UKC

National Trust opens up for walking

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-51947349

(credit for posting to bungeejumper on www.lemonfool.co.uk)

Although the NT have reversed this decision I thought it was a good idea.

Unfortunately, it was scuppered by the numpties who flooded in droves to some NT properties and caused congestion.

It is sad that some seem unable to find a open space by themselves.

Dave

Numpties ?  Do you mean the 66 million people who got the message that the NT was open for business ?  

Why drive for a walk when you can walk from home?

The NT message was very much use local open spaces, including those in their stewardship, to exersize and get some fresh air whilst social distancing. It wasn't drive for miles to honeypot locations and cause congestion at those.

They should have just closed the car parks.

That has to be the daftest question of the week. Personally I'm not going out except for work but where I live my choice would be walk the streets in a crappy run down area or go for a 20 minute drive and walk in some nice countryside. 

Quite so - and in my case at least (yours too possibly) - going out for a walk/run from my door would probably involve passing close by many people.  Whereas I can drive for 20-30mins and then not see another soul until I drive back home again.

Speaking of which - too much soshul meeja now.  Time to turn off the laptop and go get a fresh air fix to try to keep the cabin fever at bay.  I'll be driving, but if there's anyone already parked up where I'm heading for plan A, I'll carry on to plan B.  Plan C or D is to come home again without getting out of the van and try again later.  Hope that's ok with the UKC isolation police.

The word is that car parks and all facilities are closing in Loch Lomond & the Trossachs today.

Yes. https://www.lochlomond-trossachs.org/park-authority/blog/visitors-urged-not...

The national trust have now reversed this decision.

The National Trust's latest statement on coronavirus (COVID-19).

UPDATED - 1.00pm on Sunday 22 March 2020

From Sunday 22 March, we've sadly taken the decision to close our parks and gardens, in addition to our houses, shops and cafés, to help restrict the spread of coronavirus.

Many of our car parks for countryside and coastal locations will also have to close due to high demand. We urge people to stay local and observe social distancing. Please do not travel.

Information on which National Trust outdoor places are open can be found at www.nationaltrust.org.uk 

Actually I'm pleasantly surprised at the lack of movement round here. 

I was working in my home office (little bedroom) from 6am to about 11am and I only saw 4 or 5 people walking down the street (all solo walking dogs and when 2 met they kept apart) and maybe 10 cars or so. Looks like folks are beginning to wise up. 

This feels a bit like foot and mouth in 2000. The sudden closure of great swathes of countryside is hard to manage and keep the public inside. The biggest difference this time round is a ( belated and incomplete) realisation that the public themselves have an interest in this happening. 

I do worry that some less scrupulous people will use this to their advantage.  An uptick in flytipping, maybe? Vandalism and opportunistic theft from empty/ unused visitor facilities. And certainly an increase in unexplained wildlife deaths, if f&m is anything to go by

I sold my car 6 years ago by choice. Its one of the best things I did. I walk wherever I find myself, and that includes a lot of areas. If your 'crappy run down area' is unsafe I understand. But it is a culture we've got into all this driving around and lots, not all of it, is unnecessary in my opinion. If you need to drive, fine, but I'll refrain from calling you daft.   

This could just be a representation of how popular they'd be on any normal day if they weren't expensive.

Or a last minute release before the lockdown -  people like that sense of balance- 'I am going to lock myself up, but before I'll do, we will have a nice day out'.

Will you still be driving for your excercise? Some daft ideas are suddenly becoming mainstream.  

'Daily exercise should not include travelling to a different area than that in which you live'.

Worth sticking to the government advice..........

No, I can understand why some people would rather drive to exercise but I won't be. Mine consists of walking the dog round the streets and carrying tools and equipment round on site. 

As you say traveling for exercise is not necessary traveling.