Lol, maybe choose a picture of the Cobbler path on a sunny weekend, or even the car park at the bottom? Will be heaving probably despite £9 charge...
Is the second a photo from yesterday or just a random shot? Because I doubt it was yesterday now everyone seems to think a 5 mile radius of your home means a fifty mile radius.
Both are likely to spread the virus, one moreso than the other but a trip up the Cobbler poses different risks that pose a threat to the Covid situation in hospitals, and just because the protests are happening doesn't mean you should be breaking other rules. My wife and I wanted to go to the protest at Holyrood today but didn't consider it safe, appropriate or within the guidelines. Similarly, I really want to ride somewhere else and with other people but I'm not driving thirty miles to ride my bike with friends because it's not safe, appropriate or within the guidelines.
It's pretty clear why the 5 mile rule exists- to stop people flocking to the same spots. If it were 20 miles every mountain biker from Edinburgh would flock to Peebles, Glasgow and Stirling to the Trossachs, Perth and Dundee to Dunkeld, Aberdeen to Banchory and Inverness to Aviemore. That's people travelling into different health boards that are more rural and not set up to cope with a large influx of people from outside spannering themselves at the moment, that's lots of people flocking to the same place increasing the risk of the spread.
And the same places that appeal to mountain bikers appeal to walkers, fell runners, mountaineers - add all that up and you get a lot of people in one place potentially spreading the infection and doing activities that are slightly risky and might lead to some small innocuous accident that causes a broken ankle or something that needs attention in the same local rural hospital.
Five miles isn't a number plucked out of thin air. We all want to ride our bikes more interesting places but the pandemic is more important than that. Enjoy riding your bike where you can- any bike ride is a good one.
Enjoy riding your bike where you can- any bike ride is a good one.
Where's that like button?
Yes, I know.
But it’s something, no deaths reported today.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-daily-data-for-scotland/
Also, followed a Twitter link to this;
https://www.travellingtabby.com/scotland-coronavirus-tracker/
No idea how good it is.
It may be a little bit of good news but it's good news all the same.
Indeed
Enjoy riding your bike where you can- any bike ride is a good one.
This plus many ones !
I picked up a lovely new bike the other day and really enjoyed riding it a couple of road miles to the local windfarm, an hour or so of desolate gravel paths and back home on the road. Not what I’d choose for a 150mm FS ebike, but hey ho, it’s a bike and I’m riding it and I’m not sick and none of my immediate family have died of Covid...
Walked up into Carrick hills today, which involved coming through Dunure, a local tourist hotspot. It was a lot quieter than usual, I'm happy to say.
Those pics are from England irc? Different rules from us.
So, with the R number decreasing, and daily totals falling to very low numbers now, it looks like we'll be moving to the next phase of restrictions next week.
suspect most of them are quite happy to make use of the nearest urban area for their shopping and healthcare needs so I’m afraid that worried or not they don’t get to pull up the drawbridge.
Remind me why not ?
I think the next scheduled review of restrictions would be 18th June. It is possible changes could be made before that but I thought the three week interval was driven by the infection/symptoms cycle. I reckon we'll see compulsory face coverings in indoor public spaces before then too.
Aye, my bad, by next week I meant the week beginning 14th, not this week coming, as that's the next review.
If the numbers keep reducing until then, there will be huge pressure to move to next stage, although NS has handled the pressure superbly well thus far.
Head and shoulders above her ilk in Westminster.
I think Scot.gov. won't move ahead of the schedule.
There's a huge amount of planning and preparation going on, and that cannot be rushed.
I also can see the face covering in public buildings and on public transport.
We've a challenging summer ahead - open up to quickly and it's free for all holiday season, too slow and businesses keep going pop. Imo, I think they're trying to keep Scotland for Scottish holidays this year...
Just heard in the past hour that the Mountain Cafe in Aviemore won't be re-opening.
<edit>
ahh thats shite
The good news at least is we can go up the road and get the quality food.
Let's just hope enough folk think like that.
It's the food I go for not the wait and certainly not Aviemore.
Thats a right bummer that they are closing. They've all put so much work into it.
Having to close for a reason you could never have planned or created yourself is awful.
Been going there years, I look forward to supporting them from Grantown when I can.
suspect most of them are quite happy to make use of the nearest urban area for their shopping and healthcare needs so I’m afraid that worried or not they don’t get to pull up the drawbridge.
How many itu facilities exist outside the main urban centres? Go on, take a guess...
How many ‘proper’ healthcare facilities exist out with main urban centres? Go on, take a guess...
How many large supermarkets and other large/specialist shops exist outside main urban centres? Go on, take a guess...
You think they actually have a choice? I’ve a (pregnant) work colleague who lives in Caithness on the north coast, she has to travel to Raigmore for tests...
Highland region has approx 235,000 permanent residents. It occupies 33% of the Scottish landmass (& 16% of the UK one). At least 70,000 of these live in (or around) Inverness. Take out Nairn, Fort Wiiliam, Wick, Dingwall and Alness that only Leases ~130-odd thousand spread across a large area...
Look what happened in Shetland when the virus struck a small community...
How many itu facilities exist outside the main urban centres? Go on, take a guess…
Twelvety?
I think Scot.gov. won’t move ahead of the schedule.
There’s a huge amount of planning and preparation going on, and that cannot be rushed.
I don't think anyone was suggesting that they do, I certainly wasn't, more that I can't see them not moving to next phase.
You have to assume the phases are not set in stone either, if we end up.with numbers down in the gutter, then do we stick to the plan? There would be enormous pressure from businesses, as many of them will be the next mountain cafe.
Twelvety
It’s not often you’re right...
And yer wrang, again... 🤪
Very sad hearing the MV cafe in Aviemore closing but will always call into her new venture in Grantown on the way from Aberdeen.
Really look forward to when we can get out camping again but fear it might be too late before schools head back August 11th. Have bookings in both Camusdarach and Clachtoll but not looking promising for either before school is due to restart.
I do wonder if sites might stipulate you need an address in Scotland to book which could help keep things under the jurisdiction of Holyrood. This could help potentially reduce transmission from different parts of the UK on different R trajectories.
Drove past Pollok Park early afternoon and you would've thought The Beatles had reformed and were playing an impromptu concert judging by the amount of folk streaming into the park.
Drove to Milngavie to ride at Mugdock, which was actually ok although I did avoid the main paths
How many itu facilities exist outside the main urban centres? Go on, take a guess…
Yes. That’s the point. They don’t have the resources to support one. Punters in the countryside are acting as if they are separate from the rest of society in urban areas. But in reality they’re not. They are dependent on everyone else just like town & city dwellers.
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BoardinBob
SubscriberDrove past Pollok Park early afternoon and you would’ve thought The Beatles had reformed and were playing an impromptu concert judging by the amount of folk streaming into the park.
Drove to Milngavie to ride at Mugdock, which was actually ok although I did avoid the main paths
A lot of 5 mile radius to exercise going on there then..
Punters in the countryside are acting as if they are separate from the rest of society in urban areas.
No, they’re not.
They are scared of the virus and the potential impact...
Nothing is open, the toilets (and car parks) are shut. There’s no one to keep them clean (and townies think that their shit and rubbish are collected by magic...).
Let's hope the Mountain Cafe make a go of it in Grantown.
I wonder if they'll have buzzers 🤔
A lot of 5 mile radius to exercise going on there then..
A whopping six miles
Sue me
Yes. That’s the point. They don’t have the resources to support one. Punters in the countryside are acting as if they are separate from the rest of society in urban areas. But in reality they’re not. They are dependent on everyone else just like town & city dwellers.
They come to the city and infect you .....you have the necessary care on your door step.
You go to them and infect them.
They do not have the care facilities.
More so the whole village could come to the city and you'd not notice..... If even 1/10th of the average city hit a popular Highland village .....it's chaos.
No, they’re not.
They are scared of the virus and the potential impact…
Nothing is open, the toilets (and car parks) are shut.
Most are scared, no? I think you'll probably need to come to terms with the fact that tourists want to return to the beautiful places you inhabit. No, it's not a fundamental need, but then neither is a large supermarket over a corner shop.
Most are scared, no? I think you’ll probably need to come to terms with the fact that some rural locals want tourists want to return to the beautiful places you inhabit. No, it’s not a fundamental need, but then neither is a large supermarket over a corner shop.
FTFY
Sad to hear about the Mountain Cafe. Kirsten did the catering for our wedding in Aviemore in 2007. Go back there every year for our anniversary, it won't be the same...
A whopping six miles
Breaking the rules to go somewhere you shouldn't be and then complaining it was busy! I'd say beyond parody, but that scenario has come up again and again in satire in the last few weeks. 😀
Newcastleton had folk heading there from all over. They now have covid + results. Nearest hospital is BGH at Melrose so a good 90minutes away assuming roads open (floods shut one in the winter). Police were traveling the 45minutes to sort the MTB riders and send them home. I despair of humans sometimes.
Maybe being a bit dim here but bear with me for this question. So I live pretty close to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. If I go to Ballater and spread the Covid anyone who develops full blown Covid will get sent to ARI and perhaps get shoved on a ventilator in ITU. If I go next door and infect my next door neighbour they may end up in ARI in ITU. If I live in weegieland say Toonheed next to GRI. I take a trip to Aberfoyle and infect someone there. They get taken to GRI ITU. If I infect my weegie neighbour sharing a bottle of ginger they go to GRI ITU. What’s the difference if I infect my neighbour or country cousin? Not that I want to do either.
outofbreath
Member
A whopping six milesBreaking the rules
It's a guide, not a rule nor a law
It’s a guide, not a rule nor a law
Apologies, correction: Breaking the guidelines to go somewhere you shouldn’t be and then complaining it was busy! I’d say beyond parody, but that scenario has come up again and again in satire in the last few weeks. 😀
What’s the difference if I infect my neighbour or country cousin?
Hopefully, the guys advising the decision makers have a good idea what they're doing. Either way I think this is a rare case where blind obedience is the right thing. Do what they say and if they are wrong they can, and will, be crucified by the electorate later.
Oob, I'd say driving on past somewhere which is within your 5 mile guideline, not stopping cos it's rammed, and instead driving a bit further to a quieter area, is pretty sensible. That is what Bob did.
In fact, NS covered this in a QA session last week.
Or the flipside: go to Skye for a holiday and catch the virus. Care home in Portree was a real epicentre at one point.
You need to have a think about your holiday accommodation.😁
It was a bargain, I couldn't resist..
NS covered this in a QA session last week.
Linky to what was specifically said? I've just googled and found nothing that even hints it's ok to go further (unless you're visiting family). I know people who sail/kayak in Scotland, if traveling further to get away from people is ok then it's game-on for them.
The guidance is "broadly" 5 miles. That's what was actually said. There's not some definite cut-off point as it recognises we all have different situations.
Fair enough, 6 miles is within any sane definition of "broadly 5 miles".
Sorry, BoardinBob, I'll wind my neck in.
Aberdeenlune- imagine if the person you gave Covid to in that scenario was one of the ten people who work at the co-op there, who then gave it to two, three, maybe four of their colleagues. That's a shop that then has much reduced capacity and maybe they need to close it. Then the people of Ballater don't have a local supermarket. Or you infect one of the women who works at the hardware store who is in their sixties, and then when someone has some kind of DIY emergency like a broken tap they have to get someone in to their house (who may be spreading Covid) or go on a drive all the way to Aberdeen to get what they need. Or one of the four GPs that works there, reducing capacity in the only local surgery.
As fewer people live in rural communities, if one of them is affected it's more likely to affect others and there's fewer people available to step in and replace them. I live in the city and can completely understand why rural communities are wary of people coming in from centres of infection.
You forgot the fact he was driving as well.
also pollok park to Milngavie is 8 miles as the crow flies or 10 miles by road
