Re: New Coronavirus Law
Posted: Fri Jun 19, 2020 6:04 pm
For walking in Scotland
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=97077
gman wrote:Paul Webster wrote:The latest government guidance is extremely clear - "people should continue to stay in their local area (broadly within five miles) as much as possible and should not travel further for leisure or recreation."
That advice is not 'extremely clear', it's vague - 'broadly', 'as much as possible' etc. You can travel 5 miles from you 'local community' but you have to stay within your 'local area'. The 5 mile limit is for urban areas but not rural communities, where does that leave those of us living in small towns on the outskirts of cities? You can travel further to meet people but not to exercise alone because we're trying to limit the spread of disease. Mountain rescue say it's OK to call them, then they support charges against walkers, then other mountain rescue teams distance themselves from that statement and point out that they're actually not part of Scottish Mountain Rescue, they're iSMR. None of this is clear.
One of the Scottish vloggers I follow has wild-camped in his local area (SW Glasgow, near those wind turbines)
BigTed wrote:One of the Scottish vloggers I follow has wild-camped in his local area (SW Glasgow, near those wind turbines)
Does camping include stopping for a while with a shelter?
I agree with Paul and think the guidance is pretty clear - maybe not perfect but certainly clear enough - even though I'm disappointed I'm limited to staying within around 5 miles.
As for mountain rescue, I have no problem with teams 1. continuing to provide a rescue service, and 2. following government guidance, which is what appears to be the case in your example above.
I haven't seen anything about the 5 mile limit not applying to rural communities in official guidance - do you have a source for that?
As a guide, rather than a fixed limit, our advice is that 5 miles from your home would be within your local area.
Tringa wrote:All you need is a friend in any area and you can travel there to meet them, and then together you can do a hill.
Tringa wrote:Only two days to wait and Scotland is fully open for some at least.
From Monday 22 June ...
"People are still being asked to work from home wherever possible, and to stay in their local area during Phase 2.
That means not travelling more than five miles for leisure and recreation - although that limit does not apply to meeting family and friends."
My interpretation is if you exercise yourself (or with members of your own household) then you should not travel more than five miles. However, if you want to meet family or friends you can travel any distance.
Flat Earther wrote:About time -
mountaineering.scot/news/testing-time-for-mountaineers
A group representing the interests of hillwalkers, mountaineers and skiers has described the continued restriction on travel for leisure activities as "frustrating".
Mountaineering Scotland said it welcomed the "positive progress" made in suppressing the virus, but has asked for greater allowances for outdoor activities.
The group has almost 15,000 members.
Chief executive Stuart Younie said he appreciated the "very difficult" decisions the Scottish government was having to make.
But he added: "While a lucky few who live within five miles or so of mountains have been able to restart their activities in Phase 1, that option remains closed to the vast majority, especially those living in the central belt."