To wonder what all the walkers would usually be doing

[CloseSchoolsProtecttheNHS]

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!)

We just keep left, single file when there are people approaching (walk fast so only overtaken by runners and cyclists and generally hear them), and keep walking in a straight line regardless (no side step dance). Haven't had anyone brush past us yet.

@Terracottasaur

The list of activities Covid has shit down is endless. Visiting people, the cinema, pubs, shopping, restaurants, road trips, gyms, cafes, soft play, toddler groups, museums, etc...

Fantastic typo 😊

They'd be doing something much more exciting no doubt

why have they all just discovered walking? It's not like it was a closely guarded secret before and we are quite rural.

I agree OP - it's weird. But I think it's that when we're all locked down, people suddenly "discover" the immediate space/world around them. There's also the sense of contrariness - when we're told we should do something difficult "Stay at Home" - there's an element of - Well, I'm allowed out for my exercise, so I'm damn well going to take it.

We are in a situation where things we took for granted - like meeting friends, or just sauntering around - are now potentially dangerous,. It's tough - life during wartime.

It's a pity that some of them are rude, though, and not aware of the space or other people around them. But arseholes are arseholes, global pandemic or not. Even before the virus, the summer up in the fells (where I am) there'd be idiots who didn't know the first thing about walking in high country. Save me from the groups of (mostly young 20 year olds) 15 walkers who stop to take a breather on the one path up a steep fell ... Annoying even when we're not in a global pandemic which transmits easily by breathing!

And honestly, many of the people I see out doing their 'exercise' when I'm out for my daily run (something I've done for the last 10 years or so), well - I think a lot of these people definitely need to walking a lot more. Clearly, for a some people exercise has been a closely guarded secret no-one told them about ...

Your username is ironic, seeing as you're so 'perplexed' as to why people are out walking! You do realise that the entire country is shut down and theres nothing else to do?

You do realise that most people are not dragging themselves round the nearest piece of Public muddy grass for fun? I am so sick of politicians (and you?) trying to whip up this kind of anti-walking sentiment.
I usually do about 10000 steps in a normal day including commuting on public transport. The daily tramp is nowhere near that.
My kids usually walk to and from school, have PE, run around at break and lunchtime and do extracurricular activities. All gone.
That is not even counting general out and about activities.

@Offskki

I’m really irritated by your pretend ignorance.

This!! The situation is shit enough without this faux ignorance.

Is this a pisstake?

Shopping for non essentials
Visiting friends/family
Going to the gym/other recreational location
Playing team sports
Taking children to sports/swimming lessons etc
Going to restaurants and cafes
Walking but further afield at beauty spots
Going to places like national trust
Visiting beaches/lakes too far from home

Because we are in fucking lockdown, OP

Some people.

We live in a rural village too, abs walking has also become popular here. Apart from cycling, there’s nothing left we’re allowed to do!! We can’t;

Visit friends and family
Go away for a W/e or holiday
Go out for the day anywhere not loc
Go to a beach, museum, swimming pool, gym
Go out for lunch, go for drink in the pub
Visit my mum or PiL (each a few hours drive away)
No kayaking, scouting, archery, cricket (nets in winter), football, music school

Snow and ice has put cycling with the dc on hold for a bit. There is literally nothing else to do.

Of course you know what other activities exist OP?
Normally on a Saturday afternoon we’d be away visiting friends, or out for a long lunch somewhere, or maybe I’d be at the gym/swimming pool, or we’d be on a family day out, or id be ferrying my DC to their activities, or we’d be visiting family, or at the cinema...
We can’t do any of that, so we go for walks.
As much as you wish people would fuck off home, I’m sure many of those very same people wish things would open again so that they could do something more interesting with their time OP.

And even with these daily trudges around, I’m still doing far less activity now than I did in my ‘normal’ life. I used to average 20000 steps a day, now I’m lucky to hit 10000. Despite daring to frequent these precious ‘green spaces’.

I used to walk to the station, then from the station to my workplace, then around the office, then around the area at lunchtime, then back to the station and night, then from the station to home. That would be 10,000 steps and I’d probably do another walk before bed. So I would walk the same amount of time but in shorter bursts. Now I’m confined to once a day I have to do it in a larger burst. I would normally walk at a weekend though so I know what you mean. I don’t think it’s pubs as it is usually families, but maybe gyms / sports centres being shut.

I don't know if it's true but I heard a rumour that there was some sort of pesky bug going around, so that everything is shut down. It could just be coincidence, though.

I'm just really perplexed as to why so many people are now out walking!)

Ok, who wants to tell her?

Well it doesn't take a genius to work out that with more people being forced to WAH, nowhere to socialise or shop other than for food, exercise or see friends all we can bloody do is go for a walk.

But hey maybe we should all stay inside and do no exercise or get no fresh air because being fatter and unfit will really help if you get ill.

I used to walk a lot in the office, have an hours walk in my lunch break but all that has been taken away.

You should do what I do when I'm out with the dog and try THINKING when you're walking. Then you could probably work out the whole pandemic/people walking cause there's f**k all else to do thing for yourself.

@AlwaysLatte

I don't know if it's true but I heard a rumour that there was some sort of pesky bug going around, so that everything is shut down. It could just be coincidence, though.

I heard that too. I didn't believe it but if people are out for walks more than before, maybe there's something in it.

Usually my DC would be playing netball or football three times a week each (one training session, one match, plus a school club) and doing PE in school. None of that is happening so we are doing a lot more family walking / cycling.

Are you really perplexed though OP? Really?

I'd be in the pub

I'm just really perplexed as to why so many people are now out walking

Because there’s nothing else to do.

Chill out a bit, the chances of you catching covid from someone 'brushing past' you on a walk outside are vanishingly small.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-55680305

I don't walk much in the winter but DH has been out most days walking up to 30 miles, normally he would be regularly running marathon events or those organised LDWA long distance walks so he is just planning his own routes instead.

It's also pretty much the only activity you can now do with a friend. So where I might have met my friend for a coffee and a chat, now we have to go for a walk to catch up.