SIR: It is obvious that during this current lockdown exercise is crucial. It is good for our physical and mental well-being. Hearing birdsong and spotting snowdrops or daffodils will help us get through the next couple of months. We should try to exercise every day.
The Government guidelines for exercise state that you should not travel outside your local area yet give no examples of what that actually means. We apparently are permitted to walk in parks, the countryside, and botanical gardens but we are not given guidance on how far we should travel to reach these places. The dictionary explains that local means restricted to a particular area or neighbourhood which is still very vague. The Prime Minister can exercise seven miles from his home, yet it seems that people in Derbyshire cannot travel even five miles.
Recent weather has made walks in the countryside near my home impractical. The mud is ankle deep and there is a real risk of injury from slipping over. Walks around local roads are a nightmare with traffic racing around, breaking the speed limit and spraying rainwater to shoulder height. A quiet, safe walk on a path which is tarmacked would be ideal but to find somewhere which is not busy is not easy. I could book a slot at a National Trust property but would that be local? Would it incur a fine? Would it be better to stay indoors? This really is a muddle.
Jill Prince, Lynn Way, Kings Worthy
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