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!)

Gym
Swimming
Pub
Shopping
Restaurants
Soft play
Friends / families house
Relaxing at home - if you're out and about all week at work etc you don't feel the need to get out for a walk as much

Em...well I’m freelance but can’t work with kids at home (in Ireland , no schools, childcare open for anyone) so during the week I’d be usually making money so we could live...
We can only go within a 5km distance of our house so that limits things further and makes any green areas accessible busier. Everything is closed op so lots of people would usually be going to cafes, gyms , pools, cinemas, pubs, play centers with kids, various sports classes, kids activities like football , music classes and again working and going to school and university etc..
We get our loads anyway and before covid, now there’s only around 2 nice walks available to us.. They have even closed down beaches and mountains in Ireland ... I’ve yet to go to a beach here where I am even 20 meters from somewhere as our beaches are big here and freezing..
This is what happens when every single facility is closed, also op you are there too, you’re one of them!!

I think it’s wonderful to see so many people enjoying walking with their family.

I cycle regularly, but with all the bickering about how local is local- I’ve ditched the bike & walk from home

Hi ve never seen so many people on the pavements

Obviously OP if you close lots of stuff down more people are going to do the stuff they can do, I can't understand why you would not expect this.

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

Have you worked it out yet OP?

I'm usually at the gym three mornings a week so am doing 10k power walks a few times a week instead. It was a bit busy out there before and over the Xmas period but then the council closed all the car parks so now it's only us locals out walking which has made it easier.

*20 meters from someone

I always find it so funny and weird when people complain about crowds and other people gathering in a place when they are there to😂 How is that lost on them, because the bit of grass or whatever is more theirs?!

*too

I know how you feel OP. I also know that it is completely unreasonable to feel this way. I miss my dog walks when I didn’t see a single other person and there was no litter and the ground wasn’t completely churned up from a million footsteps.

I just keep telling myself that it is good that people are getting out and that it is probably improving their mental health. But secretly I can’t wait for peace and quiet again.

But secretly I can’t wait for peace and quiet again

And those people probably can’t wait for everything else to open up so they can do things they find fun/interesting instead of spending their weekends trudging round their local area again while people tut at them for daring to be in the same public place as them!

I agree OP and could have written your post!

I've walked regularly in my small village for the last 15 years, do a 3 -mile hike and many days saw no one.

Now, it's crowded sometimes with families, straggling the paths, many of whom don't have the sense to make their kids get into a crocodile line on narrow paths, or duck out and give way (it's always me that has to do that.)

I too wonder why they never walked before because I love it and it's my normal exercise.

Are they usually all shopping?

I can't help but feel that in this weather most of the people so determined to be out and about walking would have normally been quite happy to stop at home for a cosy day in. I miss my quiet running routes where I could just zone out and not have to dodge and weave through so many people. Though it only takes a second of thinking to work out why they're there!

Normally on a Saturday or Sunday we'd be up at one of our mum's having a good tramp with them, and getting the toddler his doggy fix, but since we can't go traipse round the countryside, we're walking in our park. Along with the rest of the quite densely populated neighborhood.

At least the wee man is getting his fill of dogs, even if they're not his particular dogs.

Is this thread a joke? Is the op really wondering what has gone on that now disturb her solitary walks?

You need to stop walking around with your head in the clouds!

@gannett

I can't help but feel that in this weather most of the people so determined to be out and about walking would have normally been quite happy to stop at home for a cosy day in. I miss my quiet running routes where I could just zone out and not have to dodge and weave through so many people. Though it only takes a second of thinking to work out why they're there!

Well yes. But that’s because normally I’d spend my week days at the office, going to the gym, seeing friends etc, and my children would be at school/at their extra curricular activities/on play dates, meaning that on a cold, muddy weekend We’d be happy to stay at home. Now I spend my entire week at home trying to work full time, home educate two primary aged children and look after a toddler. So by the weekend we’re climbing the walls and need a walk, whatever the weather. It’s not rocket science.

It’s exactly the same where we live - the footpaths and area round them are getting completely wrecked, especially in the wet weather recently.

I think they normally be shopping for pleasure, visiting tourist attractions, at the cinema or bowling alley, visiting family and friends, or in some cases, working (but currently furloughed).

We have walked round a village vicinity a lot more than usual. We would normally be walking, but we’d drive to places further away quite often, just for a bit of variety.

You don’t live in a box of ignorance, OP, don’t pretend you do.

Is it so hard to understand that when the majority of people’s liberties have been taken away over the last year, that people might start enjoying walking on their own doorsteps as it’s the only thing they can do that’s technically within the rules?

DH goes in the week on his walks and hardly sees a soul, its just the weekends that are busier so I am surprised OP says its busy every day maybe she isn't walking far enough to miss the crowds

I used to take my kids out for a big walk about once a fortnight. Now it is most days. Because they can't swim, go trampolining, play netball, go to beavers/brownies, go to birthday parties, visit family, visit friends, go climbing, go anywhere.
I met a friend for a walk recently. Previously when it was snowing we would have met for a cuppa in our houses or walked as far a a coffee shop. We sometimes walked in the summer but when snow was falling would have done it from the inside.
Same with mum - Id meet her for a walk sometimes, but also sit around her house drinking tea. It has been too cold around here to stand around outside, so walking it is.
Personally I'm mainly a swimmer but the walking comes no where near replacing swimming. It is just the only way to socialise (I haven't been with people outside the household since lockdown, not sure if I could, but my dad's a bit scared now so I've cut back)

are you serious??? virtually every sport is shut down. cinemas, restaurants, shops are unavailable. they can't visit family or friends.

I've been a walker for years so understand how frustrating it is to lose the quiet that goes with a walk but it is just reality right now... you could always drive to a city centre for some peace

Swimming
Gym
Exercise classes
Trampoline parks
Soft play
Dance classes
Gymnastics
Football games
Friends houses
Seeing relatives
Commuting so too tired to get up and out?

Are they usually all shopping?
There's more to life than shopping and walking you realise?

Winterwoollies

You don’t live in a box of ignorance, OP, don’t pretend you do.

Well said.

Obviously covid restrictions equals more people walking. Why everyone is squished together in the same few spaces might be due to the severe lack of open green land to enjoy for the average person, given most of it is in private ownership and in England at least (I don’t know where you are OP) the law of trespass applies except to about 10% according to this article:

www.countryfile.com/news/who-owns-england-history-of-englands-landownership-and-how-much-is-privately-owned-today/

A quick google suggests 1% of the population own 50% of the land www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/england-land-ownership-royals-middle-ages-a8878931.html%3famp

So we’re all trying to access the same very limited space.

I guess whether people are bothered about the above in normal times when there’s lots else to do is a different question.