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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To walk on nearby moorland as my daily exercise with the kids? (COVID19)

80 replies

Krisskrosskiss · 27/03/2020 10:51

I have seen this drone footage of people going on 'unnecessary' walks shared by the police... and its given me the fear! I dont understand what the people are doing wrong? I thought you were allowed out for exercise once a day? I've been going out for a walk with my kids every day.... we live quite rurally and altho there is a town within walking distance... the other way there is open moorland... I've been avoiding the town and walking up onto the moors...is this wrong or something? I asked on facebook but just got shouted at to 'stay home'... which isnt helpful... I do not have a garden and I have two children under four... if this is going on for months I am going to need to take them for walks. I wouldve thought its safer to go up to the moors rather than down into the town? The government guidlines seem to say its allowed but the police seem to be acting like it's not allowed....

OP posts:
UnfinishedSymphon · 27/03/2020 10:53

You're not allowed to drive to places to exercise, what you are doing is fine

MrsL2016 · 27/03/2020 10:53

Are you driving to the moorland for these walks? That's what the police are warning against, as it is an unnecessary journey. If you walk out of your house and on to the moorland then that is fine.

Original poster
Krisskrosskiss · 27/03/2020 10:55

We did drive there to begin with a few weeks ago to avoid walking on the few streets where there were people... but we are now walking there... it is easy walking distance.... but its nit directly opposite our house it's a few streets and a track up a hill away

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 27/03/2020 10:57

Walking to and from your local moorland to exercise on it is fine.

Sirzy · 27/03/2020 10:58

Walking somewhere to walk is fine.

Driving there isn’t.

The more people that ignore the don’t drive (and therefore increasing numbers of people) the stricter things will need to get which means you may then end up not being able to walk there because of others.

Original poster
Krisskrosskiss · 27/03/2020 10:59

Okay thankyou that's great! Just stressed I'm gonna get attacked by drones! As if the situation wasnt stressful enough anyway... wish they were clearer about what was allowed and what wasnt...

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 27/03/2020 11:01

To be honest, I don't think it can be any clearer.

Exercise in your own area.

Keep your distance from others.

If you have to drive to the area you're exercising in, it's not your local area.

Bookrat · 27/03/2020 11:02

YANBU. Derbyshire police stated that people should not drive to take exercise. That's debatable, but not applicable to you. In your circumstances it is safer for everyone that you use the moors. Obviously you worked this out already, it's just sad that you have to second guess yourself.

Original poster
Krisskrosskiss · 27/03/2020 11:04

The police arent being clear... today there was a picture of a man walking alone on moorland, taken by drone.. saying 'not a necessary journey'... nothing about whether he drove or walked there or anything... it made me think they expect you to just walk up your own street outside your house... the moorland is in easy walking distance for me.. so it worried me

OP posts:
MaryLennoxsScowl · 27/03/2020 11:04

I hadn’t heard you weren’t allowed to drive, when did they say that?

BruceAndNosh · 27/03/2020 11:05

I live on the very edge of a town, I'm definitely walking rurally.
The only exception is if I walk to local small shops for milk etc

MaryLennoxsScowl · 27/03/2020 11:06

I haven’t been anywhere by car, before I get jumped on, but our local park is packed and with a 20-minute drive I could walk somewhere completely empty in the middle of nowhere... which seems more sensible!

Original poster
Krisskrosskiss · 27/03/2020 11:08

I havent even been down into the town in two weeks I'm terrified... getting all my food delivered from a local farm... so it gave me the fear when I though police meant you had to walk around the town and not on moorland... i had originally been driving to the edge of the moorland.. not because of the distance but because i was paranoid about my kids touching anything on the few streets we would have to walk thru... I'll stop that as it seems that really isnt allowed... but it makes me worried...

OP posts:
DuploTower · 27/03/2020 11:09

I thought it was OK to drive as long as there was nobody else there....

RandomLondoner · 27/03/2020 11:09

I didn't understand why those people were a problem either. I guess it's just the principal. You're only allowed essential travel, so they are breaking the rules, even though it's causing no direct harm.

5foot5 · 27/03/2020 11:10

I saw that drone footage that Derbyshire police took of people walking on Curbar Edge but they all seemed to be socially distancing so I was a bit confused as to why that was wrong.

I completely understand the dismay after the scenes last weekend where people turned up in droves at beauty spots and the seaside.
But can someone explain why you are not allowed to drive somewhere where you are absolutely positive you are not going to be meeting people? My PILs are old and stuck in the house. MIL has dementia and it is very hard for FIL as he would normally take her for respite one day a week and now he obviously can't. He was thinking of just driving out to the coast for a picnic - not even getting out of the car - just for a change of scene. Guess that is out Sad

RandomLondoner · 27/03/2020 11:11

Quote from a random local newpaper:-

Police are warning families all 'non-essential' travel is banned under coronavirus lockdown rules - meaning you can't drive to walk the dog or exercise.

ErrolTheDragon · 27/03/2020 11:12

I thought it was OK to drive as long as there was nobody else there....

In some areas the police are giving out, or leaving on cars, notices saying they shouldn't have driven there. There are images on various similar threads to this.

The terms of the actual law are not prescriptive.

Original poster
Krisskrosskiss · 27/03/2020 11:12

I'd rather drive to the edge of it to be fair so I dont blame other people for doing that... I cannot see how it's safer to walk my kids on the pavements where loads of people will have been walking when they could just be in the car where I know only we have been... but its doable and I get the issues with the car breaking down etc.. they want as little strain on services as possible... I'll just have to carry my 1yo till we get to the moors coz she touches everything if not... people arent being helpful just yelling at others to stay in doors it's like everyone is turning on each other... some people do not have gardens and having a daily walk is incredibly important to them and their health

OP posts:
Deux · 27/03/2020 11:12

The trouble is that the guidelines and the actual legislation signed off yesterday are different.

There is nothing in the legislation that says you cannot drive to exercise nor does it say that exercise can only be once a day nor how short or how long it should be.

Sirzy · 27/03/2020 11:12

The problem is the more people that travel to a beauty spot the more people there, and there from different areas, therefore more chance of spreading the infection.

Last Sunday we walked to the normal local place we often walk. As we got closer we noticed lots more cars than normal. Whereas we normally see only a handful of people there it was packed and packed with lots of groups which obviously weren’t family groups but large groups of friends.

If everyone stays close to their home then it reduces the spread and means everyone can go out from their own home for their short bit of exercise

5foot5 · 27/03/2020 11:12

I hadn’t heard you weren’t allowed to drive, when did they say that?

Oh glad it's not just me

demelzaaa · 27/03/2020 11:13

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Original poster
Krisskrosskiss · 27/03/2020 11:15

I got a really aggressive response on facebook for asking these questions... no detail just shouting to stay in doors... my husband is a nurse as well and I have been socially distancing for weeks... took my children out of school a week and a half before schools actually shut... been disinfecting everything.... not been into the town or anywhere.. getting all food delivered.... I couldnt be taking it more seriously to be honest... still got shouted at that I'm killing people by wanting to take my kids out for a walk on the moors

OP posts:
MaryLennoxsScowl · 27/03/2020 11:16

Is that in London though? I can see it’d be really hard to get anywhere properly isolated by driving from there, but I’m in Scotland though in a city. I’d avoid any beauty spots or beaches and guarantee I can go for a secluded walk without getting close to anyone, which is actually quite tricky in the park now.