Getting Outside & Social Distancing

Hi there everyone! I hope you are keeping well at this rather crazy time for the world. Currently, there have been worldwide social distancing measures put into place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is obviously having massive repercussions on the way in which we are living our lives. Most of us are working from home, as of yesterday schools are cancelled, and pub, cafes and restaurants have been forced to close for ‘eating in’.

As hiking, climbing and outdoor lovers, I know how important going outside is for all of our mental healths and with spring on it’s way, it will be all too tempting to head to your favourite trail to get a bit of fresh air. I fully endorse spending time out in nature at this time — it is the one thing that makes me feel so much better. But I want to make you aware of some ways that you can do this safely, while respected government guidelines for social distancing.

When?

Make sure you think about when you plan on heading outside, and then maybe reconsider and opt for less popular times of day (if you are able). That means instead of being out between the most popular weekend hours of 10-4pm, why not get up super early for a sunrise hike, or head off in the evening to catch golden hour? That way, you’re likely to have the trail all to yourself and can keep yourself and others safe.

Where?

The general advice from resources like the BMC and UKC is to stick to familiar and safe places. The reason for this is because, at this time, there is no guarantee that Mountain Rescue can come to help you if you get lost or injured. My personal advice — so as to keep a little variety to your weekends — is to try some new, local trails that you’ve always wanted to explore. How about venturing down that footpath you always pass and discovering where it leads? Or visiting that reservoir you always see on the horizon? I realise that I am very fortunate to live so close to a National Park and therefore have so many amazing trails nearby, but I will be reconsidering heading to popular places like Edale and Hathersage area and instead opting to explore closer to my home in the northern Peak District, where it’s a little more quiet and undiscovered. I’m excited to try out some new walks and find some new camping spots as well! The photos in this blogpost are from a new walk I discovered with Oslo recently, when we decided to venture somewhere close to home but new and exciting.

Another thing worth mentioning is that, if you’re planning on driving somewhere in a campervan, please try to avoid small, rural villages. I’d instead head straight to the hills, and avoid making any impact — i.e. take all your own food with you, and fill up with fuel before you leave. This is because a lot of small, rural communities have an elderly population who are scared to leave their homes because they are worried that young people are bringing the virus in with them. Everyone migrating to these places from the city will also put necessary strain on the public services at a time when they cannot cope. The best option would be to stay as local as you can. Why not find some van park-ups close to home? Learn to appreciate the little moments of nature, and the start of beautiful Springtime at home.

N.B. Please note that the advice is constantly changing on these topics, therefore in one week’s time this may be out of date. Do keep informed of government guidelines for the latest advice.

What?

I’d advise sticking to activities that are safe and familiar to you, because as mentioned there is no guarantee that Mountain Rescue will be able to help you if anything goes wrong. Personally, I’ll be opting more for walking rather than climbing as it is less impactful (i.e. not touching surfaces with hands) and is also safer and more familiar to me. I am unlikely to do any big mountain days that offer some risk for the foreseeable future, or at least until we know the general situation over the next few weeks. If I do choose to climb, I’ll probably opt for some easy and safe bouldering at a quiet crag, at times of the day that are less popular (sunrise would be the best option when the germs will have left the rock overnight). Of course, this varies for everyone and depends on wha activities you are comfortable with, therefore i just ask that you are mindful of these points when heading out.

Read this insightful article by the BMC here: https://www.thebmc.co.uk/should-you-go-climbing-outdoors-and-hill-walking.

How?

A few other points to mention are; make sure you are travelling in small groups (i.e. those you are self-isolating with); take your own food and drinks so you don’t have to make an impact on local services; and be really considerate of others on the trail by giving a wide berth when passing and avoiding physical contact. A few other activities you could enjoy are, having a picnic in your garden or on a hillside somewhere, wildcamping in a local woods, trying to learn the names of wildflowers and plants, and practising some nature photography. I’ll make a blogpost on some new ideas soon!

See UKC’s advice here: https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2020/03/covid_19_-_what_does_it_mean_for_the_outdoors-72237

All in all, please just be really safe and considerate of others at this time. I’m actually really quite afraid of this virus — not necessarily for myself as I am lucky to be young, fit and healthy — but afraid for certain friends and family members. However what makes me more afraid is the lack of serious attention a large proportion of the population are making towards this international crisis.

Looking at the figures of where Italy were 2 weeks ago and where they are now is really scary, so please think about your more vulnerable friends and relatives when planning your weekend adventures. Remember that those big mountains, hills and climbing goals will always be there for us in the future, but we have to stop the spread of this virus now. You can always find adventure in your garden or in a local park if you need to.

Stay safe and healthy.

Athena x