Today, the Ramblers represents more than 100,000 members across England, Scotland and Wales, and we owe many of the boundless paths that run up and down our island to the 85 years of its tireless campaigning. In fact, we now have access to 140,000 miles of paths and millions of acres of open land thanks to the work of the Ramblers, ensuring more people than ever can experience the joy of walking outdoors.
But how did the Ramblers come to be? It all began in 1931, when six regional federations representing walkers from all over Britain joined forces to create the National Council of Ramblers Federations, a body that could advocate on behalf of walkers’ rights at a national level.
On 1 January 1935, the Ramblers was officially created to not only campaign for walkers’ rights, but to also improve access laws, which kept much of the British countryside out of bounds. Their first office was established in Liverpool in 1938. Ten years later, the organisation grew to employ a full-time secretary, Tom Stephenson.
In the 85 years since, the Ramblers has gone from strength to strength, and has even been represented by public figures such as broadcaster Julia Bradbury, Floella Benjamin and its current president, DJ and writer Stuart Maconie.
The Ramblers’ first great achievement was arguably the passing of the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act. The act required footpaths in England and Wales to be recorded on definitive maps. It also laid the foundation for the establishment of National Parks and National Trails in England and Wales and National Nature Reserves, the first being established in 1951 at Beinn Eighe in Scotland.
“The major misconception about us is that we're just a walking group. People don't realise that the work that we do actually supports everybody who walks.” Rebecca Dawson – chair of the Ramblers
It was the Ramblers’ first secretary, Tom Stephenson, who led the campaign for the opening of the Pennine Way in 1965. The year 2000 was a bumper year for the Ramblers, which saw it finally succeed in securing public access to mountain, moor, heath and downland in England and Wales, as well as the creation of the National Parks (Scotland) Act, which led to the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park and Cairngorms National Park being established. In addition, 2003 saw the Land Reform Act in Scotland guaranteeing the right to roam, one of Ramblers Scotland’s great achievements.
In more recent years, Ramblers Cymru was instrumental in the opening of the Wales Coast Path in May 2012 with the Big Welsh Coastal Walk. The same year also saw the first section of the England Coast Path opening in Weymouth.
In fact, so vital has the Ramblers become in all the creation of countryside access policy that since 1983, it’s been a legal requirement to consult them on any changes to paths in England and Wales, with its volunteers inspecting thousands of miles of paths each year.
“The major misconception about us,” says the Ramblers’ chair Rebecca Dawson, “is that we're just a walking group. People don't realise that the work that we do, actually supports everybody who walks. Every time you step foot on a footpath, or a bridleway, or a byway, we've helped support that. We've helped ensure that path is in good condition, and that it's not blocked. All of that work is behind the scenes.”
Rebecca, who was delighted to be elected as chair of the board of trustees just a year ago, is keen to stress that the Ramblers is open to all types of people. “I think it's important, particularly as I'm a younger woman, that I am visible, and to show that the Ramblers is for everyone,” she says.
Wherever you live, whatever your age or background, there’s so much you can get out of a Ramblers membership. You’ll discover a wealth of new walking opportunities at your feet and more ways to boost your wellbeing. Plus, you’ll be helping to protect the places we all love to walk, too. So, pull on your boots, choose your track, path or trail, and find your feet with the Ramblers – the biggest and most vibrant community of walkers in Britain.
The Ramblers is generously supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, as part of the lottery’s Climate Challenge initiative. People’s Postcode Lottery manages lotteries on behalf of 20 Postcode Trusts.
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