Cow grazing beside reeds along the River Stour in Dedham Vale in autumn.

Journals

Personal field notes and reflections from the team, documenting places, routes, and time spent moving through landscapes.

Journals

National Landscapes

James Stringer

Everyday Life Along the River

Autumn along the River Stour is a study in stillness — a slow-moving current, the rustle of reeds, and cattle grazing by the banks beneath golden trees. This is Dedham Vale...

Journals

National Landscapes

James Stringer

Autumn in Dedham Vale

Autumn drifts softly through Dedham Vale National Landscape, carried on a warm breeze and the scent of damp leaves. The fields glow gold in low sunlight, the air feels fres...

Journals

Seasonal highlights

Self Guided Travel

Autumn in Orford

Autumn comes quietly to Orford, a small village on the Suffolk Coast Path where history and landscape blend into something atmospheric and enduring. The first chill morning...

Journals

Seasonal highlights

Self Guided Travel

Autumn on the Suffolk Coast Path

Autumn transforms the Suffolk coast into a quieter, more atmospheric place. The summer crowds are gone, the light softens, and the air feels fresher, making the Suffolk Coa...

Journals

Seasonal highlights

Self Guided Travel

Autumn on Dunwich Heath & Minsmere

Autumn has a way of transforming the Suffolk coast. The air sharpens, the light softens, and familiar landscapes settle into quieter tones. Nowhere shows this shift more....

Journals

Seasonal highlights

Self Guided Travel

Autumn walks in Suffolk

There’s something about autumn in Suffolk that draws you outdoors. The summer bustle is gone, the air feels cooler and fresher, and colours settle into deeper tones. Bronze...

Journals

Highlighted Trail

Self Guided Travel

Thurne Windmill on the Weavers’ Way

Standing proud on the edge of the Norfolk Broads, Thurne Windmill is one of the most recognisable landmarks along the Weavers’ Way – a long-distance walking trail linking...

Journals

National Landscapes

James Stringer

A Walk Through the Quiet Wild

There’s a quiet kind of wildness on the Suffolk coast. It’s not the drama of jagged cliffs or mountain skylines — but a softer, slower beauty. One shaped by shifting tides,

Journals

Good To Know

Self Guided Travel

England’s AONBs Are Now National Landscapes

In November 2023, a quiet but significant change swept across England’s countryside: Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) were officially renamed National Landscapes.

Journals

Stays Along The Trail

James Stringer

Walking the Peddars Way

After a long day of walking the Peddars Way, we arrived in Great Massingham and found exactly what every walker hopes for: a warm welcome, good food, and

Journals

Announcements

Self Guided Travel

We're Now Open for Partners

We’re excited to announce that Self Guided Travel is now officially open for listings — and we’re inviting trusted partners to join us.If you’re a walking holiday operator...

Journals

Trails

James Stringer

Discover the Cumbria Way

The Cumbria Way runs from Ulverston to Carlisle, stretching about 117 km (73 mi) through the Lake District. Typically walked over 5–6 days (covering 18–24 km/12–15 mi per day

Journals

Trail Stories

James Stringer

Walking the South Downs Way

We arrived in Winchester beneath soft evening light. A charming town with deep roots, where cathedral bells echo across quiet streets and time feels suspended. After stepping

Journals

Trail Stories

James Stringer

Walking The Norfolk Coast Path

We arrived at the sea just as the sun was setting. After days of walking Peddars Way — through heath, farmland, and flint villages — the moment we reached the dunes at...

Journals

Trail Stories

James Stringer

Walking Peddars Way

Peddars Way is one of England’s oldest long-distance walking trails. Tracing the line of a Roman road built nearly two millennia ago, it stretches 46 miles...