Stay at home

[CharlesT]

Maybe she and husband cut each other's. A hillwalking couple we zoom from time to time do that and look like their normal selves. Husband in a fit of prescience went into an actual barber(for the first time since around 1970) just before this kicked off and got a short everything as opposed to expecting me to cut it so it hasn't got to where it looks as if the rats have been at it which it does when I cut it. Mine has reached Old English Sheepdog and is heading for ancient Rapunzel via Mary Beard

I bask in the glorious advantage of being as bald as a coot.

[ChrisButch]

As regards the hill walking, it seems pretty clear to me that if I lived within day trip distance of the Lake District I would legally be allowed to go there for a hill walk - however car parks are still blocked off and the Cumbria tourist board is still saying stay away. As it stands though I live in Kent and driving 300 miles to the Lakes, doing a walk and then driving 300 miles back is not an option so until accommodation reopens I'm stuffed.
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I'm in a similar situation with respect to the Lakes. The interesting question is what will happen to self-catering cottages, which supply a high proportion of accommodation in the Lakes. On the face of it there seems to be no reason these shouldn't reopen well ahead of hotels & restaurants - they're by definition socially distancing, and for food supplies local supermarkets are open anyway. We have two weeks in a cottage booked at the end of June, so I'm keeping a close eye on developments.

[goth_angel]

As regards the hill walking, it seems pretty clear to me that if I lived within day trip distance of the Lake District I would legally be allowed to go there for a hill walk - however car parks are still blocked off and the Cumbria tourist board is still saying stay away. As it stands though I live in Kent and driving 300 miles to the Lakes, doing a walk and then driving 300 miles back is not an option so until accommodation reopens I'm stuffed.
.

I'm in a similar situation with respect to the Lakes. The interesting question is what will happen to self-catering cottages, which supply a high proportion of accommodation in the Lakes. On the face of it there seems to be no reason these shouldn't reopen well ahead of hotels & restaurants - they're by definition socially distancing, and for food supplies local supermarkets are open anyway. We have two weeks in a cottage booked at the end of June, so I'm keeping a close eye on developments.

I agree with you about self catering cottages - hope you get to go. We were supposed to have a self catering break at the beginning of June but have moved it until later in the year. I think you have a better chance with the end of June, though a lot of the cottage companies are now not booking anything till July.

[Mal Grey]

I'm pretty relieved that there is some relief for those of us lucky to be in England, as I've started to get pretty depressed about being stuck indoors, and though my local walks have actually been wonderful at times, I can now get in the car to go to different places.

However, I see no reason that, just because I can legally do so, its a good thing for me to drive to, say, the coast (substitute here "hills" etc depending on where you live). There are so many places nearer that will fulfil my exploratory nature without me leaving my home area. If just seems that some think that if its legal, it doesn't matter whether or not it brings a higher risk to the communities on the receiving end who have fewer healthcare resources than the towns we'd be coming from, they have the right to do it. To me, even if its a small additional risk, what moral right do I have to decide my pleasure is so important that I can just get on with whatever I want to do, for the sake of waiting a few weeks more to be able to spread my wings further. If I stay fairly close to home, I won't need to use petrol stations, public loos, shops etc, so am travelling to a local quiet spot where there are no others, in my sealed car.

I can though drive within say 5-10 miles and find places much quieter than those I've been using on local walks, so actually my risk is much lower. I am also very happy to say that it looks like I will be able to get out in the canoe. Again, I will stay very local, on very safe sheltered waters, and be able to socially distance myself far more than on foot.

I am also very aware that some folk are having a horrendously stressful time either on the front line, or through worry about being unable to work, or because of illness. It can't make it easier if the rest of us who are fortunate enough to still be being paid and being healthy, are seen to be taking every opportunity to have a jolly day out. No reason not to go out, but do it with a little respect to others whose situation might be tougher.

Its not about "what is the most I can get away with within the current laws", its about trying to have the least impact you can have on spreading this thing, whilst balancing your own physical and mental well being. Each of us should be thinking about this, and opinions will understandably differ, which is fine. I just hope that people think it through. As time goes on, and the chances of a second wave will hopefully be reduced, we will be able to steadily spread out and go further afield.

[Marty_JG]

There is also a very real issue which is that if lockdown (even a relaxed version) goes on too long, there will be no economy left to come back to which has its own issues in terms of peoples' health.

Indeed, and you can safely best your last set of crampons whilst on In Pinn in midwinter that if the economy properly tanks the same people complaining about the easing of restrictions will be shouting the government should have foreseen the damage to the economy "back then" (i.e. right now).

As time goes on, and the chances of a second wave will hopefully be reduced, we will be able to steadily spread out and go further afield.

I do not think this is an accurate reading of the science. C19 is highly infectious and it still exists, until it is no longer present at all in a population ground (and that population group gets completely isolated) then any lifting of lockdown will generate new peaks. Even the countries that have been most praised (Germany, South Korea) have found that out.

I'd love it to be "a few more weeks of lockdown and it's all sorted" but that's not the case, not that I can tell. Doesn't matter how many weeks we lock down for, doesn't matter what the public debt becomes, doesn't matter how many jobs are lost and how many companies go bankrupt, when the lockdowns start to lift the infection rates starts to rise.

We shouldn't try to be keeping deaths to zero because it's not sustainable. We could be in lockdown for years like that. We need to keep ICU admissions within NHS capacity, and we're so under-capacity at the moment we have many areas without a single admission within them and the large-scale ICU hospital Jubilee has been mothballed.

[denfinella]

I'm in a similar situation with respect to the Lakes. The interesting question is what will happen to self-catering cottages, which supply a high proportion of accommodation in the Lakes. On the face of it there seems to be no reason these shouldn't reopen well ahead of hotels & restaurants - they're by definition socially distancing, and for food supplies local supermarkets are open anyway. We have two weeks in a cottage booked at the end of June, so I'm keeping a close eye on developments.

Me too (though in Scotland, not the Lakes). I've until the end of the month until cancellation stops being free, so I hope things will be clearer by then (not holding my breath though!).

[Mal Grey]

Poor wording by me, I meant the chances of a MORE serious second wave following are reduced. Yes, a reduction in lock-down will almost inevitably lead to an increase in spread, but hopefully more controlled. And I'm assuming social distancing remains in place for the foreseeable future and that should make a big difference when combining this with outside-only activity. With that, I do believe we will be able to travel with less impact in the future.
My main point is that I don't think that point is here yet, and common sense says just because its "allowed" doesn't mean its the best thing to travel outside our immediate areas.

[Gareth Harper]

I'm not sure that is true. If the vulnerable really were seen as expendable, we could not bother with lockdown and let them catch the virus and die. If anything, we are protecting the vulnerable through lockdown (it is framed as protecting the NHS, but lockdown is beneficial to both), the problem being the lockdown is preventing most of the rest of the population from fully living their lives, which includes contributing to the economy, hence one of the biggest recessions ever, if not the biggest.

I just find it hugely frustrating that there is not regular testing of care home staff and community carers. People can have this virus, be asymptomatic and be continuing about their daily business unaware that they may be infecting others. I feel the care home doors are open to the virus.
Yes, I agree the main purpose of lockdown is to protect those at raised risk and the vulnerable – as well as trying to reduce the spread of a virus to which none of us has any immunity to.
With targeted efficient testing, we could both protect the vunerable and get much of the economy running again.

But some are more interested in headline figures, so stuff tens of thousands of tests in the post and send any that return off to the USA for analysis. Such testing is a waste of money, time and resource.

As for your claim that the UK has been somewhat lackadaisical to the threat of a major pandemic, you are probably right, and they are/will likely do the same thing (along with the rest of the developed world) with respect to anthropogenic climate change and its consequences.

Indeed, yes totally agree with you there. Global warming will perhaps eventually make dealing with Covid19 look like a stroll in the park.

[gammy leg walker]

https://www.facebook.com/176432572398040/posts/3781575878550340/


A very sobering thought

[johnkaysleftleg]

Although the Dales and Moors have said they will comply with government advice it is obvious that they are reluctant. As a result of this I'm holding fire even though I'm desperate to get out to some hills. I'm going to give it a week to see how this pans out. As for the Lakes I respect the local opinion far more than that from Westminster, I hope most others will to.

[Sunset tripper]

https://m.facebook.com/176432572398040/posts/3781575878550340/

A very sobering thought

Hi Gammy. I dont know why Coniston Mountain Rescue are coming out with this worst case scenario.
The corona is something that mountain rescue teams are going to have to deal with just like the rest of us.
Let's be honest social distancing and covid19 is going to be here a long time. I doubt if going out on a nice summer day to pick up an injured walker just now is going to be anywhere near as hazardous as the stuff the teams on the Ben were dealing with in winter.
Of course MRT is voluntary and it is their choice if they dont want to do it. I dont know anyone from Coniston MRT but these people are generally of similar outlook, and I know plenty of them will now be champing at the bit to get out just now - coronavirus or not.

If not why doesnt everyone stay in until a vaccine is available - Ps. a vaccine being available in the next year or two is far from certain.

Pps. I find it hard to believe that helicopters are no longer available to deal with accidents or rescues.

[mynthdd2]

Just curious if the Lakes Park Authorities are as stringent about that regions inhabitants not driving out to eg Penrith/Carlisle/Lancaster etc - let me guess? ok they don't care about that.....

[al78]

I'd love it to be "a few more weeks of lockdown and it's all sorted" but that's not the case, not that I can tell. Doesn't matter how many weeks we lock down for, doesn't matter what the public debt becomes, doesn't matter how many jobs are lost and how many companies go bankrupt, when the lockdowns start to lift the infection rates starts to rise.

We shouldn't try to be keeping deaths to zero because it's not sustainable. We could be in lockdown for years like that. We need to keep ICU admissions within NHS capacity, and we're so under-capacity at the moment we have many areas without a single admission within them and the large-scale ICU hospital Jubilee has been mothballed.

We can't stay in lockdown forever, or even years, we'd likely suffer far worse than if we did nothing and let the virus run its course. We can't ignore the fact that people are losing their jobs, are emotionally under high stress, are cut off from their loved ones, which is putting a strain on mental health. Now may or may not be the right time to start easing lockdown, but staying in full lockdown for a very long time is worse.

[al78]

Just curious if the Lakes Park Authorities are as stringent about that regions inhabitants not driving out to eg Penrith/Carlisle/Lancaster etc - let me guess? ok they don't care about that.....

Much less risky, local shops can implement social distancing strategies like they have in my local town, but that might fail when an influx of people from outside start coming in and ramming the place full. In adition, from the point of view of those authorities, there is a greater chance of people outside bringing the virus in if they are coming from hotspot regions.

[johnkaysleftleg]

Just curious if the Lakes Park Authorities are as stringent about that regions inhabitants not driving out to eg Penrith/Carlisle/Lancaster etc - let me guess? ok they don't care about that.....

I can see why Cumbria is concerned when you see the infection rate. In Barrow for example it is almost 3 times the national average with 61 deaths.