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New covid restrictions

New covid restrictions


Postby Stevie001 » Tue Sep 22, 2020 3:12 pm

Hi guys. Im looking for information here on the new covid restrictions in scotland. I work away from home but im back next week and I'm wondering if the hills and outdoors are still accessible with the new rules as I am planning a few days on the hills. With what im reading it must be ok as i cant see any restrictions regarding that but just looking for fellow advice. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks stevie
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby iain_atkinson_1986 » Tue Sep 22, 2020 4:15 pm

Other than the usual stalking/deer management there are no restrictions to accessing the hills. If you're doing munros I'd recommend an early start if you want to get parked as most of the munro access points I've seen over the past few months have been hoaching.
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby mproudfoot » Tue Sep 22, 2020 5:28 pm

The only thing I can really see that might impact hillwalkers is a specific callout on car-sharing.

"The last new restriction I want to cover today relates to travelling by car.
We know, again from Test and Protect data, that sharing car journeys presents a significant risk of transmission.
We are therefore advising against car sharing with people outside your own household."

Obviously doesn't affect solo drivers or same-family/household members travelling together, but for those who usually travel with groups or pals, it will result in a mix of people ignoring the advice (as it is currently advice and not law), and also more people travelling to the same spots individually (instead of three people car sharing for that trip up to Glen Coe, it'll be three cars) resulting in even more traffic and tighter parking in the usual hotspots.
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby jmarkb » Tue Sep 22, 2020 5:48 pm

The potentially relevant restrictions are:

"A maximum of six people from two households can meet in outdoor spaces"
and
"You should only car share with members of your own, or extended, household, and follow guidance when there is no alternative" (as mentioned above)

https://www.mountaineering.scot/coronavirus is a useful link for guidance on outdoor activities.
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby Stevie001 » Tue Sep 22, 2020 6:44 pm

Thank you very much guys for the information. Very much appreciated . Thank you
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby Sgurr » Tue Sep 22, 2020 7:30 pm

Here is the link to the Scotgov site

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-what-you-can-and-cannot-do/

Beyond belief that it now seems the only way daughter, 4 kids and 2 of us can have Xmas is GO TO A PUB and shout from adjacent tables. That surely can't be safer than having it in one of our houses?
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby MountainTrail » Tue Sep 22, 2020 7:47 pm

Bang goes hitching a lift up Glen Shiel lol
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby Dave Hewitt » Tue Sep 22, 2020 9:38 pm

MountainTrail wrote:Bang goes hitching a lift up Glen Shiel lol

Don't think you'd have had much joy with that even before today's announcements. For years I've given lifts to people in the hills (within reason), but there's no way I would have done so in the past six months. The thought crossed my mind last Saturday at the end of a Lawers round from the south, as I saw two people walking west along the Loch Tay road. Such people quite often attempt to hitch back to a car left at the western end, and I've given people a lift here before. As it was, on Saturday the couple I saw weren't hitching, but even had they been doing so I would have driven straight past.
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby Caberfeidh » Wed Sep 23, 2020 7:25 am

Dave Hewitt wrote:had they been doing so I would have driven straight past


Surely you could swerve at them and smack them with the door? :shock:
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby Dave Hewitt » Wed Sep 23, 2020 8:45 am

Caberfeidh wrote:Surely you could swerve at them and smack them with the door? :shock:

Nah, that'd be gilding the lily. Seriously though - and flipping the argument - it's hard to imagine that anyone would be hitching just now apart from in extreme/exceptional circumstances, eg a sprained ankle. I've not driven the standard hitching roads for ages - Coe, Shiel etc - but in terms of where I have been I haven't seen anyone hitching since the Covid thing started. Has anyone else?
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby rockhopper » Wed Sep 23, 2020 9:39 am

Dave Hewitt wrote:...but in terms of where I have been I haven't seen anyone hitching since the Covid thing started. Has anyone else?
Hadn't actually thought about it until now but you're right. I also don't recall seeing anyone seeking a lift over the last few months.
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby KatTai » Wed Sep 23, 2020 11:15 am

Sgurr wrote:Here is the link to the Scotgov site

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-what-you-can-and-cannot-do/

Beyond belief that it now seems the only way daughter, 4 kids and 2 of us can have Xmas is GO TO A PUB and shout from adjacent tables. That surely can't be safer than having it in one of our houses?


Yeah it's a bit silly, I can't go in my mum's house to see her but we can meet up and sit together in a cafe where there are lots of other people? Though cafe does mean cake which is a bonus :lol:
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby CharlesT » Wed Sep 23, 2020 11:38 am

Sgurr wrote:Here is the link to the Scotgov site

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-what-you-can-and-cannot-do/

Beyond belief that it now seems the only way daughter, 4 kids and 2 of us can have Xmas is GO TO A PUB and shout from adjacent tables. That surely can't be safer than having it in one of our houses?

Does appear odd, but at the risk of being serious for once it is drawing a distinction between a regulated and a non-regulated environment, though how regulated a pub environment may be in reality is wholly dependent on the pub management and clientele.
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby Sunset tripper » Wed Sep 23, 2020 11:44 am

rockhopper wrote:
Dave Hewitt wrote:...but in terms of where I have been I haven't seen anyone hitching since the Covid thing started. Has anyone else?
Hadn't actually thought about it until now but you're right. I also don't recall seeing anyone seeking a lift over the last few months.


I have seen a few people walking the road in Glen Shiel but none thumbing a lift. I have thought about it and I probably would stop if it was practical to do so. I think you have to do what you think is right in situations like that and I would most likely offer a lift, especially if the weather is poor.

With all the different rules and laws coming and going it's hard to keep up.
Is stopping and giving someone a lift actually illegal or is it advice?
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Re: New covid restrictions

Postby Sunset tripper » Wed Sep 23, 2020 11:51 am

CharlesT wrote:
Sgurr wrote:Here is the link to the Scotgov site

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-what-you-can-and-cannot-do/

Beyond belief that it now seems the only way daughter, 4 kids and 2 of us can have Xmas is GO TO A PUB and shout from adjacent tables. That surely can't be safer than having it in one of our houses?

Does appear odd, but at the risk of being serious for once it is drawing a distinction between a regulated and a non-regulated environment, though how regulated a pub environment may be in reality is wholly dependent on the pub management and clientele.


It comes across as a lack of trust in the people - maybe justified.
It is also going to be good news for coffee shops, pubs etc. which is maybe part of the thinking. :wink:
At least we never got given the dreaded five mile advice this time, which I got the feeling is what they really wanted to do. :shock:
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