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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder what all the walkers would usually be doing

557 replies

CloseSchoolsProtecttheNHS · 17/01/2021 02:13

I live in a small village near a lovely green open space for walks. I walk every single day and have done since I moved here many years ago. It's always been very quiet - many, many times I've been the only person out and have walked for an hour+ and not seen a soul.

Since Covid - and particularly since the summer - it's been mobbed! I'm dodging people constantly when out walking and although the size of the space means I can keep 2 metres away, I now often have groups of people behind, in front and to the sides of me which makes me a bit uncomfortable. Most are considerate but some are arseholes that want to brush past you so you have to be aware and it's a lot less relaxing. I'm pretty sure that they are local people as it's not a 'day out' place or anywhere people would know about let alone go to, and it's nice that more local people are out walking but... why have they all just discovered walking? It's not like it was a closely guarded secret before and we are quite rural. What would they normally be doing (for example today on a Saturday afternoon) that they now can't do that leaves walking as their only option??

(Yes I do kind of wish they'd bugger off and yes IABU for that as I don't own this piece of land! But mostly I'm just really perplexed as to why so many people are now out walking!)

OP posts:
WorraLiberty · 17/01/2021 11:29

Oh dear and the irony of the OP's nickname...

JustWatchMe · 17/01/2021 11:29

Funny dh have been joking about this - why are all these bastards out on our walk - we were here first, we've kept these pavements and walking routes going for years before you lot Covid lot showed up, they'd have withered and died if it wasn't for us. 😂Anyway we were amusing ourselves with this chat yesterday and then I come on here and someone actually has this moan for real.😂
Funny that the OP sees everyone else as rude and not keeping social distance - thing is pre covid no one out walking kept social distance it wasn't a thing, so the op wasn't doing it either. Chill out OP

Lexilooo · 17/01/2021 11:29

You do realise OP that more people enjoying the countryside on a regular basis is actually a good thing.

If more people are regularly walking/running/cycling/horse riding in the countryside this will boost access campaigns and help the national parks and councils access funds to improve facilities and upgrade paths. It might even help increase the amount of access land we have or help create new off road rights of way.

I mean people moaned about those who participated in the kinder trespass. They were walking in someone else's area, where they didn't normally go, but as a hiker I am always hugely grateful that they did when I stand on those peaks and enjoy the open space. Maybe some of these recent converts will join the campaign to improve access for all.

In fact if you are finding it rather crowded where you are perhaps you should start campaigning for greater access and more paths so people can spread out more.

Annoy · 17/01/2021 11:31

What annoys me the most is that everyone is now concentrated in their local area and unable to disperse. When living rurally this dispersion is important to keep distance on walks

MaxNormal · 17/01/2021 11:33

@User2921 Grin

Bookworming · 17/01/2021 11:34

What annoys me the most is that everyone is now concentrated in their local area and unable to disperse. When living rurally this dispersion is important to keep distance on walks

Is it not important in non rural areas? What a nonsense post.

Redrivershore · 17/01/2021 11:39

Still no sign of OP

Bonsai49 · 17/01/2021 11:39

We are in a similar position to you - I don’t mind the other walkers and they do distance though near us . I googled walks in our local area and lots of sites came up with suggestions - so I think that’s partly caused the problem.

I’m glad they’re out - but the extra traffic has made a boggy mess of the paths and worn them away a lot to expose tree roots and the like ... imagine the land owners will be concerned about that

vanillandhoney · 17/01/2021 11:41

@Annoy

What annoys me the most is that everyone is now concentrated in their local area and unable to disperse. When living rurally this dispersion is important to keep distance on walks
What does living rurally have to do with keeping distance?
Lovemusic33 · 17/01/2021 11:41

It’s the same here, I used to walk every day but now I don’t as it’s pretty busy and hard to social distant, most the people in our village are over 60’s and they all seem to be out walking.

I guess there isn’t much else for people to do, a lot of people live alone and going for a walk means they get to see people even if it is from a distance, usually they would have relatives visiting them or they would catch a bus into town to do some shopping or maybe attend a local group, it must be pretty hard for them now being stuck at home.

I’ve also noticed a lot of joggers, probably because gyms and pools are shut and they feel the need to exercise.

GloGirl · 17/01/2021 11:45

@Sorka

Going to the pub. Seeing friends. Being on holiday. Any of the many activities that make life enjoyable that are prohibited right now, meaning that walking is all that’s left.

Also gyms are shut. I mention this separately because it’s not enjoyable.

This entirely. I want to be doing SO MUCH
Ginseng1 · 17/01/2021 11:48

Come on there's nothing else to do! All at home. Alot of people lonely, missing family, depressed & walking or running out in fresh air best tonic for your head as well as your body. You don't own the road! I always ran but I love the fact more people out & about now.

YouBoughtMeAWall · 17/01/2021 11:50

This can’t be a serious OP. Unless you’ve been in a cave for a year you know exactly why more people are walking. Don’t be obtuse.

PlumsAreNotTheOnlyFruit · 17/01/2021 11:50

So at half term (last time things were fairly normal) did ice skating, swimming twice, zoo, museum, London eye, visiting book shops and cafes. Additionally kids had ballet, cricket, football, choir, swimming lessons. I did tennis.

Now it's round and round the park in the mud. Otherwise we only move 200 steps each day.

hopeinavial · 17/01/2021 11:52

Children would often have walked to school, so many people are trying to ensure their children get some exercise after sitting in front of a laptop in their bedroom all week.
Children would have been playing sport at school and in out-of-school clubs, so parents might be trying to ensure their children's fitness doesn't disappear.
It takes quite a lot of walking to replicate the exercise from 1 hour of swimming or running.
Plus the adult's might have been walking to the shops (now getting online deliveries), going to the gym, pool, or driving for a countryside walk (still allowed by law and by Guidance, but apparently the police don't agree with these so are fining people anyway) Hmm

SnapeSnapeSeverusSnape · 17/01/2021 11:52

@User2921

Can only speak for myself, but I do it purely to annoy people who have always been regular walkers. I try to squeeze it in between shopping for non essentials.
Grin
Carysmatthews · 17/01/2021 11:54

Really not sure why you’re perplexed. We’re in the middle of a pandemic. Walking is pretty much the only thing we can do.

Bookworming · 17/01/2021 11:54

Brilliant @User2921 !

Bookworming · 17/01/2021 11:58

OP still not back? Maybe she's gone out for a walk?

🚶‍♂️🚶‍♂️🚶‍♂️🚶‍♂️🚶‍♂️

Annoy · 17/01/2021 11:58

Sorry, i meant that it’s less of a risk in rural areas for locals to travel a little further for exercise.

In my area for example, I live in a village With lots of woodland and hillside walking opportunities but I often travel around my local area, within 10 miles for a little variety on my walks. So maybe a lake one weekend, a forest the next etc. Often only ever coming across one or two other walkers.

However, with lockdown I am forced to walk from my door every single time, as is everyone else, which means I’m adding to how busy it is on my local footpaths.

If we could disperse/travel a little further then we wouldn’t have highly concentrated areas of walkers (surrounding villages and towns) as many of the regular walkers would go find more remote areas such as mountain sides away from any villages/towns

Spidey66 · 17/01/2021 11:59

As well as all the activities already mentioned, the staff at the shops/pubs/restaurants/gym/cinema etc are not at work but are furloughed instead. It hardly takes a genius to work it out.Hmm

Fembot123 · 17/01/2021 12:01

We’ve always walked but YABVVVVVVU

BonnieLisbon · 17/01/2021 12:03

They would normally be doing all the many many things we can't do at the moment surely. Visiting friends, going shopping, going to restaurants, going to soft play, going to the hairdresser, going on holiday, going further afield to national trust places, beaches, beauty spots, cinemas, theatres, museums. Not sure why that's not obvious Confused

LindaEllen · 17/01/2021 12:04

A lot of people designate Sundays to seeing family/in laws so instead of walking they'd be sitting cosy in a living room with a brew and a slice of cake. But they're not allowed.

For me, I'd be shopping, at my hobby, seeing my family, whatever.

Surely this is a stupid question.

Cornishclio · 17/01/2021 12:04

I normally walk a lot and yes it is busier than normal but obviously it is because we can't do anything else except stay home. I need to get out every day and I expect others are the same. Even if we can't go out for meals or travel to beauty spots or go to the gym we can at least walk. That is why it is busy

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