Can I drive to the park now?

[Elllicam]

So I’ve seen today that we can exercise outside as much as we like. We live in a little village with limited walking areas (the main roads in and out are far too busy). Is it ok now to drive to parks? We live near to a lot of big parks and open areas but I’d have to drive for at least 5/10 mins.

You’ve been able to drive somewhere for exercise as long as the amount spent exercising is more than you spent driving for a while now.

That's wrong hellothere that's English only advice.

For Scotland it's still 'near to your house'.

I've looked into this and I couldn't see any thing on the police Scotland website that said you couldn't, though I know in the papers a police high-up person said not. But I don't think what he said was backed up by law. I have driven for exercise (same reason as you OP, and trying to walk with children on narrow streets is much harder than in a big open park) twice since lock down began and did feel awkward about it.

Here is the answer to the question on the police Scotland website, which is clear as mud really. For instance, driving to the supermarket is that really essential when there is a Co-op nearer? I don't think driving miles and miles is ok but three miles to nearest park or open space?
Can I drive somewhere for exercise or to walk my dog?

Government guidance states that you can go outside for daily exercise. However, the Scottish Government advises that you should stay local, use open spaces near to your home where possible and avoid unnecessary travel.

They did say in one of the briefings a week or so back that you could drive a short distance - but as Hello said, as a guideline, the walk had to be significantly longer than the drive.

Just to clarify: I am of course talking about the Scottish Government daily briefing.

I didn't think at the start it would be a hardship to just exercise on foot from home but it is so stressful watching the dc around other people (and we are the only ones to ever move out of the way it seems!) so a short drive makes quite a difference. When exercising alone I will continue to just be on foot.

It says “ open spaces near home where possible”.

But if you don’t spaces near your home that are safe for your children, surely it’s better to go for a short drive to the park ?

Yes you can.

Oh sorry just saw this was in scotsnet. So I don't know

I've been doing this from the start. I can either drive 5 minutes to woodland not meeting anyone or I can walk 15 minutes through housing estates to get to it (dodging people, kids, bikes) etc. Its all about common sense and considering the area you live in.

It’s deliberately vague to discourage people from doing so, but yes you can as long as it’s within your local area (“near your house”).

The problem is most councils have closed car parks, making it difficult to actually go to parks.