Walking "close to home" - what does this mean?

My son just sent me this link!

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-55560814

Oh for a Like button! MawBe

BlueSky

Mokryna people in the UK won’t have that kind of bureaucratic nonsense!

That's us told Mokryna

I guess you will be plonked on the sofa watching daytime TV

Well actually no MissChatelaine
<Goes off humming. ? “I love to go a-wandering...”
Or alternatively “That don’t impress-a-me much” >

I guess you will be plonked on the sofa watching daytime TV?

Aaw, that's a bit rude MissChateline - what brought that about?

And what's you and your buddy's stellar walking career to do with the price of fish?

cupaffull

I certainly was most concerned by a poster on GN stating she was going for a 5 hr hike with a friend across the Yorkshire moorlands. Given I'm an irregular viewer on GN, I didn't read the entire thread, but the person struck me as highly selfish given had either party had an accident, the emergency services would have had to be called out. They could well have had to attend a hospital putting more pressure on those stretched facilities.
She appeared very entitled never considering the lateral fallout of her decisions.

That was indeed me. Although I’m not going to get involved in a long and heated discussion again I thought that I would let you know that fully intend to go for long and totally isolated walks today and every day. My walking partner happens to be the only British woman (as far as we are aware) to have completed the 3 great walks in USA as a through hiker. One of these walks is from Mexico to Canada along the Rockies 3000mikes over a couple of seasons. The hike is known as the Great Divide. She has also completed the Appalachian way at least 3 times. I think that we are experienced enough walkers to know what we are doing on a low pennine hill. I live in a tall thin 4 story house with 3 flights of steep stairs. In all honesty I’m more likely to have an accident at home than on the hills. With the right gear, full waterproofs, ice grips and poles the benefits of exercise can not be beaten.
Tomorrow I shall wander through our beautiful local NT woodland, half a mile walk from home, onto the moors and back round the valley. Never more than a few miles from home.
I guess you will be plonked on the sofa watching daytime TV?

This is from the 4th January

www.gov.uk/guidance/national-lockdown-stay-at-home#exercising

Under Exercise it says

“you should not travel outside your local area”

Under Travel it says

“outdoor exercise. This should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel a short distance within your area to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space)”

I’m wondering if it is the case that police forces are interpreting differently.

To me this reads the same, you cannot travel outside your local area, and for travelling too a short distance means within your own local area too. Stay home in other words, people are still interpreting the rules (law) how they wish to suit their own circumstances.

We have a repurposed disused railway very close by. It's a designated footpath and cycle path, sadly most of the cyclist use it at speed with little or no consideration for anyone actually walking along it. Although it is quite wide in places - at least two car widths - a cyclist came up behind me so close recently that they actually brushed against my arm; totally unnecessary imho!
The path does narrow down significantly further along but still the majority of cyclists use it as a race path! Bloody inconsiderate and dangerous - some people have no manners whatsoever!

What if the nearest supermarket is twelve miles away?
If one is only allowed to walk in the environs of their home
there are going to be a lot of overweight dogs soon because even small ones need a five mile run to stay healthy.

under Travelling; reasons for on the government's latest advice it says:

*'outdoor exercise': This should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel a short distance within your area to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space)

*attending the care and exercise of an animal.

Doesn't it depend where you live? In England you can drive a short distance (I'd have thought 4 miles was OK!) but in Wales it's got to be walking distance from home. Is your DD in Wales?

I certainly was most concerned by a poster on GN stating she was going for a 5 hr hike with a friend across the Yorkshire moorlands. Given I'm an irregular viewer on GN, I didn't read the entire thread, but the person struck me as highly selfish given had either party had an accident, the emergency services would have had to be called out. They could well have had to attend a hospital putting more pressure on those stretched facilities.
She appeared very entitled never considering the lateral fallout of her decisions.

Jaxjacky I’m ok walking round an estate, or up and down my relatively small garden but would still like to know what the “rules” actually mean. It’s all very well saying it’s a short time but why choose to pound the streets when there is much quieter open space in relatively close proximity?

Given that I’ve not been shopping, seen nobody, (except once at a funeral), and not even bought postage stamps over a counter since last spring. I’m pretty confident I’m not behaving badly, and am mindful of the pressures on our health system and really don’t want to add to that!

However, if we were all to behave “irrespective of the government guidelines” and follow the NHS “consistent and simple” message, we would all be actually staying home - but even you and I aren’t doing that. Like me, you are taking walks.

I’m not criticising here, just wish someone could have pointed me to something factual.

I wonder what the rules are for cycling? I usually cycle 20-30 miles three times a week. Is this still allowed

As long as you wear a mask. The number of cyclists who speed past me on access for all footpaths, panting, mouths open, barely six inches away from my nose, no masks defies belief.

cornergran

Agree grannynanny. Our nearest NT property is open for exercise. As with many it’s not in a town or even a village. A cursory look shows all tickets are sold for tomorrow afternoon and Saturday. Does that mean everyone there will be breaking the law? It would perhaps be more helpful to have a distance in which travel is allowed for exercise.

There has been a lot of discussion on our local FB site about the NT sites proudly spouting that they are open, and covering themselves with a stay local addendum . As we are the nearest town to one, and 13 miles or 1/2 an hour away, then the general consensus from the posts on our FB is that this is not staying in the area defined as one's own town or village. It is clear that folk are flocking to fill all their slots from the whole county, so perhaps the police would be better employed standing outside NT places and seeing just how far people are travelling rather than picking up people who have driven a tiny distance to access the nearest open space.

It seems a rather too keen Thames Valley Police officer started stopping cars in Maidenhead, asking them what they were doing out, handing out leaflets telling them to stay at home, and telling them not to drive to a supermarket when there was another closer (which turned out to be closed!) The officer has now been advised by TVP that his actions were over the top. Maidenhead Police are distancing themselves! There will always be one or two police officers making up their own definitions

Neilspurgeon0

No I absolutely agree BlueSky I walk several miles with my pipes every day, if I played them very close to home the neighbours, quite rightly, would complain so I go out into the fields where I only see, and get heard by, dog walkers. Many musicians need daily practice to be any good at all

Sounds lovely! Wish you were near us...

25Avalon

Sounds like it depends how officious the policeman is who enforces the regulations. Smile sweetly and be very polite and even pathetic. If you get one can the fine be appealed?

My thought exactly. Why did the woman in the OP not appeal the fine?

We've even heard of those hosting large gatherings appealing the £10k fine and getting a lower fine.

I tend to do the same routes every day when possible. I’m lucky that I can walk straight out of my house and into lovely country side.
Part of the joy of doing same route is noticing the small differences every day. It might be new buds on the hawthorn, nests being built or noticing the different sheep breeds in the fields. Then there are the lambs and goat kids at one of the farms. The light on the hills is different every day. I live the different lichens and mosses on the walls. There is always something different to see wherever you are.
Take a camera and document what you see. It’s a total joy.

Tricky ain't it. We are on the coast so lovely promenade walks are the 'obvious' choice - but everyone is there so we are dodging about the minor roads and back paths. Worked out a good route (before this lock) but mis-timed it and were passing senior school as they poured out - won't do that again.

It is possible to challenge a fine. Possibly if there is nowhere else to take the children for exercise. I think parks are open though, unlike before.

I think that the fact that she drove there is the problem.
Sure I read on the Gov website after the announcement of the current restrictions that driving to a park . at least in England was not allowed.
It has not been allowed in Wales for several weeks.

We have plenty of parks and beaches in Norfolk, but all the world and his dog walks there. So we stick to walking local roads and clambering leaping into the hedge when cars come along. Wherever you walk gets boring after the first few times, whether its local streets, parks or countryside. Especially in winter. Just something we have to put up with.

I walk round and round our housing estate, yes it’s boring, yes I encounter a few people, we move accordingly or I go out earlier/later. Irrespective of the government guidelines the message in my head is from the NHS, consistent and simple, stay home, so I do that, as much as I can, it’s not forever.

No I absolutely agree BlueSky I walk several miles with my pipes every day, if I played them very close to home the neighbours, quite rightly, would complain so I go out into the fields where I only see, and get heard by, dog walkers. Many musicians need daily practice to be any good at all