Our Responsible Travel Ethos

Ramble Worldwide has always distinguished itself within the travel industry as one of the original responsible travel businesses, everything we do is with a social heart and keen focus on charitable giving. Our surplus profits are channelled into outdoor charities, conservation projects, and walking initiatives throughout the UK, as well as supporting the local communities we visit around the world. This means that every step you take on your holiday gives back.

We endeavour to create more sustainable travel experiences for our guests. By operating small groups on foot and approaching all that we do ethically we’re able to minimise any adverse effects of our activities.

Travel enriches people’s lives and helps communities that rely on tourism, but unfortunately, mass tourism (or over tourism) can bring negative effects. We therefore recognise the social, economic, and environmental responsibilities we, and all tour operators have and work within the guidelines set by organisations such as ABTA and AITO, as well as taking external advice from sustainability experts and pushing our own best practice.

Like all operators we still have work to do, but our focus is to embrace the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), striving to protect and improve life through the power of travel – for the people we meet, places we explore and planet we live on.

Our Charitable Trust

Since 2000, we’ve given more than £5 million to our Charitable Trust, which in turn uses the money to support a wide range of walking-related activities for people from all communities, with funds directed towards improving access to the great outdoors for all.

The focus of the trust’s recent financial support is Britain’s leading walking charity, The Ramblers, and its role in promoting the benefits and importance of walking to the British public.

The Ramblers has achieved a huge amount over many years of campaigning for walkers’ access rights and we’re proud to have stood alongside them in this work and given many millions of pounds to assist with their valuable achievements. Our current support, to the value of £400,000, is focused on The Ramblers 'Don't Lose Your Way' campaign, the UK’s biggest ever footpath survey.

The trustees are also keenly aware of the trust’s objectives to help all people gain a greater knowledge, love and care of the countryside. In acknowledgement of this, the trust has recently expanded its grant allocation policy to include a small grants scheme.

Small grants made recently have supported the footpath network in the UK include signage for heritage walks in the Vale of Snaith and footpath improvements along the Stour Valley Way near Gillingham, Dorset. Other grants awarded provided support the Cotswold Way Association in developing their website, and woodland exploration weekends in Scotland.

Our most recent funding was launched last month, agreeing a partnership with Mind Over Mountains. Mind Over Mountains believes in restoring mental health naturally and offers support in the UK through therapeutic outdoor experiences. Over the next three years, our Trust will provide bursaries for individuals to experience Mind Over Mountains’ wellbeing walks and weekend retreats where they’ll have unpressured time to ramble and talk with professionals.

Click here for more information about our trust and the work we support.

Ethical Initiatives

We’re also proud of our Walking Partnership, Heart & Sole venture, and head office operations.

The Walking Partnership was set up in 2011 to support walking clubs throughout the UK that encourage people to get outside as well as help clear and improve footpaths in their area. Each time a member books a holiday with us, we make a financial contribution that directly benefits their club. Click here for more information about the Walking Partnership and how your group could benefit.

To support our sustainable tourism ethos, we run a staff-managed initiative called Heart & Sole. Heart & Sole directly collaborates with communities in the destinations we visit, striving to ensure a long-term, positive impact on these communities, particularly in less developed countries where even a small amount goes a long way. Heart & Sole also reacts in times of crisis, offering where possible direct financial aid when it is needed by communities, hosts and sub-contractors who are integral to our business.

Heart & Soul has directly funded organisations and initiatives such as:

Lead With Care
Smalls for All
Toilet Twinning
SOS Childrens Villages
Reforestation work
International Aid charities
UK Mountain Rescue
Smaller, local education, wildlife, and health projects

We’re also actively committed to running our business responsibly, so, in our office, we reduce, reuse and recycle whenever possible. Located in a refurbished mill, we’ve also installed a waterwheel to generate electricity from the River Lea. This was the first of its kind in Britain and gives us our own sustainable source of power, with any excess going to the National Grid.