Every Saturday you will find at least one free guided ramble, of around 6-10 miles, which starts and finishes at a railway station in either Wales or the Welsh borders. In addition, there is a Wednesday rail ramble at least once a month. Our programmes are designed for reasonably fit adults, but children (under–18s) are welcome too as long as they can manage the walk and are accompanied by a parent or guardian. The walks use public rights of way that include stiles, kissing gates and uneven paths, so please note this can make them unsuitable for families with small children, prams, pushchairs and wheelchairs. If you’re a Ramblers member, you’ll find our walks are comparable to many of the mid–range Ramblers walks. Should you be new to walking we’d suggest trying one of the shorter, easier walks first.
We regret that we don’t take dogs on Rail Rambles, except, of course, for registered assistance dogs. If you want to come out and need to bring an assistance dog, please check with us first, as some of our routes may not be suitable or safe for your dog.
You don’t need to be a member or have to book in advance. Simply choose a walk from our programme and buy your return train ticket for that day, to either the start of the walk or the finish (whichever is further away). Then come along and enjoy the fantastic countryside that we are so lucky to have around us. The walks themselves are free to join, just remember to bring adequate footwear, waterproofs, a packed lunch and plenty to drink. New walkers are always welcome but feel free to contact us if you’d like a little extra reassurance on your first walk. We would do our best to put you in touch with a buddy who can meet you at your home station, or if that’s not possible at least look out for you on the train or at the walk start point.
Although the train times are centred on Shrewsbury, you can choose to travel from any railway station that suits you. We have people who regularly join us from mid-Wales, Cheshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, the West Midlands, Herefordshire and even Cardiff. We like to encourage people to use public transport for at least part of their journey wherever possible (and part of the fun of Rail Rambles is the train trip) but you’ll always be welcome.
We are grateful to Powys Ramblers for their assistance, which in the past enabled us to publish a printed programme and to run this website. We are also grateful for support given to us by Transport for Wales, and previously by Arriva Trains Wales. This support allows our volunteer leaders to travel freely in order to explore new walks and ensure that our programmed walks are as safe as possible.