The Aylesbury Ramblers walk the newly created Outer Aylesbury Ring in September 2013
We’ve looked back at the last year and picked 12 successes we’ve achieved thanks to the help of our volunteers, members and supporters which have benefitted walkers everywhere.
Looking after our volunteers
We supported over 25,000 volunteers to help deliver our work as Britain’s walking charity, running workshops on issues such as high speed rail, holding a Campaigns and Policy Conference and introducing a series of Volunteer Development Days.
Path maintenance goes on tour
Our 102 path maintenance teams improved over 600 paths, keeping them clear, well-signed and easy to use. Our first ever path maintenance holiday also took place in Cornwall in October, with half a mile of path opened up.
Protecting paths
We saved over 800 paths from being blocked, closed or badly diverted, including having useful and historic paths added to definitive maps (the official records of public rights of way in England and Wales).
Creating a walking legacy in Scotland
We launched our 50th Medal Routes walking hub and there are now over 130 short walks on offer in local communities in Scotland. The Medal Routes project is designed to help create a legacy from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year.
Standing up for the coast path
Our One Coast For All campaign for the England Coast Path made the Case for Coast in Westminster, gained nearly 20,000 signatories and was named environmental or access initiative of the year at the Great Outdoors Awards in November.
Leading walks week-in, week-out
Our walk leaders organised over 45,000 group walks from short strolls to challenging hikes. They welcomed new walkers during Get Walking Week in May and will be out on the trail again for the Festival of Winter Walks from 21 December until 5 January.
Helping people get healthy
We encouraged over 88,000 people to go on a health walk and produced our Walking Works report with Macmillan Cancer Support, which explains how walking can help us all lead longer, happier and healthier lives.
Growing our routes library
Ramblers Routes, our online library of downloadable walking routes now has over 1500 inspiring routes searchable by length, difficulty and theme, all of which have a handy profile tool to check ascents and descents.
Getting people talking walking
Over a thousand people joined our great outdoors debate, talking to our volunteers, downloading discussion kits and completing our online survey, to tell us what makes their outdoors great so we can help keep it that way.
TV highlights
We featured on Countryfile and Newsnight talking about the England Coast Path and BBC Radio Scotland’s Out of Doors programme talking about the impact of reintroducing wolves in Scotland. The Cirencester Ramblers also had a star turn on ITV’s Saturday Farm.
Championing Scottish access
We celebrated 10 years of the freedom to roam in Scotland, marking a decade since the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gave people the right to roam almost everywhere in Scotland in Walk magazine.
Making the most of the path network
The Aylesbury Ramblers created the 53 mile Outer Aylesbury Ring in Buckinghamshire linking up existing paths, while the Isle of Wight Ramblers developed a series of car-free walks by teaming up with the island’s bus network.