People living in tourist spots should probably be concerned right now.

[MonkeyToesOfDoom]

Now that Boris has said people can drive for exercise and leisure, you know they'll flock to seaside's, lakes, peaks, etc.
Which means if they're carriers they'll be spreading the virus to petrol stations pumps, gates, railings etc.

I don't get the logic behind him saying that tbh.

It makes the mistake of assuming everyone can apply some sense to the advice.

An absolute distance limit might preclude someone to getting to a less busy location. But driving a long way if you're not pretty darned certain you'll be able to park and maintain distancing would be bloody stupid. If people don't realise that 'tourist' spots are likely to attract idiots and go there... they're idiots who are running a risk of being fined.

Most people won't drive on or go home will they though? They'll wait, leaving the engine running, or circle round until they can find somewhere to dump their car - that's what we see here, even if it's on a pavement, part-blocking a drive, right on a junction or on both sides of a narrow lane, meaning a tractor, fire engine or ambulance can't get through.

I think the advice should also include staying away from shops, farmyards, petrol stations and villages. Go for your walk somewhere uninhabited by all means and go straight home. That would still risk greater strain on the emergency services and mountain rescue and RNLI volunteers though.

Because the You Gov page says you cannot stay "overnight" in a second home (or hotel, hostel, campsite etc) then I would have thought it's acceptable to travel as far as you can in a car, bus or train, within a day.

So as long as you dont stay overnight somewhere, and return home for the evening, then its OK to travel there?

'Lord it in splendid isolation' - that did make me laugh. You know it's not all like that, don't you, similar to the previous pp's 'rural idylls'?

No Amazon or Waitrose deliveries here. Local milkman, nearest still local market town supermarket thanks to doorstep deliveries from friends when they travel in for essentials, local farm shop deliveries.

We only ever allow lesser humans from Fortnum and Masons to deliver anywho. We insist on a better class of lesser humans in the countryside.

...supermarket thanks to doorstep deliveries from friends when they travel in for essentials...

"In" !! Travel in! In where? I hope this doesn't mean into urban areas?

If urban people can't visit the countryside then countryside people can't visit urban areas. Fairs fair. A rule must apply to everyone equally. Can't be expecting special dispensation just because you live in one place or another

• Because the You Gov page says you cannot stay "overnight" in a second home (or hotel, hostel, campsite etc) then I would have thought it's acceptable to travel as far as you can in a car, bus or train, within a day.

So as long as you dont stay overnight somewhere, and return home for the evening, then its OK to travel there?*

It's still got to be for one of the reasons ... as in the original regulations (link below)
I doubt that driving 4 hours to have a short walk or go to an artisanal bakery would remotely be considered a 'reasonable excuse'.

The previous police guidelines on 'walk far longer than drive' are a reasonable rule of thumb, and my hope is that the next clarification will be to say, yeah, of course that's the sort of thing we meant ... as far as you want consistent with a long uncrowded walk.

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/made

If urban people can't visit the countryside then countryside people can't visit urban areas.

Of course, people shouldn't be flocking to city tourist spots either.
Urban parks, cycleways etc for urban dwellers, of course.
Afaik there's been no indication of country folk flocking to cities for their exercise.

nearest still local market town

See there?

The problem is that this policy relies on people using common sense - when it's clear from this thread alone that the general population is peppered with a huge amount of self absorbed , selfish imbeciles, who care about nothing more than their own enjoyment.
Well said.

I'm sure there will be people loudly expostulating about their right to travel wherever they want, forgetting that this is conditional on their responsibility to ensure social distancing
And forgetting that if they drive for 2 hours to the Lakes, can't get parked because it's full of other people doing the same thing then they need to turn their car around and drive home again, not abandon their car somewhere unsafe, block drives, clog up villages with double yellows whilst they nip into the shop etc.

The further people drive because "it's not against the law and you Coronavirus police need to shut up being hysterical", the less likely they are to turn around and go home because they'll take the view of 'ah well we're already here now so it's a waste of the drive to do the socially responsible thing, it's not like the police can police me'.

Policies that rely on common sense and a general sense of civic responsibility rarely work because there's a minority of selfish fuckwits who do as they please in normal time, so a pandemic makes them even more stupid and selfish.

Yes, we are all invading cities on our mucky tractors carrying pitchforks - on my way to No 10 now!

As for the loos being closed out here, I actually saw a walker peeing in our lane in plain sight the other day. No attempt to wait until he was well away from habitation and at least get behind a tree or rock. I wish I'd had a loud hailer and a cold full-on hosepipe at the ready.

I rather hope there are traffic wardens and police going around on motorbikes doing people for illegal parking ... double yellows, and :

^ 242
You MUST NOT leave your vehicle or trailer in a dangerous position or where it causes any unnecessary obstruction of the road.

Laws RTA 1988, sect 22 & CUR reg 103^

BBC News reported on this last night - showing serious concerns in National Parks and coastal areas about the expected influx of visitors.

I'm not surprised Ginny

The BMC have done some great guidance for climbers and hill walkers.
Some highlights:
The easing of lockdown depends on a strong collective sense of social responsibility, so if you’re heading outside please ensure your actions don’t have a negative impact or unintended consequences on others.

Avoid very popular areas: seek out less frequented venues, be flexible and have backup plans to avoid overcrowding.

Where possible, stay local. Whilst this is not part of the government’s guidance, staying local will reduce the load on national parks and rural communities whilst they are sensitive to increased visitor numbers.

Be self-reliant, both when climbing and walking and during any travel.

Sadly, I don't think the general flood of day trippers are going to be the people who follow the BMC and regularly climb and/or hill walk. This means the majority of people piling into national parks and popular areas will be those inexperienced, likely to be driving to do popular, easy walks with busy car parks, probably not as well equipped so will have to go into shops and services and probably the types who'll do a long drive to a popular place and if it's busy decide to shove their car where they can because "we're already here now" and they have no backup plan.

Our area is opening car parks but unfortunately you will always get the selfish who insist on avoiding them to save a couple of pounds or walking a few extra yards - preferring to clog up the lanes and villages instead.

LolaSmiles

I have visions of inexperienced walkers on furlough that have decided to walk up Snowdon in their flip flops or Adidas gazelles whilst wearing naught but a man utd t-shirt. Probably thinking a can of beer will be enough 'Water'

If they just stay out of the villages and shops it would be something.

Totally agree with the OP

Me too Monkey. They look like a liability on the fells the second the sun comes out during normal times. I'll never forget seeing a family on Striding Ridge one year in jeans, trainers, fashion active shoes, nobody with a bag other than mum's handbag and a picnic cool bag. They stopped to ask us the route back down because they didn't have a map.

Hill walkers and climbers would know that just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

Selfish day trippers (such as those on mumsnet who are quick to try and argue they can technically do...) are going to be a liability.

monkey you wouldn't believe how often that happens!

I have a blue badge so I can park on the double yellows at the beach or whatever other Spot I choose to visit quite legitimately

I have a blue badge so I can park on the double yellows at the beach or whatever other Spot I choose to visit quite legitimately

There's always someone who chooses to ignore the overall conversation in favour of explaining why they're exempt even though nobody mentioned blue badges.

There's no reason why rural villages should be filled with cars on double yellows all day (almost none have blue badges, and blue badge doesn't mean it's ok to park unsafely near junctions, blocking access and loading etc) so that people can disappear off on popular routes.

Then again, the whole attitude of 'i can go where I want' is exactly what someone mentioned up thread. Yes the relaxed restrictions allow more travel, but it is not a free for all.

I've never forgotten some of the footwear I saw when we walked up Ben Nevis ...I think the white quite heeled sandals probably won that day. Mind you, that was nearly 40 years ago, before every high street had a couple of outdoors shops, people nowadays have little excuse for not having something approximating to boots and a waterproof.

errol which makes the fact that people often still do so even more frustrating for emergency services they then need to rescue them.

Every year there's numerous stories of people walking up Snowdon in flip flops, shorts and t-shirts.

Doesn't matter how many times people ask them where their walking shoes are (either you get a blank look as if to say flip flops are walking shoes or just told you're a fool); where their jacket is (but it's sunny we don't need a jacket it's boiling) or their compass (blank look) or their map (it's a mountain we'll just pop up and back down again). Those answers were a real conversation I had with someone staying in a b&b in Caernarfon on their way to "pop up Snowdon" in their flip flops with a small rucksack, no water or food either. That night they featured on the evening news as they not only got lost and stuck but low grade hypothermia as well!! Yes it was hot in Caernarfon but that doesn't mean it'll be the same on Snowdon!!

Every year we have walkers walking up snowdon in flip flops. It's ridiculous. The first weekend of lockdown we had a man fall on snowdon and have to be rescued he was climbing in the dark in trainers with only his phone torch so he could take a picture of the sunrise..... people truly are idiots.
As for this idea of rural dwellers going to cities for food and school. We have our own shops and schools. In 7 weeks I have left my small village 6 times to go 15 mins down the road to the supermarket. Even when things start opening I doubt I will be going to town anytime soon. Hate crowds at the best of times.