Its a difficult one, isn't it? I suspect the problem is that many of the more experienced hill folk will be most accepting and sensible with their plans, and will stay more local and aim for quiet spots. The "general public" may not have the knowledge to make the decisions, and to find the quieter spots they will just head for the main well known ones causing hot spots. They may also take more safety risks, unknowingly.
It does appear that outside transmission rates are pretty low. This doesn't mean its right just to open the outdoors completely by default, social distancing and minimising the need to touch anything are key, but I do actually believe that opening up to some extent is fine. IF people behave. And that's another part of the problem, it does seem that rules have to be set harder to confine the minority who will always try to push the boundaries, rather than start at the other end with "what activity can I do to satisfy my own health whilst minimising risk to anybody".
Some people seem to think there's no difference between their urban community and a rural one, in terms of the risk from Covid. There may be little difference in transmission (arguably possibly less rurally) but there is a big difference in potential impact; the smaller rural communities in some of the beauty spots do not have the clinical capacity to handle a sudden increase in cases, and also livelihoods such as farming are reliant on just a few people to look after animals and crops which won't just wait if those people are ill. It seems selfish to impose on such communities even if the risk is minimal, when all I am doing is taking part in leisure for my own good.
However, there is also a huge need to ensure that those reliant on visits have a financial future. This is the really hard bit, as I simply can't see how a lot of that can happen yet and I fear that storm will have to be weathered for some time to come.
I would have hoped that a maximum distance from home approach was applied, both for Scotland, and down here in England (yes I'm south of the border so feel free to ignore my opinion
). I am so happy that I can now drive to exercise, and can canoe again (when doing which it is very easy to social distance!), but I am staying in my local area. As are some of my friends who are desperate to paddle but don't HAVE local paddle spots; they're still not choosing to travel because it just doesn't feel right. If the limit were maybe the equivalent of an average "county" sort of size (OK Highland is a bit bigger!!!!), say 30-50km from home, almost everybody should be able to find enough places to enjoy leisure yet still escape an urban landscape. A distance limit isn't the only answer, but it might be part of it.
On a positive note, I have found so much pleasure in exploring my own local area in the short hours I was away from my flat each day, and it has countered the worry, the confinement and the loneliness of not having any quality face-to-face time with another human for 7 weeks. Watching spring has been special and I will remember that. It had become "groundhog day", but just the small relief of being able to drive just a few miles has relieved that, and being able to paddle again last night was joyful and has put a smile on my face that has been missing for months. Its worth the wait, and I don't now feel the need to head off to more distance parts.
A little relief goes a long way, and that would be how I would manage it.
