Alison Howell's Foot Trails (01747 820626; www.foottrails.co.uk) is offering special two-night itineraries for walkers keen to step out during winter.

The West Country walking specialist has tailored its offering for the coming season mindful of the possibility of inclement weather, providing shorter one-centre itineraries based at cosy country inns, where log fires, good food and drink and comfy accommodation are guaranteed.

“On crisp days when the grass crunches under your feet and you see your breath steam in front of your face as you walk, there's nothing like it. You feel alive,” says Alison Howell, founder of Foot Trails. “We have expertise in winter walking and understand the best places to go, which paths tend to be driest – and, of course, great local pubs with those proper log fires to warm up by.”

Foot Trails features a dedicated page about winter walking on its website, including tips on what to wear and what to pack in a day bag. Here, the walking holiday specialist also recommends particularly good hikes for winter, all of which are tailored to the customer, and some of which are car-free and dog-friendly. They include: 

Secret Cotswolds, a self-guided tour of rural landscapes and mellow local villages, calls at Neolithic burial sites and Roman ruins. Trail lengths: five to seven miles or up to 10 miles. Available in two-, three- and four-night, one-centre itineraries from £199.  

Knights Medieval Castle, a self-guided tour that delves deep into the Wiltshire countryside to discover historic castles and churches. Trail lengths: five to seven miles or up to 10 miles. Available in two-, three- and four-night, one-centre itineraries from £189. 

Bath City and Country, a self-guided tour that explores the surrounding countryside before advancing on this beautiful Georgian city with its famous Roman baths. Available in two-, three- and four-night, one-centre itineraries from £259. 

Somerset Knights Tale, a self-guided tour of Camelot country, calling at the castle said to be the seat of King Arthur, as well as a world-renowned abbey and bustling market towns. Available in two-, three- and four-night, one-centre itineraries from £199. 

All these holidays include B&B accommodation, transport drop off when it makes for a better walk, the services of a Foot Trails holiday planner, tailored walk and explore pack, waterproof Local Ordnance

Survey maps and trail guide cards, local stories and histories, recommendations for lunchtime stops, nature cards for identifying wild flowers, trees and animals, seasonal nature guide book – a fortifying bag of sweets and a bottle of wine.

To book, visit www.foottrails.co.uk or call 01747 820626. Follow developments at Foot Trails on Twitter: @FootTrailsUK, Instagram: @foottrailsUK, and at www.facebook.com/foottrails. Blog: http://foottrails.co.uk/blog/ and Vimeo http://foottrails.co.uk/our-story/we-are-foot-trails/

To request images or further information, to enquire about press trips, and to arrange interviews with Alison Howell, please contact Little Black Book Creative: Simone Kane on 07811 161839 and simone@lbbcreative.co.uk, or Kate Simon on 07939 526109 and kate@lbbcreative.co.uk.

Notes to editors:

Alison Howell's Foot Trails is an innovative and award-winning British travel company and the leading specialist provider of rural walking holidays in South West England, with more than 850 miles of trails in Somerset, Wiltshire, The Cotswolds, Dorset and Devon. The successful Foot Trails brand, established in 2002 by Alison Howell, has been built on a passion for rural England, an unwavering determination to provide unique walking-holiday experiences and a strong commitment to ensuring tourism is sustainable and impacts positively on the landscapes and economies of rural communities. 

Foot Trails ­– named Best Local Low-Impact Tour Operator by Greentraveller – draws on expert knowledge gained by the team during more than 12 years spent tramping across the region to create inspiring, seasonally appropriate walks. The company specialises in designing walks for adults to suit individual tastes. Routes are plotted to avoid the crowded national trails, instead following local paths, with notes provided about local history and nature to immerse guests in the cultural landscape and put them back in touch with the natural environment. Country cafes, inns and small hotels are hand-picked for award-winning food and drink and stylish, comfortable accommodation, to add a touch of luxury while promoting sustainable rural tourism.