Should we be going for walks?

[Milo2]

My family and I went for a walk in the forest yesterday for an hour and today in another forest for two hours. We touched nothing, not even a gate. We didn’t see many people either. Part of me is wondering if we should even be out walking at all though? The exercise is good. But maybe it’s still a risk? What’s the latest advice please and what are you all doing?

Looking at the latest advice given I don’t think we should be leaving the house at all. Difficult as my DH has to work and there are no online food delivery slots available. All reserved for the elderly and disabled. Rightly so! I think I’ve answered my own question and will not leave the house unless we absolutely have to!

I walked to the supermarket to collect a prescription- about 35 mins through residential areas. Nobody about apart from a few dog walkers and we stood at opposite sides of the pavement when we met, so no contact. According to current guidelines this seems fine to me.

Walking and exercising is fine as long as you are avoiding close contact
Walking your dogs is fine as long as you avoid close contact.
Being in the garden is ok as above.
Putting your bins out may mean moving them some distance. We do it in isolation avoiding close contact with our neighbours.

If you are self-isolating because someone in your household has had a fever or persistent cough in the last 14 days, you should not be going for walks. If no one in your household has had any symptoms and you are simply practising social distancing, it is OK to go for a walk if you can do so somewhere where you won't pass within 2 metres of anyone else. I am assuming you don't have health problems that put you in the extremely high risk category. I believe there are some people who are being advised not to go out at all.

I live in rural Wales halfway up a hill. I took my children for a walk up the hill to a lake at the top today and saw two dog walkers about 200 feet feet, and a few mountain bikers in the three hours I was out. I will be sad when we're on lockdown and stuff like this isn't allowed.

It's okay if you can guarantee there will be hardly any people around, but her in the Lakes they have been photos of crowds of people visiting, the same just over the border in Yorkshire. That really is irresponsible.