Bath, 10 May 2016: Foot Trails (01747 820626; www.foottrails.co.uk) is now featuring country inns from The Epicurean Collection on selected walking holidays.

The West Country walking holiday specialist has teamed up with the award-winning group of independently run country inns to increase its emphasis on the British countryside and top-quality local food and drink.

The first to collaborate with Foot Trails in two inn-to-inn tours include The Museum Inn at Farnham, one of the stopovers in Foot Trails' new self-guided tour Dorset Royal Chase, a walk that delves into the northern reaches of the county. Meanwhile, The King John Inn in Tollard Royal now hosts guests rambling around Wiltshire, Dorset and Somerset on the route of another self-guided trip titled Wessex Ancient Kingdom. Both historic properties offer outstanding dining and luxurious en-suite bedrooms – two essential components of all Foot Trails' holidays.

Speaking about the partnership, Alison Howell, founder of Foot Trails, said: “We are very excited about combining our expertise. The pubs and inns that form The Epicurean Collection share our passion for the British countryside. Like us, they champion rural Britain and British food and drink.”

Lee Hart, landlord of The Museum Inn, said: "We are delighted to partner with Foot Trails. Together we can offer a truly British countryside experience to all, from the outstanding natural beauty of the great outdoors to the finest-quality locally sourced food and drinks, and beautiful bedrooms with classic English home comforts. The Museum Inn and the King John Inn are just two of many pubs in The Epicurean Collection that are perfectly placed to provide this authentic British experience alongside Foot Trails."  

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 email travelnews@traveltappers.co.uk. Alternatively, contact Simone Kane on 07811 161839 and simone@traveltappers.co.uk or Kate Simon on 07939 526109 and kate@traveltappers.co.uk. Traveltappers is a trading name of Little Black Book Creative Ltd.

Notes to editors:

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 900 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 that 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 14 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 cafés, 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.

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