Are we allowed to visit cemeteries?

[cerealnamechange]

I have some flowers picked out of the garden that I would like to take to the cemetery to put on loved ones graves and also to clean and tidy around the headstones. Will this be ok? I would be walking there and it's a pretty large open space but if there were lots of people around then I would turn back. I would obviously count it as my daily exercise and not go out again.

My local council posted on social media that all cemeteries within our area have been closed, not sure if it's everywhere or just in my area.

No! It's not on the list. It can wait.

I thought they were closed.

If it is open, and it is your daily walk, I really don’t see why it’s more of a risk than taking a walk to any other park that is open

I hope people are not interfering with flowers left on graves, or touching graves at random, so I don’t think the theoretic risk that items you leave are contaminated is significant here

if it was in walking distance of your house you could go through the cemetery as part of your daily exercise (if it's open) and leave the flowers but I don't think having around to do tidying would be be allowed. certainly not driving there if it's not in walking distance as that would not be essential travel by any definition.

No, if the police saw you doing so you’d likely be fined.

We went for on a bike ride yesterday. Part of the route goes past 2 cemeteries. The first, we didn’t go in to as there was clearly a burial going on, but the second we had a wander round as a bit of a break. We know a few people buried there. There was some cutting the hedges, but we had no reason to go near him. If the church yard is open, it’s within exercise distance to your home (either by bike/on foot) there aren’t lots of other people there, I can’t see any difference to walking round the streets.

As part of your daily walk yes. I walked my dog through a local cemetery last night.

Ours is closed

Not essential, so no

Your deceased relative won't know or care whether you've been there or not

@pocketem

Your deceased relative won't know or care whether you've been there or not
What a totally unnecessary comment. Please leave people to their own beliefs and don't try to discredit them on this extremely sensitive subject.

I was thinking about visiting too as I live near a massive and quiet cemetery so I could walk to and go round for fresh air (alone) but bearing in mind cemeteries are quiet and the police are busy I decided not to go in case of weirdos or muggers.

I will continue walking round the local streets for exercise early when nobody is out instead.

Put flowers in a vase and make a card for your loved ones and put it beside the flowers.
If there is an afterlife and loved ones are around us in angel form they will see it.
If not the flowers will look nice at home where you will see them a lot as you are indoors a lot.

Leave sorting the graves until later.

Pocket, would you really say that to someone in real life who was going to visit a stillborn baby that they don't care if you're there or not? I bet not because you would probably have been laid out cold yourself by now. This situation is really bringing out the worst in people, you are disgusting.

I think if you want to go for a walk there and leave flowers that's okay.

However, please don't touch the graves. I wouldn't spend time tending them. Please don't go in if there are burials taking place.

Cemetery workers are key staff and it's really important we keep them safe.

Pockets comment was cruel but it isn't a necessary trip and the longer people keep insisting on making trips they don't need to make, the longer we all have to deal with being locked down. It's just selfish and frustrating for people who are truly fed up but still following the rules.

There's nothing about cemeteries in the law. So it will be up to local councils or churches if they're open or not. If it's part of a walk and you don't meet with other people then I don't see why you can't visit, although someone might object to you lingering to tidy it up if they were heartless and had little common sense.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/pdfs/uksi202003500_en.pdf

Obviously I would only be touching graves that belong to us. I usually just take some baby wipes and a cloth to wipe the stone as they tend to get a bit dirty and unreadable. I have looked on the local council website and they don't say anything about a closure but I might call them to double check it's ok.

It is essential. My dm lost my dad not so long ago. She is inside alone all day everyday grieving, scared and lonely. Walking to the cemetery and putting flowers on his grave and talking to my dad is the only thing keeping her going so she will be doing that until they shut which I hope they don’t. It’s outdoors, big and spread out, no reason to.

The legislation (as posted by @ErrolTheDragon) says:

"(8) A person who is responsible for a crematorium or burial ground must ensure that, during the emergency period, the crematorium is closed to members of the public, except for funerals or burials."

So, you can't go in the sense that it's required to be shut.

Well ours isn’t and would cause huge distress if it was. How ridiculous.

My apologies, I searched for the wrong thing - there you have it, they're supposed to be shut.

No you cannot visit a cemetery.

Oh... except that specifically says the crematorium must be shut, not necessarily the whole burial ground. shutting the building makes sense, the grounds less so.

Well, if you go it will probably be obvious if it's shut or not.

It is essential No, it's not.

I know the grounds to the garden of remembrance at our local crematorium are closed. It has meant we can’t do normal birthday and anniversary flowers we would normally do which isn’t nice but needs must and I am sure my relatives would understand.