Author Topic: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?  (Read 6421 times)

richardh1905

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #60 on: 13:03:18, 25/02/21 »

It still says "No further significant changes will be made on 8 March and restrictions requiring you to stay at home will remain in place.", so I was reluctantly leaving the Peak District (I'm in Stockport) until 29th March (Easter weekend is going to be...interesting).


The Peak District, surrounded as it is by so many towns and cities, is going to be mobbed even more than the Lake District, where, despite the hordes at the honeypots, there are plenty of out of the way corners to escape to.
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MkPotato

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #61 on: 13:04:20, 25/02/21 »
I agree with you 100%, but the Government's take on this is that more road traffic = more road traffic accidents  =  more pressure on the emergency services, especially on the Ambulance Service and Hospitals.
It’s a fair point, but only a low risk (unlike perhaps driving to Barnard Castle so see if you’ve recovered from COVID, and that’s been demonstrated to be “within the rules”), compared with I’m sure a much greater risk when a group of 20 people get together indoors.


I know the best answer is that neither should be done, but I struggle with the trade-off between restriction on liberties and real risk.

pauldawes

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #62 on: 13:29:26, 25/02/21 »
It’s a fair point, but only a low risk (unlike perhaps driving to Barnard Castle so see if you’ve recovered from COVID, and that’s been demonstrated to be “within the rules”), compared with I’m sure a much greater risk when a group of 20 people get together indoors.


I know the best answer is that neither should be done, but I struggle with the trade-off between restriction on liberties and real risk.


We're walkers so we're always going to find it hard to avoid a bias in favour of getting out for a walk...so the following is just my own gut feeling, nothing I could "prove".


I think given reasonably sensible driving and walking the mental and physical benefits are such that stress on health services is reduced IF people get out and do the thing they love...and that more than offsets slight risk of a car accident.


I'm lucky...can do some decent walks from my own door, and to show "solidarity" with society have avoided travel to other walking areas so far, but pretty sure in other circumstances I would be driving to other areas for a walk.

WhitstableDave

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #63 on: 16:30:03, 25/02/21 »
I'm not responding to any one post in particular, but I have been wondering if the definition (or lack thereof) of 'local' is really the issue here. After all, how many people were confused by the word before the pandemic? Weren't we all quite comfortable talking about our local supermarkets, local schools, local railway station, local park, and so on?

When I look at the guidance for England, I can see that I'm allowed to leave home to exercise. The guidance says nothing about exercising somewhere nice where there are lovely views to admire. The exception to the instruction to stay at home concerns exercise and the requirement to stay local is a boundary that we all should have no problem in understanding as it applies to each of us.

Staying local does not have to be as boring as some claim. How about setting some targets and trying to achieve them? Last winter, before the pandemic, I walked every single road in my nearest town (Whitstable) - I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of working out the most efficient routes to 'bag' roads without walking them twice. Or how about timing yourself on a favourite route and trying to do it more quickly next time? If you track your local walk on a device, then how about designing a route that creates a picture from your track?

All that's really needed to stay motivated is to find a purpose for going out.  ;)

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gunwharfman

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #64 on: 20:37:46, 25/02/21 »
When the first lockdown occurred I started my daily exercise on foot from my front door. I think at that moment in time I didn't know how to think for myself, mainly because the whole Cocid-19 was new to me and it was easier to follow the 'guidance and instruction' offered by Government at the time.

But within three weeks my brain started to function again and I started to interpret the words on offer. I remember them well, lots of debates about rules, guidelines, and Laws. From then on my interpretation allowed me to decide (without any feeling of personal guilt) that I would jump in my car and drive to my local area to my off-road run starting point, and I've done this ever since and did it again today.

Now one year later a loads more people are now interpreting and thinking for themselves, it's inevitable I believe that they will and will continue to do so. In my area for example, I don't know of anyone who is exercising from their front door?

WhitstableDave

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #65 on: 09:19:34, 26/02/21 »
I like to think my brain has been functioning throughout. In total, during both full lockdowns, I've been outside to exercise five times and only from the front door. Much as I would have liked to drive somewhere to do a walk or run, I asked myself what would happen if everyone did likewise. I decided that if everyone drove somewhere to exercise, the disaster we're living through would be even worse than it is.
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ayjay

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #66 on: 11:03:43, 26/02/21 »
I thought about it quite hard right from the first lockdown. I don't like pounding pavements and neither does my body, I have one dodgy hip and the opposite ankle is prone to problems, and two dodgy knees, they are quite happy walking a couple of miles on grass or even gravel but not concrete/pavements.

I very quickly noticed a huge rise in the numbers of people walking the pavements near to my house and a little further away in our closest "green space" and decided that it really wasn't for me.
As a full time carer for my disabled wife I need to get out and see some green stuff every day for a couple of hours, for my own sanity if nothing else. If you try doing a 112 hour week every week for over 6 years without one single day off you'll know what I mean.

I decided that I would stick to (almost) the closest part of the New Forest to me (a four mile drive), I already had in my head my "Bank Holiday Walks" for those busy times and I used them extensively for the first few weeks, I didn't pass within 50m of anyone in those first few weeks, I opened and closed all gates with my walking stick,(and still do), it's really a getting up stick for when I get on my knees to take insect photos rather than a walking stick, but it also has it's uses to test the multitude of ditches for water depth in Holmsley Inclosure.

I've reverted to some of my more normal walks there now but have resisted the temptation to go further afield.

I'm still here, Covid free, and had my first vaccination jab.

If Boris can ride seven miles to go for a cycle ride, then I don't feel I'm doing anything wrong.

forgotmyoldpassword

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #67 on: 11:29:08, 26/02/21 »
I thought about it quite hard right from the first lockdown. I don't like pounding pavements and neither does my body, I have one dodgy hip and the opposite ankle is prone to problems, and two dodgy knees, they are quite happy walking a couple of miles on grass or even gravel but not concrete/pavements.

I very quickly noticed a huge rise in the numbers of people walking the pavements near to my house and a little further away in our closest "green space" and decided that it really wasn't for me.
As a full time carer for my disabled wife I need to get out and see some green stuff every day for a couple of hours, for my own sanity if nothing else. If you try doing a 112 hour week every week for over 6 years without one single day off you'll know what I mean.

I decided that I would stick to (almost) the closest part of the New Forest to me (a four mile drive), I already had in my head my "Bank Holiday Walks" for those busy times and I used them extensively for the first few weeks, I didn't pass within 50m of anyone in those first few weeks, I opened and closed all gates with my walking stick,(and still do), it's really a getting up stick for when I get on my knees to take insect photos rather than a walking stick, but it also has it's uses to test the multitude of ditches for water depth in Holmsley Inclosure.

I've reverted to some of my more normal walks there now but have resisted the temptation to go further afield.

I'm still here, Covid free, and had my first vaccination jab.

If Boris can ride seven miles to go for a cycle ride, then I don't feel I'm doing anything wrong.


Generally makes sense.  I don't think anyone is arguing that driving for an hour or two is reasonable for a day out hiking, but if your local 'green space' happens to be 7 miles away then this could be considered local.  Think we all recognise that with Spring coming (here?) we're going to have people head back outside, work on their fitness and hopefully enjoy life.  Covid doesn't need to mean misery and despair for everyone, just upping your vigilance and mitigating risk whilst trying to get back to normal life as restrictions lift.

April

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #68 on: 18:45:40, 26/02/21 »
[/size]The guidance says nothing about exercising somewhere nice where there are lovely views to admire.


Haven't you been walking the world with a lovely view on your treadmill during lockdown?  ;)


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There are many people living in cities who are travelling a few miles in a car to get to a green space to avoid walking on pavements from their front door that are too busy with other people. Put yourself in their shoes. I am driving a few miles for walks that are not in any way interesting now I've walked them three million times in the last year but I'm not coming into close contact with anybody - isn't this what we are supposed to be doing?
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richardh1905

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #69 on: 23:30:53, 26/02/21 »
I like to think my brain has been functioning throughout. In total, during both full lockdowns, I've been outside to exercise five times and only from the front door. Much as I would have liked to drive somewhere to do a walk or run, I asked myself what would happen if everyone did likewise. I decided that if everyone drove somewhere to exercise, the disaster we're living through would be even worse than it is.


Not everyone can afford, or has space for, an all singing, all dancing treadmill, Dave.  ;)
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WhitstableDave

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #70 on: 08:47:58, 27/02/21 »

Not everyone can afford, or has space for, an all singing, all dancing treadmill, Dave.  ;)

And not everyone has or can afford a car that they can drive several miles to a country park or other desirable 'exercise' area Richard.  ;)
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MkPotato

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #71 on: 08:52:55, 27/02/21 »
We’ve had some beautiful winters days recently. Anyone lucky enough to be local to the hills (or cheeky enough to slip out!) must have had some cracking low wind/clear skies/cold weather walks.


I look at the Ogwen Valley webcam, and it’s been beautiful there. I imagine the Lakes are as well.

WhitstableDave

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #72 on: 09:08:41, 27/02/21 »
And not everyone has or can afford a car that they can drive several miles to a country park or other desirable 'exercise' area Richard.  ;)
I forgot to add... I've got a car, but there's no way I would drive to exercise (nor have I during either lockdown) simply because I think it's the wrong thing to do.
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gunwharfman

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #73 on: 10:24:23, 27/02/21 »
I decided in 2019 after a lifetime of owning cars that I would completely do without one again. I got rid of my loved Citroen in December 2019 and for a few weeks, I started to learn how to use public transport again, not done since my teens. Then Covid-19 came along and all of my plans crashed.

It all worked out though. My wife had bought a Honda Jazz Mk 1 about 12 years before and when our son passed his driving test she gave it to him. She then bought herself a new Honda. A couple of years later our son decided he would buy another car, just before Covid-19, so he gave the Honda Jazz to me. The Honda had done a complete circle within our family and when I took it over it had 57,000 miles on the clock. My father-in-law, when alive, owned a Windsor garage and he took the view that cars were not properly 'run-in' until they had done 50,000 miles!

So when Covid-19 began I've been driving this car daily to and from my 'local' off-road running start point. Its an excellant car but it leaks like a sieve! The spare wheel area the other day was 3" deep ofr water. I'd already solved the 1" deep water problem below the rear seats before Christmas by drilling 4 large holes in the floor pan. So I've now drilled 4 large holes in the spare wheel area. Problem solved! When the MOT runs out in November I plan to dump it at our local car dumping facility and not buy another.

So in my case, I drive daily to my running spot because for me I think it's the right thing to do.

gunwharfman

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Re: When Will Non-Local Walks Be Allowed Again?
« Reply #74 on: 19:16:46, 27/02/21 »
It could just be because I live on the coast? Our seafront promenade and Southsea Common area was a total MADNESS today, with so many, many adults, children and dogs everywhere! No one is going to convince me that they were all local, it was chaotic!! Queues for ice cream and candy floss, putting money in the slot machines in the little funfair area, people weaving in and out and around of stationary groups, I was glad to be cocooned in my car. As I slowley drove past I didn't see any social distancing, hardly a mask in sight and at times I saw people walking '10 abreast!'

Likewise, when I did my run this morning there were so many cars and motorbikers in the car parks, and so many people desperate for a burger, I saw one man with a mask on and hardly any social distancing either! Cars were even parked on the grass verges and others were half on the pavement, half on the road. I kept well away.

From my eyes, the 'evidence' in front of me 'proves' that there is a wide gap between what the Government is asking us to all do and what's actually happening in reality. So very easy for me to think that way.

 

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