Railway Ramblers

This is a membership club for people interested in walking old railway lines (and occasionally other routes of transport interest such as canals). As well as those interested in railways, it attracts people interested in engineering and industrial archaeology more generally, and those who just like walking. The club aims to promote the development of such routes for the wider public benefit (ie by conversion into walking and cycle trails).
One of the beauties of walking old railway lines is that, in general, the walks are fairly level, so they are good for those who don’t like climbing hills for whatever reason. That said, you need to be reasonably fit as the walks can be quite long. Also, the ground can be uneven and occasionally wet, so you do need to be prepared as for any country walk.
One of the other beauties is that the surroundings can be incredibly varied, from beautiful country walks on old rural lines, to more industrial locations. The organisers often arrange access to former lines where there is otherwise no right of way. Participants are therefore asked to respect the limitations on rights of way (ie by not taking inappropriate short-​cuts), to respect the Country Code when walking, and to cooperate with organisers more generally.
The organisers are also incredibly knowledgeable about the routes and history of specific lines, so the whole experience can be very informative. As you might expect, although it attracts people from all age ranges and from all backgrounds, the membership profile is broadly middle-​aged and many have been members since the club’s formation in 1978. But it’s a friendly group and new members are always welcome.
Application details, and lots more about the club, can be found on the website. Non-​members can join up to two walks a year for free to try it out, although at £8 per household per year, membership rates are amongst the lowest of any group I’ve come across!