Celebrating National Walking Month with the Ramblers

Like us, our partners the Ramblers are passionate about helping everyone enjoy the benefits of walking and breaking down any barriers that stand in the way. Together, we’re working to make sure the places we love to walk, and the paths, tracks and trails that lead us to them, are preserved and protected for future generations. 

In celebration of National Walking Month this May, we caught up with Clive Sanders, Director of Income and Marketing at the Ramblers, to hear more about their mission and plans to help get more people on the trails this National Walking Month and beyond.

A bblonde woman in a purple top looking into the distance

Left: Symonds Yat, Herefordshire

Right: Amar Latif, President of the Ramblers & Clive Sanders, Director of Income & Marketing at the Ramblers

Welcome Clive, can you tell us more about the Ramblers’ mission?

The Ramblers are Britain’s Walking Charity and have been going for nearly 90 years. We started out campaigning for greater access to the countryside and that legacy continues today. We’re very lucky to have a network of public paths spanning 140,000 miles across England and Wales, and it’s the Ramblers who look after that.

We work with landowners, the government and other bodies, to make sure that the path network is protected, open and accessible. We also work to remove the barriers that people face when trying to get outside and provide them with the skills and confidence to explore.

How are the Ramblers celebrating National Walking Month?

Throughout May we’ll be celebrating all the reasons to love walking – everyone has different reasons for walking, and we want to hear from the public about theirs! Whether you’re a wild-weather wanderer, a stroller, or a weekend walker and talker, we want everyone to join us this month to celebrate what we all love about getting outdoors.

We’re also delighted to be working with Cotswold Outdoor to release 31 walking routes so there’s one for everyone to enjoy every day of May. Taken from our iconic library of walking routes, this will be a curated collection that’s easy to follow and perfect for exploring in May.

A woman with blonde hair and wearing a black hoody looking down at the ground

Can you tell us a bit about your Out There Award?

The Out There Award is a scheme that the Ramblers run for young adults that takes them from zero knowledge to being confident getting outside. Often, they have no kit, or the skills or confidence to go outside and enjoy the benefits. It’s an incredible multi-day program that really equips young people and gives them teamwork and navigation skills, as well as the confidence and resilience to spend time outdoors.

It’s amazing to see the transformation in those who complete the programme – they are often the biggest advocates for it, and some have even gone on to become mountain leaders and share their knowledge.

It’s well known that we are less in touch with nature than we have ever been before – how are the Ramblers working to turn the tide on this and enable people to get out in nature?

It’s easy for those who enjoy the outdoors to shout about how great it is, but we don’t often see the barriers that some people face when trying to access the outdoors. We’ve recently done a huge amount of research into this – looking into barriers such as culture, disability, or those who are socially isolated; and we are working to break down these barriers.

I recently read that children currently spend less time outdoors than our prison population – a shocking statistic. We know that being outside is grounding, builds resilience and clears the mind – we’re working to showcase these benefits. Through our partnership with Cotswold Outdoor, we’re able to reach more people to spread these positive benefits and support those who struggle to get outside.

A collage of people running in the city and on trails

Cheddar Gorge, Somerset

How do you see the perception of the Ramblers changing?

We’re seeing more people of different generations walking for leisure. Covid inspired more people to get outside and care about the environment that they live in. With this shift has come a definite change in perception of the Ramblers. We’d love more people to see the impact that our work has, helping everyone to get outside more often.

We’re thrilled to be working in partnership with Cotswold Outdoor. It enables us to spread our message further and inspire people of all ages to explore their local area. We’re not just about group walks or walking holidays, we’re also working to pass the love of walking on to future generations.

Can you share more about how Cotswold Outdoor has supported the Ramblers and our work as a partnership?

We have a long-standing, strong partnership with Cotswold Outdoor. We love working with like-minded brands and organisations to further our mission to inspire people to get walking. As a charity, we couldn’t do the work that we do without the help of partners like Cotswold Outdoor.

All adventures start somewhere – for some, that might begin in a Cotswold Outdoor store when you’re searching for your first pair of walking boots. For us, buying kit is the first stepping stone to getting people out there – whether it’s their first footpath or a multi-day trek. We share that vision to get more people outside more often – with this shared purpose we can be more impactful when we work together.

What do you like best about working for the Ramblers?

Walking is the most accessible thing anybody can do – you don’t need much more than a pair of shoes to start. The potential benefits that walking can bring to society are huge. Every day, we’re helping people put more life into their days and more days into their lives – that’s a very powerful mission to have in your day-to-day work.

The Ramblers will be sharing 31 walking routes, one for every day of May – get inspired and find one near you to explore this weekend.

Whether you’re a seasoned walker or you’re just starting out, visit our in-store experts for advice on the perfect kit for your next adventure.