Blogs

Dan Jarvis, Mayor for Sheffield City Region, tells us what inspires him to work on urban walking and what improvements need to be made to the streets we walk every day.

The final report of the government’s independent review of protected landscapes, landed at the end of September to wide acclaim. It’s full of ambition for how our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (collectively called the ‘National Landscapes’ in the report) can meet our needs in the 21st century.

Oliver Taylor tells us about how he got involved with the Ramblers as a 15-year-old, his work as footpath secretary and walk leader for the Huddersfield Group and the importance of path maintenance work!

Many Ramblers staff will be leading a walk to join the young people, organisations and individuals supporting the climate strike near parliament, although our office will stay open.

Andrew Hall, Campaigns and Communications Officer at Campaign for National Parks takes a look at what the future might hold for National Parks

The WI is proud to be celebrating the 70th anniversary of the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act. Encouraging people to walk and make the most of the beautiful green spaces across the UK will have endless benefits, from personal health and wellbeing, to reducing social isolation, something that is at the very heart of the WI’s ethos.

Chris Riches was searching for a fitting way to commemorate his late father, who inspired his love of getting out into the countryside. Happily, help was at hand from South Wiltshire Ramblers, resulting in a new ‘kissing gate’ being installed at East Knoyle.

A glimpse at typical outdoor clothing worn on the mountains and moors of Britain during the 1940s, when the 1949 National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act came about – and how it compares to today’s cutting-edge kit.

While the 1949 Act didn’t include Scotland in much of its scope, it did introduce NNRs, and the first in the UK was opened at Beinn Eighe in Torridon.

There are an estimated 10,000 miles of footpaths missing from the definitive map and our Don't Lose Your Way campaign aims to identify and protect as many of them as possible. Not only are they a way of getting us from A to B, our paths also connect us to nature, link up communities and have fascinating stories to tell, gathered over generations of use - a vital part of our heritage.