A liberal countryside? The Manchester Ramblers' Federation and the ‘social readjustment’ of urban citizens, 1929–1936

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Ramblers often voiced reformist ideas about how cities and their inhabitants might be improved. This article demonstrates how the Manchester Ramblers' Federation utilized themes of freedom and order to define and regulate urban movements in rural space. It explores how this group of ramblers defined rambling as a ‘readjustment’ to illiberal aspects of urban life, portrayed other performances in the countryside as harmful and illegitimate and finally sought to utilize technologies drawn from their experience of urban culture to regulate conduct in the countryside.