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Original poster

Where is the risk in going out for country walks?

239 replies

OatMilkAddict · 30/03/2020 00:01

I've been very careful to limit social interaction (apart from food shopping once per week for me and elderly family members isolating elsewhere), but I have been out walking for an hour or two most days since lockdown.
I head on foot to secluded woods and fields where I only rarely see people (and give them a wide berth if I do). I don't touch a thing while I'm out, nor sit down or brush against anything. As soon as I get home, I remove my shoes and wash my hands, phone and keys.
Without being goady, I am curious to hear from the most vehement "stay at home" advocates precisely how my daily walk is going to get me (or anyone else) sick, because I literally don't understand where the risk is!

OP posts:

DianaT1969 · 30/03/2020 00:33

Rock on OP. There are around 70 million of us. If we all enjoy a 2-3 hour walk-in the countryside every day, including front-line NHS staff unwinding straight from a shift, all kids, teenagers and dogs, how many of us will actually be staying in our homes - as instructed? At least the police will know where to find us all 😆
Are you happy to have 70 million of us out there with you each day? Or is it just you who should be out and we stay in?

DianaT1969 · 30/03/2020 00:35

In all seriousness, taking a walk is allowed as part of exercise. Most of us do it every day. So I'm not sure on the reason for the thread. Is it because you're travelling miles from home?

crustycrab · 30/03/2020 00:39

What? You're doing what you're allowed to do. Who told you that you weren't? Who told you to go home?

Although the idea behind it is clear, that you don't walk for hours and hours on end (no current time limit) and only do what is essential.

DramaAlpaca · 30/03/2020 00:40

As I understand it, if you are heading on foot to your walks as you say you are, that's fine. You are allowed to go out once a day for a walk.

RingaRosie · 30/03/2020 00:43

I live in the city & I go for a walk daily. The streets are deserted, but I’m sure country lanes etc are quieter? I see a few people around but pass them by quickly...

NuffSaidSam · 30/03/2020 00:44

There is no risk in that and you are allowed to do it.

I wouldn't even bother washing my phone and keys.

(The only risk comes if everyone has the same idea and the quiet area is no longer quiet, but you can deal with that if it arises).

fallfallfall · 30/03/2020 00:45

hard to believe that people don't understand the underlying concept.
walking peacefully in the bush, should you be so privileged is perfectly fine.
i gather though there are only a few people who are fortunate enough to live remotely and have unlimited access to the wild.
you don't want to burden gas station attendants or anyone to access the bush, and you don't want to take risks that would involve search and rescue.

iheartdonald · 30/03/2020 00:45

Knock yourself out OP, I go out for a long walk every day, good for constitution.

And why would you ask mumsnet? Place is infested with wannabe fascists.

RainbowMum11 · 30/03/2020 00:46

If you aren't driving to get to where you walk, it's fine - where I live had been inundated with cars and people visiting with picnics and not following the 2m rule, it also increases the risk of accident and therefore having to involve mountain rescue/helicopters/ambulances if you are walking on terrain you aren't used to. Paths are generally very narrow so make it really hard to follow the 2m rule with out risking injury or damage.

RainbowMum11 · 30/03/2020 00:47

Also rural areas have far fewer NHS resources than more populated areas

riversideclyde · 30/03/2020 00:49

This is just such tosh. We need to exercise - it boosts the immune system. Keep the recommended distance. Stay safe and well.

Robinjr2 · 30/03/2020 02:56

Similar to this - I normally go canoeing, starting 5 mins walk from my house, and when I do I am clearly more than a metre away from everyone. I rarely see another canoeist. But I think it might not go down well at the moment so I haven't been doing it; if this carries on for another 3 months, what do you think.. is that acceptable exercise? Locally we seem to be getting far more cyclists but the rivers still clear.

Cohle · 30/03/2020 03:19

But what you are doing is perfectly within the rules (providing you are staying local).

The advice is necessarily generalised. People clearly can't be trusted to apply sensible discretion so blanket advice has to be issued. The number of people who can genuinely walk for two hours without coming into contact with others is tiny.

That said any contact with others does increase your risk. It just takes one person passing you to sneeze...

Igotthemheavyboobs · 30/03/2020 06:29

I don't understand, I thought we were allowed out on foot once per day anyway? Whar makes you think you are rebelling? Sounds like you are just cracking on with the rules correctly?

Drybird2020 · 30/03/2020 06:31

What you are doing is fine. There's a lot of hysteria on Mumsnet about people taking perfectly acceptable exercise within the guidelines.

WoeIsMee · 30/03/2020 06:42

You’re allowed to do that?

HennyPenny4 · 30/03/2020 06:43

Well if you are cleaning your car keys you are driving somewhere.
It's the driving which is not on at the moment, a nonessential journey.
But by all means do it if no one can see you or report you or police checks stop you but that is the risk.

allthegoodusernameshavegone · 30/03/2020 06:50

Hennypenny there has been no mention of car keys

EffOrf · 30/03/2020 06:57

OP mentions keys which would be to get into the house and daily exercise from your house is allowed

Fatted · 30/03/2020 06:59

You're doing nothing wrong OP. We live with lots of fields around us and a local cycle way through them. We went for a long walk yesterday, all within walking distance of our home. Only a few other people out and about walking their dogs (who we give a wide berth at the best of times because DS2 is terrified of dogs!).

I still have to go to work and there is no one out and about anymore when I go out.

EffOrf · 30/03/2020 07:11

DH always goes for his daily run over the fields in the evening and doesn't see hardly anyone.

BarbaraofSeville · 30/03/2020 07:12

i gather though there are only a few people who are fortunate enough to live remotely and have unlimited access to the wild

You really don't have to live remotely to be able to go to scenic country walks. I live on a council estate in the suburbs of one of the largest cities in the UK and I have access to woods and fields a few minutes walk from my front door and damn right I've been going for a daily walk or run on local paths. There's been a few people around but we've always been able to pass each other safely even if it means one of us squeezing into a hedge.

OP you're not breaking the rules so carry on until we're told otherwise.

EffOrf · 30/03/2020 07:15

We live in an E Midlands town and the fields are just up the road, some people live with their houses backing onto the bridleways

HennyPenny4 · 30/03/2020 07:16

As soon as I get home, I remove my shoes and wash my hands, phone and keys

I'd assumed car keys - if you are walking to your walk place then that is part of your walk so allowed.

VenetoResident · 30/03/2020 07:21

The reasoning given here was that the further you go the more likely you are to meet people and also to have a minor accident which puts pressure on the hospitals.

Also, if everyone was out for two hours per day it increases the amount of people the police stop and check.

200m here in Italy. It's horrible.

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