OK. I am reading from today (gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home), scroll down to "From 8 March") that from 8 March
"you will be allowed to spend time in outdoor public spaces for recreation on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble. This means you can sit down for a drink or picnic. You must continue to maintain social distance from those outside your household. This is in addition to outdoor exercise, which is already permitted. . . . No further significant changes will be made on 8 March and restrictions requiring you to stay at home will remain in place."
It seems as though the new regulation will ONLY allow mixing with one other person and will NOT change the regulation that you may "not travel outside your local area" to do it. But then why does the "from 8 March" guidance not include an addendum like "you can sit down for a drink or picnic . . . as long as you do not travel outside your local area"? Here are the current regulations, posted on gov.uk's guidance (applicable at least until 8 March):
Under "When you can leave home": "You must not leave or be outside of your home except where you have a ‘reasonable excuse’. This is the law. The police can take action against you if you leave home without a ‘reasonable excuse’, and issue you with a fine (Fixed Penalty Notice). . . . A ‘reasonable excuse’ includes: . . . You can continue to exercise alone, with one other person or with your household or support bubble. This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area."
And under "Exercising": "You should minimise time spent outside your home, but you can leave your home to exercise. This should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area. . . . Public outdoor places include: parks, beaches, countryside accessible to the public, forests . . ."
Looks like those regulations will stay intact, most importantly the "not travel outside your local area" instruction.
Does this sound correct?