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Original poster

How are you interpreting ‘local travel for exercise’ ?

67 replies

Bubbinsmakesthree · 05/11/2020 19:27

If you’re in England’s lockdown, how are you interpreting the guidance that we are allowed to travel in the local area for exercise?

We live in the London suburbs - all that is around locally are a few parks and playgrounds which have been pretty busy. But if we drive for about 30mins we’ve got access to huge amounts of outdoor space - woodland, national trust parkland - that will be much quieter and easier to get fresh air away from other people.

I’m just not sure what is in the spirit of the new rules?

OP posts:
HeatherAndSand · 06/11/2020 15:39

Hopefully the booking system will prevent the crowds that led to real concern about viral spread and National Trust sites having to close last time. I think the main point is to stay within your home area's virus risk level and to stay well away from other people including avoiding visiting villages, their shops and facilities at the moment.

Underhisi · 06/11/2020 15:39

40 minutes is local for us. If it somewhere we travel every weekend then it is local. The very touristy spots might be busy but we have been in a national park every weekend and where we go there has been hardly anyone about -just the same dog walkers and runners that we always see. It's too cold and wet for most people.

Figgyboa · 06/11/2020 15:46

I wouldn't class 30 mins drive as local. Whilst not ideal, and to be honest none of it is, your local parks will suffice for the next couple of weeks

Applesandpears23 · 06/11/2020 17:46

Every weekend we drive 20-30 mins each way to walk for 2 hours in woodland. It is not busy at all which is why we go there and it is in the same council which means it was in the same tier as our house.

ErrolTheDragon · 06/11/2020 18:50

[quote canceltheonioncheque]@ErrolTheDragon

You have to stay within a 1km radius of your home address.[/quote]
Yes, I realised this was France.
That's insane, tbh.

This morning we drove ~20 mins, and then walked about 10km, passed very few people with loads of distance because we weren't crunched up on a pavement.

cheeseychovolate · 06/11/2020 18:55

We'll be travelling 40 minutes tomorrow to a national trust place, we'll be there about 3 hours so I'm happy to travel based on time spent there.

PineappleUpsideDownCake · 06/11/2020 19:05

We'll go up to 45mins just based on where we're likely to go. Same county.

I do 20mins either way to the beach several times a week.

KitKatastrophe · 06/11/2020 20:25

@Underhisi

We will be going to where we go all the time so 30min to an hour away.
Same. We go to a nice country park about 40 minutes away and I'll still be going there, whether that's "local" or not.
BogRollBOGOF · 06/11/2020 20:38

Normal walking up to about an hour away within my county or neighbouring fringes of next door.

It's November. The eejits with their disposable BBQs are not going to repeat crowding out the obvious beauty spots and abusing them like a DIY festival.

It's going to be a more regular core of people heading out for walking. People with boots and winter wear, not the opportunists heading out in their everyday clothes and trainers because it's a nice day.

The DCs have once again lost all their sports. They were fed up of walking around the neighbourhood and immediate countryside 5-6 months ago, even when the weather was good. I don't want them vegetating in front of screens whenever they are not in school, and with DS1 having ASD, it's hard to get him moving at home. Home is the place to rest and relax. Other places are for exercise. So it's important to head off and drive somewhere and keep it interesting for our physical and mental wellbeing.

KitKatastrophe · 06/11/2020 21:01

I dont understand why being "within my county" makes any difference. I live about 2 miles from the county lines, so walking in the neighbouring county is still pretty local whereas going to the other side of my home county would be an hour from home and not very local.

WhentheDealGoesDown · 06/11/2020 21:50

We’ve booked National Trust about 30 miles away for tomorrow, we usually travel 20-40 miles for National Trust places and will continue to do so while they are open. There is no specific distance in the regulations.

WellWeAreFuckedNow · 06/11/2020 21:56

I'm CEV and will be driving out of town several times a week to some fairly remote places for exercise. I live in a town centre that any hint of decent weather is busy. It's impossible to avoid people hence taking the car out.

Bananasandorangesss · 06/11/2020 22:58

I’m driving where I want to

BogRollBOGOF · 06/11/2020 23:21

@KitKatastrophe

I dont understand why being "within my county" makes any difference. I live about 2 miles from the county lines, so walking in the neighbouring county is still pretty local whereas going to the other side of my home county would be an hour from home and not very local.
There's a national park in my county that is easily accessible from home... well one end is... the other end is about 2 hours away.

If I just said that I'm going walking in the nearest national park, some readers would probably be up in arms that I'm reckless, gridlocking country roads and murdering rural locals by touching gates. But it is my county and reasonable to want to continue doing my usual repetoire of walks.

My county boundary is long and I do overlap into the next county as I go about my business, and I shall conduct my usual legal business there as suits me.

I've got no intention of driving off for hours to much further flung counties/ national parks though.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 06/11/2020 23:39

@Xenia

The guidance is not the law so if you do not follow it but follow the law you are fine. The law www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1200/pdfs/uksi_20201200_en.pdf allows you out as many times a day as you like for exercise and for recreation. It does not limit that to any distance so eg if you want to take a 4 hour drive and never leave the car or take a 4 hour drive to sit by the sea for an hour that is not unlawful as far as I can see.
Thank you.
MinesAPintOfTea · 06/11/2020 23:45

@KitKatastrophe

I dont understand why being "within my county" makes any difference. I live about 2 miles from the county lines, so walking in the neighbouring county is still pretty local whereas going to the other side of my home county would be an hour from home and not very local.
A week ago going to some of our surrounding counties would have been going to a different tier, and difficult to tell if that was permitted.
MiddlesexGirl · 06/11/2020 23:49

And the other factor is whether the trip can be done without needing the loo.

Government guidelines are that public toilets can remain open.

ErrolTheDragon · 07/11/2020 00:08

@MiddlesexGirl

And the other factor is whether the trip can be done without needing the loo.

Government guidelines are that public toilets can remain open.

Yes - but it may be a factor for some of us in making the judgement whether we consider a trip is 'local' or not, iyswim.
KitKatastrophe · 07/11/2020 01:28

(A week ago going to some of our surrounding counties would have been going to a different tier, and difficult to tell if that was permitted*
None of the counties banned going for a walk at a country park.

Topseyt · 07/11/2020 04:12

Anything within a 100 mile radius of your home.

Figmentofmyimagination · 07/11/2020 08:16

This time around I think what matters more is being outside and keeping away from other people. I really don’t think anyone is going to care at all where that is, or how far it is away from your own house or flat.

movingonup20 · 07/11/2020 08:29

30 mins is nothing around here, I drive 20 to the supermarket. I'm debating whether an hour and 10 to the National Park is reasonable, I think it is personally, same (big) county.Grin

movingonup20 · 07/11/2020 08:36

@HeatherAndSand

People should follow the countryside code end of, but it unreasonable for those in rural areas to try to stop those in towns visiting which happened before, our taxes and annual subscriptions (in the case of national trust) fund them. I walk most weekends in the National Park but live near my dp's work, we don't drop litter, park properly, don't have a dog etc. Not all "townies" are bad! I'm a city girl but fell in love with the country as a child

HeatherAndSand · 07/11/2020 14:35

I couldn't agree more that not all townies or city girls are bad. The virus doesn't discriminate between the goodies and the baddies though, perhaps mores the pity

I also agree with others that hopefully the winter weather will keep some of the baddies closer to home and reduce the crowd control we saw last time.

I absolutely understand and support the use of outdoor spaces and fresh air for the good of all our mental and physical health. I just want people to be more considerate this time around to local residents and services and not risking spreading the virus from higher risk areas , and also not to trash the very places they have ironically gone to admire and enjoy.

HeatherAndSand · 07/11/2020 14:39

risk not risking - apologies.

Multi-tasking here as I listen to The Archers and polish my pitchfork Wink

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