New walking holiday mixes best of both worlds

Alison Howell's Foot Trails has launched a walking holiday that offers the best of city and country, staying in the heart of historic Bath yet also exploring the beautiful Avon Valley.

“Bath City and Country” is a self-guided short break based in the urban centre, which reaches out to the countryside seen from its honeystone lanes with a choice of trails. The break is available for midweek bookings only, in response to growing demand for a more peaceful experience.

Walkers enjoy a gentle wander around the sights of this Unesco World Heritage city, with its Roman baths and Georgian crescents. Then they immerse themselves in the nearby green pastures, on peaceful walks of between five and 10 miles, following the wildflower-filled banks of the River Avon and the Kennet and Avon canal, and rambling over the famous hills that ring the city, spotting herons, kingfishers and buzzards along the way.  

Foot Trails' walking holidays are unique in that the carefully researched routes avoid the main national trails to take guests away from the crowds onto local paths. Itineraries are tailored to suit guests' wishes and walking experience, as well as the season. Friendly and characterful accommodation is hand-picked by Alison Howell, and the Foot Trails team personally recommend pubs and cafes for enjoyable refreshments and lunches on the routes.

Price £369 per person, based on two sharing, including B&B in a standard en-suite double bedroom at the Queensberry Hotel, one transport drop-off service, a Walk and Explore Box containing waterproof maps and trail cards, a nature guide and other notes, a complimentary bottle of wine – plus a fortifying bag of sweets.

The holiday is available Sunday to Thursday, minimum three-night stay (two-night stays are available 30 October-1 March). This short break can be combined with other areas, such as The Cotswolds, Wiltshire and Somerset, for longer holidays of up to 10 nights.

To book, visit http://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 and Dorset. The successful Foot Trails brand, established in 2002 by Alison Howell and her husband David, 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.

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