Since founding our small company, Country Walks, in 1995, we have become professional guides and over the years we have gained extensive experience organising and guiding walking groups in this country and abroad.

Prior to this, we were both involved in education. I, June, had a background in adult education and for many years was a British Museum guide. Aubrey has a literary background and a passionate interest in poetry and the history of the countryside and loves sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm with others.

Walking in the countryside has been our shared passion for many years. All our holidays were spent walking - and they still are! We introduced our three children to walking from an early age and when the youngest was only six, we all backpacked the Cornish coastal path, still regarded today as one of our very best holidays.

We are proud and privileged to have been able to introduce the pleasures and benefits of walking in the countryside to thousands of people during the past fifteen years. In 1994, we left education and decided to turn our hobby into a part-time business. With great enthusiasm we worked on the routes and decided to include commentaries for added interest. Many hours were spent in research. Eventually the great day came in July 1995 when we turned up at the meeting point to find no-one! Since we had printed and distributed thousands of leaflets, we were obliged to persevere and have a go at the next one. And how glad we were! Six people joined us and two of them are still friends today! Slowly people told their friends, we continued to distribute leaflets and within a few years we were spending every waking moment either researching or leading walks.

In 1996 we were persuaded to start organising weekend breaks and then in 1999 walking trips to Europe. And we haven’t looked back since and we still love every moment spent in the company of our walkers. In 2007 we discovered Nordic Walking, studied the techniques and, having been convinced at the health and fitness benefits we had personally gained, we  trained with the International Nordic Walking Association to become fully qualified instructors. During the past 3 years we have introduced hundreds of people to the benefits of Nordic Walking. And it has most certainly kept us fit!

June & Aubrey

Photograph: Heather Phillips