking out over a patchwork of green farmland

Why we use local knowledge not guidebooks for our hiking routes

At Foot Trails, our hikes are built on lived experience – from years of hiking, talking and listening to those who know the land best. We’re all about crowd‑free walking, which is why we avoid the national trails. Instead, we guide you off the beaten path into beautiful villages and landscapes you’d probably never find

Read more →
View of a footpath leading over a field and towards a church in the distance

Exploring a new route in picturesque Dorset

February 14 brought vivid blue skies and lots of early spring sunshine to the South West of England. David and I (Alison) were doing something we love: creating a new hiking trail for Foot Trails, a task we often take on in winter and early spring. Recceing a new route is always a little unpredictable.

Read more →
View of the rolling Cotswolds countryside on a sunny day

The charm of the Cotswolds away from the tourist hotspots

The beauty of the Cotswolds is deservedly world renowned: charming cottages, rolling hills, classic market towns and history stretching back to the Romans and beyond. It’s quintessentially English and popular the world over. Alison and I have long family ties in the area, and we have spent many years exploring its lesser-known lanes and footpaths.

Read more →
A lone walker stands on the edge of a hill looking out at the view on a winter's day.

A winter’s hike in the Cotswolds

Grey skies and the threat of rain – in many ways a typical February day in the South West. Even with low cloud hanging over the landscape, it felt exciting to be out in the Cotswolds, checking and updating one of our walks. We began at a 12th‑century Norman church in the heart of a

Read more →
View of a path through a traditional English country garden leading to a thatched cottage.

Crowd-free hiking in South West England

At Foot Trails, we avoid the crowds. When we plan a new trail, we start with where David and I would like to show you and then design our route around this. Guiding you to beautiful villages, stunning views, country houses and more. To the places you’d never find on your own. Exploring these quieter

Read more →
View looking down on a secluded cover in winter from sea cliffs.

Hiking to a secluded bay on the Dorset coast

Some winter days feel made for hiking, and the last Wednesday in January was one of them. As David and I (Foot Trails Storyteller Emma) set off from a picture-perfect village of grey Purbeck stone cottages it was under a sunny sky with a gentle breeze. We made our way into open fields and I

Read more →