So can we drive to mountain walk now?

[Hugglespuffed]

I thought I'd heard earlier on today on tv (could be bbc news or this morning as those are what I have watched today) that we are now allowed to drive to exercise of the exercise will take longer than the drive
.. so can I get my walking boots and go for a walk up my nearest mountains? I expected to hear it on the briefing but heard nothing. Don't want to do anything 'wrong' and wont of course. But if we are allowed then I would love to. Living in a city, it is hard to find walks that aren't too busy (people are being great about keeping apart but sometimes it is more effort than it is worth!) And can feel the pound already piling on and need better exercise! Thanks :)

Legally it's perfectly fine OP, whatever shit people might want to come up with about spirit of the rules which somehow coincides exactly with their feelings. However, as the mountain rescue service have asked people not to, I'd pay attention to that. Is there a middle ground open to you?

FGS!!! just when most people seemed to have got the message there's another "interpretation" of the guidelines to be deliberately misunderstood.

Yes...I’m a mountain bagger too but I’m also going with what the MRT have to say on the matter. I’m lucky to have the lovely Pentland Hills within doable walking and easy cycling distance so I’ve been sticking to those.

Deliberate misunderstanding of the rules and guidelines is rife on Mumsnet.
It's not that difficult. Some people just like to make things more difficult than they are. Especially on Mumsnet

Thanks all for your input. Will avoid mountains for the reasons mentioned.
Just trying to think of any countryside walks I can do instead now.

I know this is serious but its hilarious too.

What if you are doing sitting down yoga in a park ten minutes drive away? Do you have to balance with 15 minutes standing up yoga? What if your friend with excess food also has some paint brushes, are you allowed to collect them?

Likely to be reasonable...

• Driving to countryside and walking (where far more time is spent walking than driving).

Not likely to be reasonable...

• Driving for a prolonged period with only brief exercise.

From the police guidelines (England): www.college.police.uk/What-we-do/COVID-19/Documents/What-constitutes-a-reasonable-excuse.pdf

As a general rule of thumb, if you have to ask if something is within the rules, then it probably isn't.

It boils down to 'is it essential'. Will I or others be less safe if I do it.

Just stay at home, you can’t go wrong with that

I understand what you are saying @tilder but I did say it was something I'd heard just today. So I was clarifying. I wasn't sure if the rules around 'non' essential exercise has changed. Still not 100% clear to be honest. Apart from that I now wont be going up a mountain!
I want to follow the rules. I have only used my car once in the last 11 days and that was to do a food shop.

Driving to countryside and walking (where far more time is spent walking than driving)

I am absolutely over the moon happy at this! This means DDog can get a walk every day again. I only need to drive 1 bloody mile to the start of the footpath!

You certainly can go wrong with just staying at home, @Ilovemypantry It makes some people feel ill.

I am out of the house most of the day, because being inside would make me suicidal.

However, I'm using common sense. I'm not hanging around anywhere, or meeting other people. I'm not doing anything that would put anyone else at risk, or that would cause the emergency services to have to deal with me. So I am going for several bike rides every day, but all within reasonable reach of home, so I could limp back if need be (or summon DC1 to retrieve me).

I'm also going for several walks every day. Again, within easy reach of home.

OP, you have obviously decided (and I think wisely) that mountain climbing isn't common-sensical. I hope you find some lovely countryside walks, though.

The guidance for police suggest it's fine to drive a reasonable distance to exercise as long as the time spent exercising is substantially longer than the drive.

This leaves it wide open to interpretation, some people will think it's OK to drive for a couple of hours to wherever they fancy and spend the day wandering about.

You do know you could have done this anyway, @SuperFurryDoggy? Again, it's just common sense. The 'rules' are only meant to stop dense people from having mass gatherings...

Completely off topic, @slartibarti, but were you once Slartybartfast?

The problem is that some people need it to be absolutely black and white to understand what is required. Some of this is grey and open to interpretation, and flouting and therefore making the lockdown ineffective.

Oh hooray I can drive 5 minutes which will allow me and DS to have a different walk from the one we have been doing from our front door. It was starting to wear a bit thin tbh.

You’d think so, wouldn’t you @pleasedoone, but I live in a popular beauty spot and police are waiting by cars for people to return and fine them! I got a warning and my number plate “noted” 3 weeks ago and have been to scared to return! A fine was the last thing I needed!

Hello from a national park.

I’m not sure what’s legal around driving to walk.... if you do, please PLEASE don’t do walks that go through gates. We’re in the Lakes and our valley and nearest village is totally overcome with corona and we don’t want to pass it on.

Shoutout to all our usual ramblers who are staying away, it’s really heartwarming and kind of them

trouble is that lots of dumbos go for hill walks in jeans, hoodies and fashion flipflops, carry a tiny bottle of water and a chunkphone, and then need to be rescued because it rains, gets windy or they fall over.

this means that the non-dumbos are banned from hill walking.

do it if you are prepared to leave your phone behind so you can't call for help. If you don't feel safe like that (and of course the phone might not work anyway), there's your answer.

I agree that mountain walking is probably a bit much for most of us, just because of the risks involved, but am really glad to see common sense prevail regarding driving a short distance to an open area to walk, run etc.

Actually, that's a really good point, @mencken

I have a chunkphone (have never heard that expression, but that is my 10 yr old Nokia in a nutshell). So I work on the very old-fashioned assumption that mobile phones essentially don't exist, and you need to make your dispensations accordingly.

Hence I stay local, I suppose.

@SuperFurryDoggy, I feel your pain. My parents have 5 dogs and have walked them every day for 20 years in a particular 'beauty spot'...

You can but the volunteer rescue services ask that you don't, please.
But you can drive a few miles to a local nearby walk which may be just a field or wooded walk. Why on earth would that mean you would need a volunteer rescue service any more than if you do a similar walk from your house?

For instance there is a tame walk around fields that you can get to from my house on foot but there is a wider variety of similar walks if I drive to them for 5 minutes to get there, which would be nice just for some variety.

I know someone will start on about the possibility of a car accident or a breakdown but as we have seen, it is perfectly legal to do this and in my opinion very low risk

The problem is that some people need it to be absolutely black and white to understand what is required. Some of this is grey and open to interpretation, and flouting and therefore making the lockdown ineffective.

This was also true of the legislation itself though.

Not outside of England

Scotland has different rules