I don't. Just go out with one of their groups a lot instead. No-one asks if you're a member so I don't tell them. It is a good group of people though. You can sometimes forget that there are people in the organisation and they can be quite a good bunch of people. It is not always the organisation that is bad just some of the people, however they are often the ones with the power or self-appointed power. like the area secretary who sends out masses of emails demanding attention. Probably because they now longer work and have time for such pointless activities. If you don't like an organisation change it but in the case of the Ramblers it was a good organisation that has gone wrong. It needs good people to sort it out and that must come from grass roots not a top down approach. IMHO it needs those people who have kept quiet stepping up and moving on up in the association. TO sweep away some of the old guard and the people at the top that they appointed. I doubt Ms Bradbury will solve any of their problems so it is irrelevant. Its just a figurehead anyway and she is much better to look at than Janet Street Porter if you ask me. A younger and more vibrant figurehead perhaps? I suppose you could have a joint president with say Ben Fogle for the lasses or whoever else they can come up with.
Not having done a great deal of walking in the Lake District I've found them pretty helpful. Julia herself is nice enough, although I doubt she's done a great deal of walking before these programes were made. (I could be wrong of course)
It's a little bit like when Bear Grylls was given his role in the scouts. She's a public figure and to be honest if I thought the Ramblers had one or two women like Julia, I might join myself.....
