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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to expect people to stay away from our AONB?

243 replies

Llig · 16/05/2020 20:02

I live in the North East, a village within an area of outstanding natural beauty. AIBU to want people to stay away for the time being?

People need exercise for sure, totally agree with that. But the swarms of people descending on us right now is an absolute joke. As a village we have (mostly) followed all government guidance, particularly as we have a lot of elderly residents who are at hig risk. Since the rules have been slightly relaxed, our village feels overrun. No social distancing measures by these visitors either. A friend even caught a bloke weeing behind the public toilets as they're currently locked. What is wrong with people?

Anyway, what are your thoughts?

OP posts:
CuriousaboutSamphire · 17/05/2020 16:26

Oh good grief! Poor little hurted feelings.Grin

understandmenow · 17/05/2020 16:30

Wow @CuriousaboutSamphire just keeps digging that hole making herself sound even more thick than she already did

💯 percent! GrinGrinGrin

Stinkycatbreath · 17/05/2020 16:34

I think OP means the area she lives in and does not consider the AONB as her own! I can see your point but if you live in a flat orhave no access to proper decent scenery and countryside why would you not use it? I live clisr to a beautiful body of water. It is swarming with people but my attitude is that I can access it any time. It would be selfish to stop fry to stop them.

Isoneedtorun · 17/05/2020 16:43

@Mmm0th30

What annoyed me was the news story about people running marathon distances during the lockdown. They seemed to think that the 1 hour of daily local exercise didnt apply to them !

God how does this tedious myth still persist, you could have been running a marathon the whole time, who knew

middleager · 17/05/2020 16:51

I've voted YABU as nobody owns the scenery and because those surrounded by concrete with no gardens or nice places, should not be penalised for not being able to afford to live in leafy/sandy picturesque spots.

cologne4711 · 17/05/2020 16:55

What annoyed me was the news story about people running marathon distances during the lockdown. They seemed to think that the 1 hour of daily local exercise didnt apply to them

The one hour thing was something Michael Gove said and wasn't legally binding. I happen to think it was reasonable guidance but that's all it was, guidance, so people could do what they wanted. Anyway some people ran marathons in their gardens.

I am not sure why people have to drive miles to go for a walk, and I can see a bit why the op is annoyed, but on the other hand if they all go to the beach/South Downs for the day they're not here, and I can walk/run in my local area without having to spend the whole time people dodging.

GreytExpectations · 17/05/2020 16:59

I am not sure why people have to drive miles to go for a walk, and I can see a bit why the op is annoyed,

This is a bit "in your own bubble" to me. Do you really think everyone has nice countryside walks in their local distance? Fortunately we do but a lot of people are stuck in high rise flats, with no garden and all they have for ealkin is urban concrete areas. Have you considered that it's good for their mental health to get out in a nice area of fresh air for a walk?

BossAssBitch · 17/05/2020 17:22

OP your attitude is spectacularly selfish. And that’s coming from someone who lives in an AONB.

Are you always so controlling Hmm

westendgirl · 17/05/2020 17:35

I live in West London. Not far from some very popular areas. The pavements are narrow in places and so are some of the paths. There are gates with latches.

People have been coming from all over London and the SE even more so over Easter and since. I amuse myself by looking at where the residents parking permits in the cars are from. 80 miles is the furthest I've seen.

It's very crowded. Often we have to pass other people inches apart. The shops and cafes are busy with people buying drinks and snacks which they eat by the river or in the parks. The benches are always full and people pounce when one is vacated. Most of the toilets are closed, so I wouldn't recommend swimming in the Thames.

The borough in the centre of the area has the highest proportion of over 80s in London. Despite all these germ-ridden outsiders pouring in and passing close to the locals, it consistently has one of the lowest Covid infection rates in London. So the risk to health appears to be low, but the local economy is getting a boost.

Will the Stay Away areas be expecting the welcoming ones to help out when the Stay Away economies suffer more than the welcoming ones?

EveryDayIsADuvetDay · 17/05/2020 18:01

this is almost as bad as the thread a week or so, with a poster that didn't think residents of a nearby council estate were entitled to walk in her village because she had a naice detached house with a garden.

SheldonSaysSo1 · 17/05/2020 18:33

I really disagree with this. We live in an AONB with several hugely popular National Trust properties and I don't see why other people can't enjoy it too. So long as everyone practices social distancing and is aware of things such as no toilets then the outdoors is for everyone. Some people aren't lucky enough to live in such beautiful places and it is such a mental uplift to walk through somewhere beautiful (rather than pounding the pavements yet again).

BillywilliamV · 17/05/2020 18:36

I could have run a marathon and not seen a soul. So I have always exercised for exactly as long as I felt like.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 17/05/2020 20:51

PickUpThePieces

The lack of litter in my local area has been one of the great benefits of lockdown.

Idon't know why people have to be so filthy.

They go to an AONB, because it is exactly that - and then destroy that beauty and tranquility, leaving rubbish which isn't just unsightly, but dangerous to wildlife and attractive to vermin.

Well done, you dirty buggers! I know it's not every visitor, but even if it's one, it's one too many.

MuddlingMackem · 18/05/2020 18:29

WantT0BreakFree Sun 17-May-20 16:06:36
@MuddlingMackem I think you must be missing the point, otherwise your comments make no sense. Nobody is annoyed by the very common phrasing "my area" used to describe the locality in which they live. People are annoyed by the OP's assertion that she has more right to use that open space than others. That context (which yes, you omitted and was not mentioned in any part of your comment that I didn't quote) completely changes the meaning. It's really not difficult at all.

Hmm, well from my reading of the thread, from the start a great many posters appeared to be partaking in a pile-on for no other reason than her using that expression, despite it apparently being common parlance, so it appeared to be latching on to it very much as an excuse to berate her.

ToffeeYoghurt · 18/05/2020 19:13

The fish want all the humans to Stay Away from their sea.

Viviennemary · 18/05/2020 19:45

And the butterflies and birds and bees want less human intrusion on their habitats. Get out of the countryside all you country dwellers.

Fluffybutter · 18/05/2020 19:49

Oh ffs .. is this an every other day occurrence now on mumsnet?
Change the fucking record .
You don’t own your street, your neighbourhood , your town , your city and so on and so forth .
You can’t change it so stop going on about it

BambinoJune · 18/05/2020 20:20

I live near Tower Bridge. Whenever I see those pesky tourists from the countryside I just think 'get off our bridge'! How dare non locals come to enjoy such beauty.

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