Ramblers

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2009)

The Ramblers

Founded	January 1, 1935 (1935-01-01)
Area served	United Kingdom
Members	135,000

The Ramblers,^[1] formerly known as the Ramblers' Association, is the largest walkers' rights organisation in Great Britain which aims to look after the interests of walkers (or ramblers). It is a charity registered in England and Wales, with around 135,000 members.

History

In 1931, the National Council of Ramblers' Federations was formed because walkers felt that a national body to represent their interests was needed.On April the 24th 1932, the Communist inspired 'British Workers Sports federation', frustrated at the lack of resolve of the newly formed Ramblers, staged a mass tresspass of Kinder Scout, the highest point in the Peak District.During the mass trespass, the Ramblers present scuffled with the Duke of Devonshires Gamekeepers and 5 Ramblers were arrested. This Mass Tresspas is often seen as the pivotal turning point in the history of the Ramblers.. In 1934 it was decided to change the Council's name, and so on 1 January 1935, the Ramblers' Association was officially created. On the 21st and 22nd of April 2007 the Ramblers celebrated the 75th anniversary of the illegal trespass of Kinder Scout and the imprisonment of those who participated.^{[citation needed]}

From 1948 onwards its secretary was Tom Stephenson, who was a leading campaigner for open-country access and for the first British long-distance footpath, the Pennine Way.

Charitable objectives

The Ramblers has four main charitable aims:

1. To protect Britain's unique network of public paths
2. To safeguard the natural beauty of the countryside against unsightly and polluting developments
3. To expand rights of responsible access to Britain's countryside
4. To promote walking as a healthy, fun, inexpensive activity

Ethos and core beliefs

The Ramblers as an organisation believes in the power of walking - at the heart of the charity is a recognition of the positive impact that walking can have on people's lives. Although it is a membership organisation, the Ramblers stresses that its work benefits society as a whole. For example, it is committed to helping all people discover the joys and benefits of walking. To that end, it provides resources, such as its website, free of charge and with no advertisements to all people, not just members.

A core belief is that the countryside should be for Ramblers. Since its inception, the Ramblers has campaigned for full rights of responsible access to Britain's green spaces, culminating in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (the CRoW Act). Access in Scotland is even more liberal - the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 made Scotland among the most walking-friendly countries in Europe, along with the Nordic countries, with walkers having the right to access virtually all land.

The Ramblers argues that Britain's network of public paths is an invaluable part of its national heritage and that the relevant authorities have a duty to invest in them.

Structure

There are 485 Ramblers' groups in about 50 areas, and around 350 other affiliated bodies, such as societies especially interested in the heritage of the countryside, the Footpath Society, and local councils.

Each of the Ramblers groups is structured into areas. Each group sends representatives to an area committee. Once a year a general council is held whereby representatives from each area meet to discuss the priorities of the Ramblers for the forthcoming year. The trustees that are legally responsible for the Ramblers are also elected during this.

A criticism of Ramblers groups are that they traditionally attract retired middle class people on walks and not people of other age groups or people from ethnic minorities. However this is changing now with the growing numbers of Ramblers groups being formed specifically for people in their 20s and 30s. The largest one being the Metropolitan Walkers based in London. Whilst the Ramblers have attracted new members from younger age groups there is a lack of ethnic diversity within its membership when viewed as a percentage of overall Ramblers membership.^{[citation needed]}

In March 2009 the Ramblers launched a new logo, becoming the Ramblers rather than the Ramblers' Association. It is hoped that this will start to address the image problem that the Ramblers has.

Achievements

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act, granting the freedom to roam in the open countryside in England and Wales, was passed in 2000.

A recent campaign (summer 2003) has been conducted 'to work for safer road crossing points for users of public rights of way' in order to make the authorities and the public at large aware of the attendant dangers of crossing some extremely busy roads while walking.

Long-distance footpaths, some of them ancient, have been maintained in conjunction with local authorities and their use has been encouraged and promoted by the charity. It is in this way that walking on the Pennine Way, the Pilgrims' Way, the Saxon Shore Way and many others, as well as innumerable shorter paths have become very popular over the years. Gloucestershire-area members of the Ramblers were also responsible for devising (in 1953) and promoting the line of the Cotswold Way.

Present campaigns

Currently the Ramblers is in the forefront of those campaigning for a consistent scheme of access to the whole coast of England and Wales (under the recently introduced Marine Bill). It is also active in promoting 'walking for health' schemes (under its 'Get Walking, Keep Walking' initiative).

How the groups work

Locally, walks vary in length: short distances of three to four miles; a medium range of five to six miles, or seven to nine miles; or for the more experienced ramblers, ten to fifteen miles. Consideration is given to the difficulty of the course and the terrain, whether stiles, steep hills, and busy roads are to be crossed, and the number of members who may be expected to take part.

Ramblers take their turn in volunteering in advance for the list of leaders of the walks. Leaders walk out the designated route in order to reconnoitre it, bearing in mind that certain features of the route may change before the actual day of the walk. Crops in fields growing or harvested, foliage on trees changing, footpaths overgrowing — all will make a difference to what walkers will encounter.

Many members of the Ramblers are not active members of a group however, but are members to support the access and advocacy work of the Association. Similarly, there are many members who are not users of long-distance paths, but are more interested in preserving the diversity of the existing footpath network.

Walking Group Size

One of the inherent problems with Ramblers Walking Groups is the size and number of actual Ramblers participating in the walks. Group sizes of 20+ Ramblers all walking together has led to problems with Landowners and other countryside users in the form of gates left open,litter and also open confrontation with other countrside users, this often being the case with a 'Safety in numbers' mentality of the larger walking groups and therefore it is reccomended that Ramblers walking group sizes be kept to manageable numbers in order to imrpove the overall walking experience for members.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Right of public access to the wilderness
• Backpacking (wilderness)
• Walking in the United Kingdom
• Hillwalking
• Scrambling
• Youth Hostels Association (England & Wales)
• Scottish Youth Hostels Association

References

External links

• Walk: the Magazine of the Ramblers