The Ramblers facts for kids
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| Founded | 1 January 1935 |
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| Type | Charity |
| Focus | Promoting walking |
| Headquarters | London |
| Origins | United Kingdom |
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Area served
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United Kingdom |
| Product | Walking |
| Method | Funding |
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Members
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102,214 |
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Chief executive officer
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Ross Maloney |
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Key people
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Tom Stephenson |
The Ramblers is a charity in Great Britain that helps people enjoy walking. It is also known as the Ramblers Association. This group has about 100,000 members and many volunteers. These volunteers work to keep paths open and safe for everyone to use. The Ramblers started in 1935. They work hard to make sure the British countryside is open for all to explore.
Contents
The Ramblers' Story
Walking in the countryside, also called rambling, became very popular in the 1800s. Many people living in busy towns and cities found walking a great way to escape pollution and stress. But it became harder to access the countryside. This was because of something called the Enclosure movement. This movement allowed private landowners to close off their land. Because of this, many walking clubs and groups started. They fought for walkers' rights from the mid-1800s until the 1930s.
In 1931, a group called the National Council of Ramblers' Federations was formed. Walkers felt they needed a national group to speak for them. On April 24, 1932, a famous event happened. A group of walkers, who felt the new council wasn't moving fast enough, organized a mass trespass. They walked onto Kinder Scout, the highest point in the Peak District, even though it was private land. During this event, the walkers faced resistance from landowners' gamekeepers. Five walkers were arrested. This mass trespass is often seen as a very important moment for walkers' rights.
In 1934, the National Council decided to change its name. This led to the official start of the Ramblers' Association on January 1, 1935. The first Ramblers office opened in Liverpool in 1938. Ten years later, they hired Tom Stephenson full-time as their secretary. He was a key person in fighting for open access to the countryside. He also pushed for the first long-distance path in Britain, the Pennine Way.
In 1946, the Ramblers' Association created a separate company. This company was meant to handle sales, office services, and organize walking tours. It later became a separate travel company called RWH Travel Ltd.
A politician named Hugh Dalton was also a big supporter of the Ramblers. He loved the outdoors. As a government minister, he helped create the National Land Fund to support national parks. In 1951, he approved the Pennine Way, which added many miles of public paths.
What the Ramblers Believe In
The Ramblers believe that walking is good for people's health and happiness. They think that walking in the countryside and even in cities is a right for everyone. They also say that Britain's public paths are a valuable part of its history. They believe that local authorities should invest in keeping these paths in good condition.
Since it started, the Ramblers has worked to make sure people can responsibly access all of Britain's green spaces. This led to important laws like the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. This law gave people the right to walk on about 8% of land in England. Another law, the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, helped create the England Coast Path. In Scotland, the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 made traditional walking rights into law. This makes Scotland one of the best countries in Europe for walkers, as they can access almost all land.
The Ramblers' main goal is a country where everyone can enjoy the outdoors by walking. They want high-quality walks for all communities, no matter their age or background. They encourage everyone to be welcoming, positive, helpful, and responsible towards the environment.
How the Ramblers is Organized
The Ramblers is a charity registered in England, Wales, and Scotland. A board of up to 15 trustees leads the organization. In Scotland and Wales, there are special groups that handle local matters.
At a local level, there are 485 local Groups and 59 regional Areas. These groups organize activities for members and volunteers. Each Area and Group has its own rules but works as part of the bigger Ramblers organization.
On April 1, 2023, Amar Latif, a blind adventurer, became the president of the Ramblers. Before him, the writer and DJ Stuart Maconie held the role for six years.
What the Ramblers Has Achieved
The Ramblers played a huge part in creating the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. This law led to the creation of National Parks, National Trails, and official maps of public paths across Great Britain.
More recently, the Ramblers helped set up new national parks, like the South Downs and New Forest in the early 2000s. They have also been key in developing the idea of national trails and making them a reality.
A big goal for the organization was achieved in 2000. The Countryside and Rights of Way Act was passed. This law gives people the freedom to roam in certain open areas of England and Wales.
The Ramblers has also pushed for a clear way to access the entire coast of England and Wales. They were successful in getting government funding in 2015 to finish the England Coast Path by 2020.
More and more, Ramblers volunteers help maintain footpaths across Great Britain. They work with local authorities to keep paths clear and safe. This work has helped maintain famous routes like the Pennine Way, the Pilgrims' Way, Offa's Dyke, and many others.
The Ramblers is recognized as the official sports governing body for "Rambling" in England by Sport England. They share this role with the Long Distance Walkers Association.
Campaigns and Protecting Paths
Throughout its history, the Ramblers has campaigned to make sure everyone has access to well-maintained green spaces for walking.
They have always worked to protect the rights of walkers. For example, in a long-running case, a path on a private estate was blocked. Local Ramblers protested. After 13 years, the path was finally reopened in 2003.
Today, the Ramblers continues to defend walkers' rights. They oppose ideas that would make walking on certain land a crime. They also speak out against closing level crossings if it forces walkers onto unsafe roads without pavements.
In 2015, the Ramblers launched "The Big Pathwatch." This project checked the condition of paths in England and Wales. Over 3,000 volunteers found 59,000 problems. They found that 56% of paths were well-kept, but 35% needed work, and 9% were hard or impossible to use. Ramblers volunteers continue to fix these paths so everyone can enjoy them.
A law states that all unrecorded paths created before 1949 must be officially recorded by January 1, 2026. The Ramblers has trained many volunteers to find and claim these "lost paths." They launched a campaign called "Don't Lose Your Way" to save them.
The Ramblers works to ensure that laws about the countryside help people connect with nature. This includes making sure towns have green, walkable areas, and that public paths are well-maintained and easy to find.
The organization also promotes good urban planning. They want more green routes in towns and cities, like the Walk London Routes (Capital Ring, London Loop) and the Manchester Green Trail Network.
The Ramblers also runs "Walking For Health" programs. These programs encourage people with health conditions to get out and walk.
Enjoying a Walk with the Ramblers
Ramblers group walks are guided walks organized by local Ramblers groups. Some groups focus on specific age ranges, like people in their 20s and 30s, to attract younger members. There are also special groups for urban walking, like the Metropolitan Walkers.
Walks come in different lengths:
- Short walks: three to four miles (6 km)
- Medium walks: five to six miles (10 km), or seven to nine miles (14 km)
- Longer walks for experienced walkers: ten to fifteen miles (24 km)
Before a walk, leaders consider how difficult the route will be. They check for things like stiles (steps over fences), steep hills, or busy roads.
Ramblers members volunteer to lead walks. Leaders walk the planned route beforehand to check it out. They make sure the path is still suitable for the group.
The Ramblers also offers "Ramblers Routes." This is a collection of walking routes with digital maps. These routes include detailed directions, interesting points along the way, and information about how hilly the walk is.
See Also
