Against the actual guidence but I am so desperate to go camping. Cycling 25 miles to camp in a pals garden and pee in his bushes - whats the view?
I am beginning to go even more crazy as I have not had a night out in the hills yet this year. I can't be the only one.
one Of the things I’ve been struggling with is how far is it ‘sensible’ to range on the bike.
I know cycling to Aviemore, Fort Augustus or Lochcarron is out with the spirit (and I’m not fit enough neither) but the likes of Abriachan is a four hour round trip...
I have not been more than 10 miles from home Metalheart. Probably will breach that this weekend tho. Its certainly a tricky question for those of us with a strong moral compass. My issue is that the usual mixed use paths i would use to get out of the city are full of people pushing us onto the roads and I think I have now ridden every bit of quiet road or path withing 10 miles of my house many times over.
To date I’ve not done much in the way of cycling, I’ve reckoned that I’d get more utility out of walking.
I’m not a fan of road cycling these days (road surfaces here are poor, singletrack, there’s a lot agricultural vehicles and people that barely give you room when you’re walking... that and it’s the being away from it that draws to me mountain biking/bikepacking).
I’m looking to restart my cycling but actually, you know, enjoy it...
For background, I live alone, I’ve been wfh since 18th March and heading into the hills on my bike has been the way I’ve coped with maintaining reasonable mental health... for the first three weeks I barely left the house...
We've not been more than 5-6 miles from home the whole time and tried to do things in both the spirit and using common sense to avoid.
Yesterday the rest of the family drove to some (empty) woods for first trail ride away from our local woods.
Today we're thinking of canoeing, but the local two lochs are reportedly full of loch shore campers already. I know we could go elsewhere and it will be empty, but then we're traveling... Hmmmm.
Coastal location, so 8km is even harsher. Also a honeypot so rammed yesterday. Now starting from empty inland parking or going out early/late
Wtf are people doing camping ?
I was out early in the Pentlands and even then I had a car ask me where it could park up at Threipmuir. That’s after than having passed multiple signs and barriers saying all parking closed ! I did mention that and Mr Driver said it didn’t apply to him as he wanted to go ‘seriously walking’ in the hills. My suggestion of parking in Balerno and walking in was waved away as he tried to find an non existent parking space. Society is fuct.
Meadows was great yesterday. Lovely day and small groups all separated out.
Couple of large groups of teenagers and about 6 folk headering a football back and forward weren't really following the rules, but that's just par for the course.
tjagain
I am beginning to go even more crazy as I have not had a night out in the hills yet this year. I can’t be the only one.
The rules are to prevent infection spread. If you ride/walk from your house while social distancing and spend a night bivvying in the hills you are not spreading infection. Where's the harm?
The rules are a broad brush and don't allow for a minority pastime like genuine (as opposed to roadside) wild camping. If golf and tennis are now OK my view is the solo bivvying is even ,lower, risk than those activities.
If I am going to get/spread the virus it will be sitting in a car at work with a colleague not hillwalking alone or bivvying in the hills within walking distance of home.
Wtf are people doing camping ?
We're now planning some more remote camping trips as our holidays, should the next stage of emerging allow it.
It seems common sense to me to stay in Scotland, away from others and away from population. Some wild camps are likely to be part of family_oab activities when we're finally allowed to.
The camping now is loch shore up here - the usual numpties being released and then taking the Michael.
All the wild camping trips I had planned have obviously had to be cancelled
Withing walking distance of my house nowhere I would camp. Even cycling is tricky but we could get up to the Lammermuirs ( I wouldn't camp in the pentlands)
Its hard to see the harm in doing this but its not really withing the rules as I read them. I don't want to be a hypocrite!
I've camped in the Pentlands and along in East Lothian. You just need to choose your spot, arrive late, leave early.
As regards the current situation, we are now allowed to stop during our exercise, to picnic, birdwatch etc. Is staying out overnight fir a few hours a higher, or lower, risk than it is during the day? If it's the erection of a tent that makes the difference, then just bivvy.
Aye, I agree. As for camping in yer mates garden, what if ye need a greyfriars bobby?.
Quite happy to see Prestwick beach quite quiet at lunchtime
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Mrs TJ HAS to have her bed for the night and dinner at least in sight by 6 pm! Arriving late is not an option!
Well, Mrs TJ just has to MTFU.
TJ, just go camping for a night, stop being such a dweeb lol
I'll let you tell her Scotroutes 🙂
That’s within walking distance… are we ‘neighbours ‘?
We're in Inverness but mates in Avoch. Where are you?
TJ - what you are doing barely qualifies as wild camping anyway. Why not eat and then go camp? It's light until 11pm .
Didn't seem to be many people paying much attention to staying 5 miles from home today. And really, who can blame them? Tarvie services doing a roaring trade and the Wyvis car park full.
You wouldn’t be able to camp in the Pentlands tonight anyway as everybpissed chav **** is setting up camp and having bonfires and bbqs. Honestly it’s ****n ridiculous some of the behaviour.
Aye. For that reason the pentlands are out. I'm thinking lammermuirs which is a 25+ mile ride and should be quiet
We’re in Inverness but mates in Avoch. Where are you?
Mount Eagle(-ish). Thought maybe you were on the Black Isle...
@scotroutes: what’s Aviemore like?
I've not been up to Loch Morlich/Glenmore today so can't say what it's like there. Town seems a wee bit busier than the last couple of months but no huge influx.
There's always been a few locals travelling a few miles up and down the Strath to some of the smaller parking areas (FLS and RSPB car parks have been closed).
It does. Normally we would be on that beach or in the loch this weekend. Glenmore Campsite is definitely closer until end of June though.
TJ - why not cycle down the E. Lothian coast a bit and camp at the beach?
Aboyne here... it's been absolutely hoaching all day.
Hundreds of noisy motorbikes that are very much more than 5k from home...
Lots of folk out enjoying the sun in Edinburgh - Meadows, Holyrood Park etc. Small groups, a few beers and the odd BBQ. Nice to see some "real-life"(tm) and seems almost everyone is sticking with the rules.
The 5 mile thing was never going to hold and doesn’t make much sense. As long as you don’t stop for fuel or anything it’s got to be better to head somewhere quiet rather than obsess about some arbitrary distance. Obviously that’s the nearest quiet spot not going half way across the country or anything 😀
Ygh
The need is to get the flip away from everyone. normally we would be up in a corner of the Highlands where no one goes. No water either on the beach
I've just had a thought (steady...)
It's OK to drive for a reasonable distance (no upper limit) to go and visit someone outside of their house. You need to maintain 2m separation and to remember bladder control.
You can't take any exercise if it's more than 5 miles from your home.
So, if someone drove for an hour to see me, we couldn't even go for a walk?
The need is to get the flip away from everyone
Says man living in a flat in middle of city. 😂
So, if someone drove for an hour to see me, we couldn’t even go for a walk?
The host could.
The visitor should stay put.
HTH
Same here. I have seen camping taking place a few times in East Lothian. Lammermuirs just within range, but not just yet.
Tried a walk in the Zone today.. beaches too busy now so needed to use roads a bit.. it was terrifying, speed limits are a thing of the past. It seems so much worse than when out on the bike (bad enough)
Will go further next time
I’ve just had a thought (steady…)
It’s OK to drive for a reasonable distance (no upper limit) to go and visit someone outside of their house. You need to maintain 2m separation and to remember bladder control.
You can’t take any exercise if it’s more than 5 miles from your home.
So, if someone drove for an hour to see me, we couldn’t even go for a walk?
You can travel in England but it is still very much discouraged in Scotland.
From Scottish govt information,
'Travel for exercise, recreation and to meet friends and family outdoors
You should avoid crowded places where physical distancing may be difficult.
For this reason, our advice is that you should stay within your local area when you go outside for exercise or other activities.
As a guide, rather than a fixed limit, 5 miles from your home would be within your local area.'
'It is acceptable to travel outside your local area to meet members of another household in an outdoor space such as a private garden, but you should use your judgement about how far to travel. Keep in mind that the purpose of the continuing restrictions is to prevent the transmission of the virus, including to those we care about.
For this reason, you should avoid long journeys that would require you to use indoor facilities such as toilets while away from home, as the risk of transmitting the virus is greater indoors, and the virus could be transmitted by or to you when you touch surfaces.'
Nobeer
Exactly. That's why!
Well, I'm out for a wee ride, no more than 5 miles from home. I've brought a picnic and something comfy to sit on. Feeling a bit sleepy so I might have 40 winks before riding home.
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Well you’ve seen the Cairngorms National Park post, so dinnae linger....
For this reason, you should avoid long journeys that would require you to use indoor facilities such as toilets while away from home
It must be hard to come up with guidance that is simple and covers everything, but I can’t help thinking this is a more useful guide than the rather arbitrary 5 mile idea. Go somewhere quiet and don’t use any facilities (petrol stations, toilets etc) while you are out, should cover it.
ps. Sleep well @scotroutes
For this reason, you should avoid long journeys that would require you to use indoor facilities such as toilets while away from home
See, I don't get this one.
What are you supposed to do after using the toilet?
What are you supposed to do more of to prevent the spread of the virus?
Yeah.
I get not sitting indoors but ffs I go to the toilet at work which is shared with a hell of a lot more individual households from a hell of a lot more towns. Put a seperate towel out for guests and make sure the place is clean, not hard.
It's a bloody stupid rule.
I get not sitting indoors but ffs I go to the toilet at work which is shared with a hell of a lot more individual households from a hell of a lot more towns. Put a seperate towel out for guests and make sure the place is clean, not hard.
It’s a bloody stupid rule.
It’s not, you’re not supposed to go into someone else’s home. Needing the loo is something that is pretty urgent and kind of forces the breaking of rules (you really going to stop a mate who needs?).
One of the vectors of transmission is airborne faecal matter (droplets) From a toilet flush. Never mind all the hard surfaces you can touch in, during and on the way out...
It’s simple, and to the point (and not difficult to adhere to/interpret).
Re. work loos: the risk is still there. They need to restart the economy somehow (and that’s why the advice is wfh if you can (as it’s safer...)).
Isn't that why you close the lid before you flush? And what about all the hard surfaces you touch going to the shops? What about the hard surfaces in the garden? Is it really that hard to just keep your hands away from your face and apply some hand sanitiser?
There is being cautious and just plain hysterical, it seems to me like a lot of people have gone beyond sensible and are just wrapping themselves up in knots about it all. I see it every day with hysterical lockdown police greetin about cyclists from the next town along passing through here whilst ignoring the fact everyone piles into the supermarket in an unenforced free for all.
closing the lid before you flush is a myth. all that happens is instead of a low velocity spray out of the bowl you get a high velocity spray out of the gap between lid and bowl
