Blogs

Alison Hallas, Ramblers policy officer, looks back at the history of our involvement with National Parks, and our current work supporting a new review into the future of protected landscapes

In the late 1990s – in the days before social media, the euro and 9/11 - I joined the Ramblers staff to help campaign for the right to roam.

"Walking and nature had done so much for my mental health, I knew I needed to do more. I thought if I did a big walk, it might inspire others to recognise the positive effects of exercise and the open air."

GP surgeries in Shetland are prescribing nature-based activities for patients with conditions ranging from high blood pressure to depression. But we don’t need a doctor’s prescription to start enjoying the wellbeing benefits of nature, says Phil Pickin.

As the government publishes its first national strategy on loneliness, at the Ramblers we’re spreading the word about how walking can help people overcome social isolation and improve their emotional, mental and physical wellbeing.

The woods are probably my favourite place to go walking. And autumn is definitely my favourite time of year to head out amongst the trees; crisp leaves rustle, twigs crack and the waning sun paints amazing patterns on the woodland floor.

From Whitehall to town halls, getting more people walking and cycling is increasingly recognised as ‘a good thing’. But, as the Budget proves, when it comes to investment, the car is still king.

Margot and her son Thomas, joined the Stepping Out Carers’ Walks in Kent for the first time this year.

From weekend walker to North Pole adventurer. For Misba Khan from Manchester, joining a Ramblers group was the start of an incredible journey that led her all the way to the Arctic.

We are blessed in England and Wales with a fantastic network of paths – nearly 140,000 miles of rights of way (enough to stretch round the earth five times or half way to the moon!). However, there are thousands of historical rights of way which have not been recorded and if they are not claimed by 2026 they will be lost – forever!