80 Years of Walking Holidays: Celebrating the Ramble Worldwide Story

 Eighty years. It's a remarkable milestone for any organisation, but for us at Ramble Worldwide, it's something truly special. In March 1946, a simple yet ambitious idea took its first steps: that the best way to experience the world is to walk through it. Eight decades on, that idea continues to inspire thousands of travellers every year, and we couldn't be more proud to celebrate this moment with you.

Our story starts in a small, shared office on Buckingham Street in London. In the aftermath of World War II, our founding figure Ernest Welsman, along with a tiny team, set about organising walking tours as the commercial arm of The Ramblers (then the Ramblers' Association). The mission was straightforward: sell walking books, create guest houses for walkers, and help people explore new landscapes together, both in the UK and on the continent. 

These were the earliest days of organised overseas travel, and Welsman's ambition was matched by demand. By 1948, we'd already launched our first winter sports programme. A year later, around 600 travellers were joining 40 different itineraries. Within five years, Ramblers' Association Services (our original name) was carrying 3,000 clients a year. 

The spirit of those early holidays is wonderfully captured in our brochures from the time. In 1946, a walking tour of Arctic Lapland was advertised at a cost of £46 for 24 days, requiring "a readiness to walk strenuously when occasion demands, as it often will" and clarifying that "nailed boots must be worn." There were no guidebooks or websites to tell you what lay around the next corner. That sense of curiosity and discovery was very much the point, and it's something we still carry with us today. 

What made those first trips truly special, though, wasn't just the walking. It was the sense of shared adventure. Walking holidays have always had a way of bringing people together, and from the very beginning, ours were about more than just reaching the next summit. They were about connection: with the places you visit, the people you walk with, and the natural world around you. 

As the programme grew, organised itineraries opened up parts of Europe that many British travellers had never previously visited. Walking gave people a way to experience these destinations slowly and meaningfully, hearing church bells in small villages, breathing in the scent of olive groves, and discovering hidden corners that might easily be missed from the window of a coach or car.

Over the decades that followed, our programme continued to grow and adapt. In 1955, the company launched an air holiday subsidiary called Wings, and by the late 1950s the size of the programme had doubled, with regional flights from Manchester appearing alongside London departures. In 1976, the organisation moved beyond the name Ramblers Association Services, reflecting its growing role as a specialist walking-holiday provider. We eventually settled in our current home at the beautifully restored Lemsford Mill in Hertfordshire, where a water wheel powers our computers and our resident swans are very much part of the team!

Along the way, we also found our very own home in the Lake District. Hassness Country House, nestled on the shores of Buttermere, is our idyllic retreat where walkers can wake up to stunning views over the lake, explore the fells and ridges of the Western Lakes, and return each evening to freshly baked cakes, three-course dinners, and the warm hospitality of our house team. With sheep grazing and red squirrels scurrying just outside the door, it's a place that captures everything we love about the great outdoors.

What began as physically demanding trips for keen ramblers has gradually broadened into a worldwide programme designed for you, wherever you are on your walking journey. Routes now cater to different walking grades, destinations span continents, and our team of 250 carefully selected walk leaders and expert local guides bring every journey to life. They're the heart and soul of what we do, sharing their passion for the outdoors along with invaluable knowledge of local history, culture, and the natural world. Many have been with us for years, and their enthusiasm is a big part of what makes a Ramble Worldwide holiday so special.

While so much has changed over 80 years, one thing has remained constant: our charitable ethos. Unlike most travel companies, we operate on a not-for-profit basis, channelling surplus profits into the Ramble Worldwide Outdoor Trust. Since 2000, our Trust has invested £5 million into preserving the outdoors and improving access for people from all communities. 

Through partnerships with organisations such as Mind Over Mountains, Adaptive Grandslam, and National Trails UK, we're helping more people connect with nature, access precious landscapes, and enjoy the benefits of being active outdoors. We believe that walking is a force for good, and giving back to the landscapes and communities that make our holidays so special will always be central to everything we do.

In 2023, we took an exciting step forward. After thorough research and in response to the evolving travel landscape, we brought our Ramblers Walking Holidays and Adagio brands together under one name: Ramble Worldwide. The new name opened up a world of new opportunities while staying true to our heritage and charitable values. It was our first name change since 1976, and it felt like the perfect way to signal a modern, global outlook rooted in eight decades of expertise.

Today, we offer over 300 guided small-group and self-guided walking holidays across six continents, with typical group sizes of 10 to 12 people. Our holidays are organised into four distinct Collections, ensuring there's a perfect walk for every explorer. Whether you're seeking mountain trails, coastal paths, cultural discoveries, or gentle countryside rambles, we've got something wonderful waiting for you.

"As we mark 80 years of Ramble Worldwide, we’re proud of a heritage built on a simple but powerful idea: helping people experience the world at walking pace. Since 1946, we’ve brought together expert guidance, shared discovery and a deep respect for the landscapes we explore. While we’ve grown and evolved, our purpose - and our not-for-profit ethos - has remained unchanged. Looking ahead, we’re excited to build on that legacy, inspiring more people to walk, connect and explore, while continuing to protect and improve access to the natural environments that make these experiences possible."

Ramble Worldwide Managing Director, Wayne Perks

As we celebrate our 80th anniversary, we're not slowing down. We've already added seven new guided European walking holidays this year, and we're continuing to explore exciting new regions and destinations to bring you even more ways to discover the world on foot. The appetite for walking holidays continues to grow, with a 15% rise in demand last year alone, and we're excited to keep developing experiences that help travellers connect with incredible landscapes, cultures, and communities across the globe. 

Eighty years on from those first steps in 1946, our guiding principle remains the same: the world is more beautiful on foot. We're incredibly grateful to every traveller who has walked with us over the decades, and we can't wait to share many more miles of discovery with you. 

Here's to the next chapter. Happy walking!