Can I drive 5 miles to walk in the woods?

[R2221]

Just that really. We’ve been isolating for over a week and these woods are the only thing that kept us sane. Isolated woods - not many people there. Those we came across were mindful of distance.

With the current lockdown rules, are we allowed to drive there?

No, given the new guidance I think the car element is an unnecessary journey. I think you should walk around your house, and if you think it is too busy, apply your logic, stay at home and try again later. In a couple of days it will feel like the new normal.

But exercise is essential. So travel to exercise is fine.

@Tonyaster that’s a non sequitur.

But exercise is essential. So travel to exercise is fine.

No

The drive to the woods is classed as non essential travel.
NON ESSENTIAL are the key words.

Travelling to the woods is no way

"Absolutely necessary".

I have to drive to get food. Food is essential. Exercise is essential. Why is driving to one ok but not the other?

Outdoor exercise is not "essential". Millions of Spaniards are managing it. You just want to exercise. I know it's allowed in the UK but it is in no way essential for survival. It just isn't.

I live on the edge of Epping Forest and yesterday it was absolutely rammed with people and cars who had seemingly driven there to get their exercise. I have never seen this before. It was genuinely hard to stay more than 2m from people on the footpaths. OP might think they’re the only one to have this bright idea but you won’t be. You will more than likely come into contact with others and it’s just not necessary.

Epping forest is on the edge of London - of course it was ram packed!

On the other hand, I went for a walk in our local woods with the DC yesterday. We were there about an hour and we saw maybe 6 other small groups or individuals, from a distance., the whole time. We didn't get within 50 metres of anyone, and most were a lot further away than that,

If we'd gone walking round the block, we'd have bumped into people all over the place, that would have been a much bigger risk.

My "garden" is a postage stamp. No space to run, not even big enough for a trampoline. I'm very reluctant to stop driving 5 minutes to the massive expanse of land at the end of my road unless I read guidance that this is explicitly banned.

We could walk it, but that would be more dangerous for everyone as we'd likely come into contact with people on the way.

You can exercise indoors.

I'm very reluctant to stop driving 5 minutes to the massive expanse of land at the end of my road
Walk it if it’s only five minutes away. It’s not down to you to decide if it’s more dangerous or not.

The issue is that when a reasonable number of people decide they'll just make the non-essential drive to the woods then suddenly the woods are no longer quiet places to go.

I think some people are really missing the point here.
It's avoid non-essential travel, not avoid non-essential travel unless it's to go somewhere that you quite like to visit because it will perk you up a bit in which case feel free to drive anywhere you like if you're a bit bored of your local area.

On the other hand, I went for a walk in our local woods with the DC yesterday. We were there about an hour and we saw maybe 6 other small groups or individuals, from a distance., the whole time. We didn't get within 50 metres of anyone, and most were a lot further away than that, but the point is that there will be some places in the UK where you can do that but many places like Epping Forest, so if everybody starts going out for exercise then millions of people aren't doing enough to kep away from others.
I reall think allowing exercise will prove to be a big mistake.

That makes no sense. You are literaly complaining you cannot do the thing the OP wants to do (take a short drive to do some exercise) and then blaming people who do that thing (taking a short drive to do some exercise) for the fact that you can no longer do the thing you want (take a short drive to do some exercise).

I wasn't responding to the OP - I was quoting another poster (in bold)
The original post asks a valid question and, taken in isolation, what she is proposing seems reasonable.

Unfortunately, there are likely to be a number of people who still think it is OK to pile in the car and pop to the seaside and it is because of them that the rules will get stricter.

I am not complaining about our situation here. I am adhering to the rules. It would be a spot fine of 135 euros if I carried on doing this.

We live very, very rurally in another country. There are no pavements to walk on, no shops (apart from a baker) nearer than 10kms. We are far removed from city life in the UK, but my point is that people living rurally were initially allowed some leeway to account for differing circumstances, but that has been removed now because people took the piss, and I certainly didn't mean to imply that the OP was doing this.

My relatives in Italy are not allowed to go out to exercise at all now. That will come here soon.

I will. I want to walk in the woods and I will drive to get there.

There's lots of things I want to do, but I can't because we're in lockdown. The rules apply to us all.

No non-essential travel means just that. Walking in the woods is not essential.

It's risk free. I think it's fine.

Travel for food is essential because if you don’t go out you can’t eat your cushions, carpet or curtains.
Travel for exercise is not essential because you can exercise indoors. Might not be how you prefer to exercise but, you can do it.

Walk it if it’s only five minutes away

5 minutes drive.
20 minutes walk through a densely populated area, full of people.

You will be judged by your neighbours.
They will think like we do
They will know you caused this, that you are the reason they will soon be told to print permits to go out.

AlexaAmbidextra. are you as nasty in real life too? Do you really struggle to get your opinion across without insulting or abusing anyone? Do you think others don’t call you a fool (even when you make it soo obvious you are), because you are very clever?? Do you struggle to think of possibilities beyond your view of the world?

R2221. I was talking about abject fools generally, not singling you out. Still, you seem to have taken it personally so it’s obviously hit a nerve. I stand by everything I said. And you will see that the vast majority agree with me. But you want to walk in the woods so disregard everyone else and crack on.

It's risk free. I think it's fine.

Driving is risk free now? Interesting.

Stop a moment and ask yourself what your response is teaching your children, OP. You're teaching them that rules don't apply to them. That your/ their desires override the common good. That you / they can do what you want even if lots of other people are doing the right thing and suffering indoors for the greater good.

Do you really want your children to grow up believing that rules don't apply to them? Would you be happy if everyone in your neighbourhood took the same view?

Why can’t you just stay at home! As a frontline worker stop being so bloody selfish. I’m terrified constantly that I could bring this home to my kids but I have nowhere else to send them. Do the decent thing