Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To never go for a walk again for the rest of my born days?

257 replies

Sheeeeeep · 11/04/2021 15:38

Never ever ever.

Weekends and holidays will be spent doing anything that does not involve Going For A Walk.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Original poster
Sheeeeeep · 14/04/2021 21:43

And if you think I’m overreacting it’s because I’m seriously thinking that the people who have been nodding and smiling at me since I started to venture outside after having my baby are actually wishing I’d fuck off, which is rather unpleasant. Or that they are thinking what a vain shallow shit I am, me who wants to go to museums and art galleries as well as the hairdressers and baby signing Hmm

OP posts:
ImpatiensI · 14/04/2021 21:46

This is one of those 'only on Mumsnet' things isn't it? Only on Mumsnet can ppl get in a furious arguments over being bored of going for walks.

fwiw OP I think you looking for insults where they don't exist.

DrSbaitso · 14/04/2021 21:48

OP, rural walks are one of many things to which MN ascribes moral value despite the fact that they do not have any. Along with Christmas Eve boxes, cake smashes and over or under eating.

We had a "walks" thread a few months ago in which OP claimed not to understand where all the newcomers had come from and after a few "because of lockdown, Rip Van Winkle" responses, said that it was because walking was so healthy and wholesome and virtuous, she couldn't believe people had ever spent any of their free time ever doing anything else in normal life so why on earth had the numbers increased. Yes, I know.

Don't worry. As such morally superior people, I am sure that when they get to heaven before the rest of us, they will make a hole in the clouds and pull us through. Otherwise we will have to spend our afterlife stuck on earth, going on yet more fucking walks.

oblada · 14/04/2021 21:48

Oh my god you're projecting a bit here! I never said you/your kids were horrible or preventing me from having a nice time. It was in jest.

Your comments 'to make a point but don't mean it' re my assumed parenting made me laugh. Why would I be upset? As they're completely incorrect anyway. And it doesn't bother me what strangers think of my parenting/lifestyle anyway. Why would I?

My older girls have 5 after school activities that we pay for that are still running atm albeit online (things like Drama, music, French school etc), normally it's even more. they're not neglected. When we go on walks they go on their bikes/scooters/roller blades (all 3 have got all 3 options) if suitable and have a blast. We have an ice cream/hot drink if there is a nice place nearby and have a lovely time indeed.

I do agree it is a little dull not to be able to go do other activities on time like we would normally do but I still enjoy our walks and they've always featured in our schedule though less so before of course.

As for baby classes - definitely a waste of money as far as babies are concerned, they don't give 2 hoots.

mogloveseggs · 14/04/2021 21:49

I am happy to walk.
However I am not happy to walk with those in my house. At all.
I want to walk with people who want to walk.

Original poster
Sheeeeeep · 14/04/2021 21:50

Yeah you’re probably right. Not intentionally but several pages of ‘oh thank god, we can have OUR countryside back’ combined with ‘you pleb’ have started to really get on my nerves.

With that being said, it was intended lightheartedly. There was no intention at all for a furious argument to ensue. I do accept my own part in that but quite honestly I think some of you are revolting snobs and can’t even see it.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sheeeeeep · 14/04/2021 21:51

How do you know what babies give two hoots about?

Do you really think your baby sits there eager to go on walks Hmm

These things are for the adults. To get out of the house, meet other mums, add some structure to the day and have some fun. But no, we should all be tramping up some field getting covered in dog shit, apparently.

OP posts:
Isaidnope · 14/04/2021 21:52

I don’t mind walks at the local nature reserve, NT or EH sites or somewhere lovely like the Moors or Dales but it will be nice to have other options than just going for a walk...

Original poster
Sheeeeeep · 14/04/2021 21:54

Well, at the risk of shocking MN, we are actually NT members. But I do still think there’s a difference between a day involving a walk, a visit to a cafe, a browse of the shop and a look round the home / museum and a day involving a walk!

OP posts:
Twoforthree · 14/04/2021 21:58

I've discovered a love for it. Helped by my lockdown puppy. Fully intend to keep it up. Also more picnics rather than cafes, more like the old days when the kids were young and we couldn't afford to eat out. Last year reminded us that it's just as fun having a picnic.

Original poster
Sheeeeeep · 14/04/2021 21:59

Picnics in January? What weird world have I entered

OP posts:
Twoforthree · 14/04/2021 22:03

Yup. With a group of friends with a bottle of fizz to help the walk along...

Twoforthree · 14/04/2021 22:04

I lie. It was last week. We weren't allowed to picnic with friends in January...

Original poster
Sheeeeeep · 14/04/2021 22:06

Indeed we weren’t.

OP posts:
ImpatiensI · 14/04/2021 22:25

I think it was ok if you had a scotch egg in your picnic 😂

oblada · 14/04/2021 22:34

My 9months old only cares about being snuggled up to me and occasionally looking at the world. Museum or walk, makes no difference to her.
If your walks are mainly fields with dog shit then yes that's dull. Maybe you need to find better walks.

Original poster
Sheeeeeep · 14/04/2021 22:38

Really? At nine months, she isn’t interested at all in toys, books (even if only chewing on them) music, lights, sunshine and shadow, animals?

I don’t believe you sorry. My five month old likes all the above.

OP posts:
CatherineMorland · 14/04/2021 22:43

YABU, but only because I have a dog and have to walk her every day.

Lockdown has turned a joy into a chore.

Abracadabra12345 · 14/04/2021 22:47

@Sheeeeeep

I’m actually a bit pissed off that you’ve decided that because I don’t want to go for a walk I throw shit all over the place pictish
I know! So rude! So arrogant! Shock
Original poster
Sheeeeeep · 14/04/2021 22:52

Tbf pitsch is quite unique on this thread in that she apologised for that, and said she hadn’t meant it as it sounded. She’s a good egg.

I know what you mean catherine

OP posts:
Abracadabra12345 · 14/04/2021 23:39

@Sheeeeeep

Tbf pitsch is quite unique on this thread in that she apologised for that, and said she hadn’t meant it as it sounded. She’s a good egg.

I know what you mean catherine

I know, I hadn’t read the whole thread and she did indeed apologise so I apologise in turn to her.

But am shocked at some of the snobbish comments here which drained called out.

I love going for walks and yes all of us going for walks in my local country parks and nature reserve means we are getting on each other’s nerves because we’ve been churning up mud and clogging up paths although, as others have said, once you’re away from the car park, it gets quieter.

I’m now in a holiday let and will be doing new nature walks ending in an outside pub meal. I have loved going around the shops today and I’m longing to go to the cinema / museums / galleries / theatres and supporting the arts and hospitality.

See, I can be virtuous too.

CeeceeBloomingdale · 15/04/2021 06:51

[quote likeafishneedsabike]@CeeceeBloomingdale ‘not everyone has the budget to do your day trips’.
My trips? Wow.
I see what OP is getting at here regarding the snobbery of some posters. You ignored everything in my list of any cultural / wholesome value and focused on two activities you consider beneath you.
Again, wow.
I take it you don’t have any children. Because obviously, if you did, you would try a range of (in budget) activities to find out what they enjoy rather than imposing only your own interests on them. It goes without saying that laser quest is not the chosen activity for adults. I actually hate it myself. However, for some kids it is active and a lot of social fun. As parents we have to tolerate some things we would not choose to do because the kids think it’s fun. Not always, but sometimes.[/quote]
@likeafishneedsabike

How judgey! Yes I have kids Hmm, no I don't tolerate things I would not choose to do. We do trips that everyone will enjoy. Nothing to do with snobbery, I have no interest in manufactured "fun", we make our own.

A lot of other things on your list have entrance fees, let's not pretend at castles, museums, art galleries and national trust properties are free. In fact outside of london most attractions aren't free. Even if they are free, they might have gift shops and cafes which parents find hard to say no to.

I don't consider those things "beneath me" as you seem to have decided, just crap. In fact I'd say more people who see themselves as middle class will pay for things like theme parks, soft play, farm parks, lazerquest etc a this fits with the lifestyle and looks better on social media.

I'm secure in the fact my kids are well travelled, well rounded and have great experiences in the great outdoors. You do do!

Christinayangtwistedsister · 15/04/2021 07:07

I must admit I have enjoyed it and I've even bought myself a pair of those god awful walking shoes . I will enjoy it even more when there is now a glass of wine at the end of it Wine

oblada · 15/04/2021 08:35

@Sheeeeeep

Really? At nine months, she isn’t interested at all in toys, books (even if only chewing on them) music, lights, sunshine and shadow, animals?

I don’t believe you sorry. My five month old likes all the above.

Oh fgs of course she is. We don't walk 24hours 7days a week. There is definitely plenty of play time even if we spent all day Saturday and all day Sunday out on walks. I'm just saying she enjoys being carried and going places and she doesn't care whether we go to the museum or on walks, that's all. I've never suggested that it was all she enjoyed. She has plenty to see on walks including animals.

Anyway I like my walks, and yes I like them when it's not too busy. If that makes me a revolting snob for you then so be it. It doesn't matter really.
Funny how you meant the thread to be lighthearted but found reasons to be offended at every turn.

Original poster
Sheeeeeep · 15/04/2021 08:48

Of course I don’t think you’re a revolting snob for enjoying walks and I honestly do think you know that.

What has really annoyed me are the posts (and in the interests of fairness it wasn’t just you) shrieking with delight that you will have ‘your’ walks ‘back’ but they were never ‘yours’ to start with.

Can you honestly not see how that might come across?

And there can be a tendency to dismiss things like baby signing or whatever because babies don’t get anything out of it. I’m sure it makes no difference to DD if we are trudging through a forest or sat in a warm room with other mums but it makes a difference to me.

Believe it or not I’m not meaning to be argumentative but there have been some horrible posts on here dressed up as ‘humour’ about people who don’t normally walk for a hobby as Not Our Sort.

OP posts: