Scottish Ramblers look to independence
Following a very angry meeting with Tom Franklin, CEO of The Ramblers and Rodney Whittaker, chair of the Board of Trustees, the working group of the Ramblers Scotland Executive comittee, which I’m part of along with Dennis Canavan and Dick Balharry, had another meeting and we decided to advise the Scottish committee that the best course forward was independence. There is a meeting of the Ramblers Scotland Executive committee in August and the situation will be fully discussed then.
At the moment I would advise all Ramblers members to sit tight, bear with us during this difficult time, and look forward to a time when Ramblers Scotland won’t be dictated to by a bunch of individuals who know very little about the workings of devolution and who don’t seem to understand that Scotland is a nation in its own right, with a different government and different laws. Ramblers England (or perhaps I should call it Ramblers London) can then get on with their inner-city walking promotions while those of us here in Scotland can get on with what Dave Morris and his team have done so well over the years, helping protect the wild landscapes of Scotland and making sure we have good access to it.
In Wales the members are not taking things lying down either. They are trying to call an Extraordinary General Meeting in which they can propose a motion of no confidence in CEO Tom Franklin, who really does appear to be out of his depth in all of this. I would suggest they change that to a motion of no confidence in Tom Franklin and the entire Board of Trustees. And there also needs to be a wide ranging financial audit to find out how The Ramblers got into such a mess in the first place.
I wonder how much it cost to change the name from the Ramblers Association to The Ramblers?
July 24th, 2009 at 9:29 am
This is such a tragedy. A united Ramblers would be so much more effective than split into regional groups. However, I fully understand the feelings of the Scottish Ramblers. They do seem to have been dealt with harshly. Like you, I wonder how much the rebranding cost and am concerned the the Ramblers have moved away from their core purpose. It seems like a microcosm of all that’s gone wrong in society when apperance takes over from substance. We’ve seen it in politics for many years. The inability of leaders to understand the consequences of their actions and to take responsibility is most disturbing. Good luck to the Scottish Ramblers. Perhaps getting back to being a grass roots organistion is no bad thing.
July 24th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
It is really sad that an organisation with such a proud history has come to this, but it does seem that there is no other way forward.
Did you see the article in the Observer with Wilderness Scotland (June 14), in which their guy called for walkers to have to pay for access to wild areas?
We need organisations like Ramblers Scotland and the MCofS more than ever.
July 24th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Hi Paul,
I missed that article in the Observer. I’m really surprised at someone from Wilderness Scotland making such a comment. I’ve always had a lot of respect for that company.
July 24th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Yes, I did too. The interviewee also supported reintroducing wolves - in fenced areas.
July 24th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Mmm, found the offending feature. This is what Neil Birnie said:
“You and I have just had the most grand walk,” he (Neil Birnie) says as we descend Stac Pollaidh, gazing at an island fort glistening in the loch ahead and the white beaches of Achiltibuie flashing in the near distance. “And what have we given back, other than disrupting a few stones with our boots? Money for a couple of bananas in the shop this morning, or whatever. Every time anyone suggests this in Scotland they get shouted down, there’s such a tradition of free access - but I feel it might be necessary, and I can see the day.”
Well Neil, not while the Ramblers are still around in Scotland and I can gaurantee I would fight such an idea with everything I have. The whole concept of the Land Reform Act is based on free public access and in any case how do you police it? Build a fence like Alladale’s proposed electric fence and charge people to go through a turnstile?
July 24th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
I’ve just spoken to Neil Birnie at Wilderness Scotland and he told me he has been completely misquoted by the Observer. He did not say to the reporter that the public should pay for access and the editor of the Observer has apologised for the mistake.
How sad that a feature that should have promoted a fabulous area like Assynt should be so spoiled by bad journalism. I hope the Observer is willing to pay Neil compensation because he could have lost business through such a misquote…
July 25th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
I am pleased that you Cameron, Dennis and the others have the time and commitment to deal with this situation which has been forced on Ramblers Scotland. I am editor of TRAIL magazine which is delivered to all members in the Lothians and Borders. Well done
July 26th, 2009 at 7:51 am
I can almost see this decision by Rambers backfiring on them spectacularly, if the “Scottish Ramblers” do manage to set up independantly and open their doors to everyone, even those south of the border.
The brutal decision to cut off their Scottish arm could see a backlash from members (and non-members like me) that hits future renewals and memberships in a way they never envisioned. Especially if the Scottish Ramblers maintain the key core values that “Ramblers South” seem to have forgotten.
As a non-member, but keen walker who understands the value of a “walkers’ rights” organisation; if there were two organisation in the future and I wished to join one, I know which one I would choose, even though I spend only a few days a year in Scotland.
July 30th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
The sooner I have the opportunity to join Celtic Ramblers the better!
July 30th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Cheers John, good to hear from you. Maybe we should take a leaf from Ramblers Cymru’s book and call it Ramblers Alba! The only problem with that is I hate the word ‘Ramblers’. I definitely found it odd when they changed from the Ramblers Association to The Ramblers. It wasn’t the word ‘Association’ that was the problem, it was the perception of a ‘rambler’ complete with red bobblecap and a group leader at the front with a map case round his/her neck!!!