Silly question about Tier 3

[littledonkeycarrymary]

We are in Tier 3. We can meet others only outside in groups of less than six in public spaces - does that mean you can go for a walk on a public footpath with others etc, or can you only meet up in eg a public park? Is the outdoor meeting just excluding eg a garden, or a random meeting in town etc?

Am trying to plan ways of seeing family briefly outdoors over Christmas (rather than using Christmas bubbles) where possible, as am pregnant and want to keep risk of transmission low.

Technically you are meant to SD where possible so would depend how wide the footpath is. Every open space is ridiculously busy here there is no one sticking to it.

Yes, I totally get that - footpath was expected to be just a simple example. There are some near us that are very wide - through fields etc. But I guess country parks (lots near us) count as public spaces so you are ok there anyway.

No a footpath isn't the kind of space where meetings are allowed in tier3. Its parks, public gardens and that sort of thing. You can still go for countryside walks on public footpaths in a group consisting of your own immediate household bubble but if meeting up with other families then choose a single outdoor amenity such as a park (and keep social distancing while there)

I was planning a countryside walk with 1 friend, I don't see why not!?
Some of these rules are silly

"No a footpath isn't the kind of space where meetings are allowed in tier3. Its parks, public gardens and that sort of thing."

It's anywhere outdoors and public so long as you socially distance.

" but if meeting up with other families then choose a single outdoor amenity such as a park"

The rules do not say that.

From the gov.uk website

@KihoBebiluPute

No a footpath isn't the kind of space where meetings are allowed in tier3. Its parks, public gardens and that sort of thing. You can still go for countryside walks on public footpaths in a group consisting of your own immediate household bubble but if meeting up with other families then choose a single outdoor amenity such as a park (and keep social distancing while there)

Not sure where you're getting this from??

Going for a walk with a group of less than 6 people is fine, might be an idea to avoid footpaths that are popular and likely to get crowded but I'm not sure that's so much of a problem in December!!

“Countryside accessible to the public” covers footpaths. It’s fine. Just avoid ones that are narrow/busy. It’s important to keep as active as you can manage in pregnancy anyway

You can meet one person for exercise in lockdown. Tier 3 is essentially not far off a lockdown. Why this isn’t the same I don’t know.

At this point I will carry on that. Meeting one is better/safer than meeting 5 others anyway. I meet a friend and we walk outside and keep as far a distance as we can. Part of its wide countryside type path some of its the roads/paths on the to walk to it .

@KihoBebiluPute

No a footpath isn't the kind of space where meetings are allowed in tier3. Its parks, public gardens and that sort of thing. You can still go for countryside walks on public footpaths in a group consisting of your own immediate household bubble but if meeting up with other families then choose a single outdoor amenity such as a park (and keep social distancing while there)

Where is the information you’ve based that answer on from?

You can meet one person for exercise in lockdown.

It doesn’t have to be for exercise. It just has to be outdoors in a public place.

Op as long as your distancing and outside it’s fine don’t worry. At a time where 3 households can meet inside you meeting your family outside still at a distance is still much less risky wherever it is.

The lockdown rules were just for exercise

‘ However, you can exercise or meet in a public, outdoors space with people you live with, your support bubble, your childcare bubble, or with one other person.

The lockdown rules were just for exercise

No they weren’t!

People really should check before making stuff up.

Jeez here we go again with mumsnet making up rules.
Of course you can meet for a walk, in groups of no more than 6, just not in a private garden or an outdoor cafe/beer garden etc.
The risk of transmission when meeting outdoors is miniscule.

I'd count a publc footpath as an outdoors public space.

Just keep your distance, and don't go on narrow paths in larger groups (unless you really will go to single file every single time)

"No a footpath isn't the kind of space where meetings are allowed in tier3. Its parks, public gardens and that sort of thing. You can still go for countryside walks on public footpaths in a group consisting of your own immediate household bubble but if meeting up with other families then choose a single outdoor amenity such as a park"

Completely made up

@ChasingRainbows19

The lockdown rules were just for exercise

‘ However, you can exercise or meet in a public, outdoors space with people you live with, your support bubble, your childcare bubble, or with one other person.

Read your own quote to check what you are stating here.

This is from the current guidelines relating to the current lockdown. It clearly shows you don’t just have to meet for exercise.

www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november

OP, there are many public footpaths in the countryside, wooded areas, rivers, canals, around lakes in some parks, headlands. I can walk along some with my friend in nearby countryside socially distance and talk to her, so I don't see why not. Surely this is far safer than meeting up in households for a few hours. It's what we'll be doing.

Thanks very much all! Sounds as if country walks outside in public are all fine, which is good. Thanks to first lockdown I know some decent quiet locations for a walk and a hot drink and mince pie. T'is the season to be jolly careful and all that!

@AuntieStella

I'd count a publc footpath as an outdoors public space.

Just keep your distance, and don't go on narrow paths in larger groups (unless you really will go to single file every single time)

This. It's just common sense - don't all try and cram together on a narrow foot path - walk in single file until there's more space. I don't understand why this needs spelling out.

some decent quiet locations for a walk and a hot drink and mince pie

Can I make a plea on behalf of all dog walkers? Please be utterly diligent about picking up any dropped crumbs from mince pies. Raisins are highly toxic to dogs

@wetotter

some decent quiet locations for a walk and a hot drink and mince pie

Can I make a plea on behalf of all dog walkers? Please be utterly diligent about picking up any dropped crumbs from mince pies. Raisins are highly toxic to dogs

I did not know that! When I think back to when my DC were toddlers they were always eating packets of raisins and must have dropped loads - will be careful, thanks