The Ramblers Association
Visiting the Outdoors Show made us realise how many great outdoor associations, charities, clubs and communities exist in the UK — inspiration for a series of articles on ProCamping featuring different associations.
First up is the Ramblers, "Britain's Walking Charity". The Ramblers give their mission as being to protect the ability of people to enjoy the sense of freedom and benefits that come from being outdoors on foot, and to protect and expand the infrastructure and places people go walking.
The Ramblers campaign to improve and extend access to national trails, and to beat funding cuts to footpaths. Among their recent achievements has been the "One Coast for All" campaign, which sees the Ramblers campaign for a coastal path around the whole of England — in 2012 they achieved the first step in this with the England Coast Path opening in Weymouth. The plans at the time were that by 2017 walkers would be able to walk from Hull to Dorset (the long way round, via Wales).
Joining the Ramblers
Annual individual membership to the Ramblers was set at £31 at the time of writing, with a £10 discount if you signed up with annual direct debit. Joining the Ramblers isn't just about supporting their work — you also get access to a range of member benefits.
Benefits of joining
- The ability to join one of hundreds of organised walks every weekend
- Quarterly issues of Walk Magazine
- Access to the Ramblers' extensive map library
- A Members Handbook
- Discretionary discounts from Cotswold Outdoor
- Holiday offers from HF Holidays
- Competitive insurance rates with UIA
- 5% on every booking with cottages4you
Are you a member of the Ramblers? What's been your favourite part of membership — a particular group walk or event you loved?