8 miles, 2,142 feet, 1 hour 56 minutes, along the Wansfell Ridge and back. There definitely seem to be more people at "ground" level, still very few high up.
Printable View
8 miles, 2,142 feet, 1 hour 56 minutes, along the Wansfell Ridge and back. There definitely seem to be more people at "ground" level, still very few high up.
Today's PDE was a 63 mile and 5,900 feet bike ride out to the Staffordshire Moorlands. A glorious day on what are always quiet roads. Only saw 8-10 other cyclists all day. Called into the village shop in Hartington where my custom was welcomed. Not a Stay Home sign to be seen. They know which side their bread is buttered. My visit was not out of necessity but I just fancied a pork pie that I could see in the window, having previously eaten too much sweet stuff!
From a selfish point of view this lockdown can stay all summer, as the Peak District is so peaceful at present and absolutely beautiful with the abundance of wild flowers and the air filled with birdsong.
I fear when things get relaxed it will be a nightmare with the place being overrun with Mancs and Dee Dahs.
has it kept you out so long?Quote:
Originally Posted by Oracle
Lovely bike ride with my loved one.
Our to Garforth, Saxton, Sherburn and back via Kippax.
A lot of BBQ smells and garden parties happening.
Beautiful weather, just covered 34k with 500m ascent.
6.64 miles, 63 minutes, around the Roman ruins. I used to only have to change direction to avoid people once or twice on this route - today - 10 times? As far as I know they could all be locals, but I doubt it.
Wales announcement that we can now exercise twice a day, if only I was young and had the energy :(
Mike/OracleQuote:
Originally Posted by Mike T
Have you seen anything that, as a result of tracking/tracing", provides data of the liklihood or not of catching the virus "in the open air" to support the "two metre rule" outside enclosed buildings?
Graham
Cycling in the morningQuote:
Originally Posted by molehill
Golf in the afternoon
See you Monday 😉
Today's PDE was a 6 mile and 500ft evening run on very heavy legs after yesterdays bike ride. Down towards Haddon Hall, around Shining Bank quarry and up Lathkill Dale.
Heard 3 different Woodpeckers giving it some hammer, swallowed a few flies but saw no one.
Golf :mad: WTF, I just want to go fishing :pQuote:
Originally Posted by Stagger
On a different but related issue there was some coverage last week about how long the virus survives in a surface in the open air if it's warm and exposed to UV light. Apparently not long at all, maybe even a matter of a few seconds. That's reassuring for me, most of my runs have a high stile and gate count for the first few miles before reaching open ground.Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
Well I'm no epidemiologist! - but I have read that the only research done was in enclosed conditions and suggested that people should normally stay one metre apart (that is not the same as someone sneezing into your face, of course) and the metre was "doubled for safety" in the UK, but with different distances in other countries - suggesting not terribly robust science - and then the "two metres" was then applied outside, so if you were on a fishing boat in a gale in the North Sea, still two metres.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark G
I understand the need for simple messages (KISS) for the population but on the other hand compliance with the "law" doesn't mean as an enquiring person you should not wonder what evidence there is that anyone has caught the virus from say a country stile...
Remember the question 'Would you rather run a mile, jump a stile or eat a pancake in a field'?. Well I'm running the mile anyway, I don't normally ingest cowshit and it looks as though there's no good reason to jump the stile.
9.5 miles, 3,000 feet, 2 hours 28 minutes, Wansfell Ridge, Kirkstone Inn, Red Screes. Only 4 people on the fells, no cars at Kirkstone. A lovely cool breeze higher up, super views.
11.8 miles, 1400 ft, 3:38
Brindle, the Goit to White Coppice, Great Hill, South towards Winter Hill then before meeting the road, west to Anglezarke res and back on the goit to Brindle.
Really enjoyed it. Some new routes as well. Some good new running route options. All in all a fantastic route with hills, open moorland, super views and some nice woodland sections.
It was a resounding 8:2 today to Mrs WP. We've started a stub your toe/stumble count on our walks :D
I asked for a VAR on a 9th!
She was away with the fairies today :D
7.5 miles, 3,200 feet, 2 hours 11 minutes, Wansfell Ridge again. Definitely more people about, even some cars in a pay and display car park. Jolly cold wind on the tops.
8.3 mile, 2:37, 900ft
Windy, but quietest day I can recall through lockdown.
Perhaps half a dozen couples, 1 runner and 1 family and half of them in the last 10 minutes.
Only real athletes go out in the cold!Quote:
Originally Posted by Witton Park
Definitely chilly todayQuote:
Originally Posted by Llani Boy
I have not seen much about risks/cases when outside, apart from recommendations - from 2 metres if stationary, to 20 metres if cycling - running was 10 metres. The 2 metres was because the aerosol only went 1.5 metres, so not a lot of room for error, and no allowance for wind/breeze.Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
Inside - there were cases 4.5 metres apart on a bus, but there have been doubts expressed about that report - in a restaurant, where being downwind of air conditioning was bad news, and in a call centre, where being anywhere in the same space, well over 2 metres, was grim - and there was that choral group in Washington State where most got it and several died.
There is nothing magic about 2 metres - the further the better - if 10 metres is easy - do it - 20 metres - better still.
Do you have a link for that? One gate I use has been deliberately blocked by a tree recently - so it involves climbing over and hands on surfaces - annoying to say the least.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark G
I thought outdoor transmission is now generally accepted to be much less likely than inside. Hence why the restrictions on outdoor exercise are being loosened.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike T
There was a recent study in China that looked at 318 outbreaks of Covid-19. Only one of those outbreaks accounting for two cases, was found to have been transmitted outdoors.
No link, sorry but it was discussed on BBC R4.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike T
The DT yesterday (by its Global Health Security Editor!! rather than a jobsworth) reported on a Chinese study (157 cases and 2147 contacts) that showed 22% infection amongst friends, 18% in families, 12% on transport and "something in the 0-5% range" outside.Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike T
One might say "So what?" but this puts numbers on things. Another study showed 28% spouses infected - which prompts the thought - why not 100%?
All very interesting.
Of course if you stay away from your friends, don't use public transport, don't meet family and live alone, that 0-5% will go up to 100%, if you count shops as "outside". I too am surprised at the 28% - there may be some false negatives in the testing, but even so, why don't most partners get it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Graham Breeze
Today's PDE was a 5 mile road run as part of our club's pretend duathlon. Considering just about all my running is off road I was quite pleased to complete it in under 7 min/mile pace especially as the local roads are not flat and my course included over 300 ft of ascent.
7 miles, 68 minutes, around the Roman ruins. Very few about, thankfully. That wind is jolly cold at times.
An hour of cycling in chilly weather conditions around the B roads of home.
Lockdown appears to be over as I encountered 3 numpty drivers who think a couple of inches is plenty for a cyclist.
A rubbish ride up around the mines, very hard going today and the wind against me going up meant it took me 40 minutes of climb to the top. Struggled but done it.
Well done Mole. As the weather gets warmer and winds die down, you will smile at today's efforts 👍
7.14 miles, 2,188 feet, 1 hour 52 minutes, along the Wansfell ridge and back. That cold wind has lessened. A few spots of rain - I could see it falling rather more over the Coniston fells. Nobody on the fells, very few on the roads. Tomorrow could be interesting.
Today's PDE was a 15 mile and 1'500 feet evening run up and down and in and out of Lathkill Dale. it took 2hrs 15 min which I was quite pleased with considering the number of stiles and gates to deal with. One gate, at One Ash Grange, had a sign, made from a vitamin lick container lid which said "Covid 19 Do Not Touch Gate" written on it. How they expected anyone to get through I don't know. I opened the gate and on I went.
A very enjoyable run apart from the clouds of small flies near the river. The highlight being the field before Ricklow Quarry which had dozens of orchids looking fantastic in the evening sunlight.
i've very rarely strayed onto local fields/footpaths etc, but on the odd times that i have (this morning for example) i've used the paranoia over gates/stiles to practice my steeplechase technique...
8.15 miles, 2,192 feet, 1 hour 56 minutes, Wansfell Ridge and a bit more. More people/cars than I have seen since the lockdown started, perhaps three times more, but this is still very quiet compared to what we normally see at this time of year. Two large P+D car parks that are normally full had 1 car between them.
A jog up round the hill yesterday, not far but from out the front door it pretty much goes up 850ft so I get some climbing every time. Nice ride today, better going and pushed the hills a bit, about 90 minutes in total.
MikeT it's pretty obvious from your posts that you have been pretty active on the fells over the lockdown...Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike T
I'd be genuinely interested on your thoughts of the various parties in Cumbria telling people to stay off the fells due to perceived pressures to Mountain Rescue etc?
I'm certainly not having a pop at you (far from it... if i lived in Ambleside i'd be up on the fells every day, possibly longer and further from Ambleside than you've been going, and i'll be on the Shropshire Hills tomorrow morning)
I just wonder whether it's a feeling that it doesn't apply to locals... i know several lakes locals who have personally told me they've regularly been up on the fells (and fair play to them).... yet they're then sharing articles on Social Media telling everybody else to keep away and keep off the fells...
Wansfell, Loughrigg, Silver How, Red Screes, Nab Scar - that is all I have done since the lockdown, on pretty easy terrain that I know well. Sure, I could be unlucky and need rescuing - but I think the bigger risks are DIY and cycling, or falling down the stairs after a few beers. I don't do any of those. As to others, some are going higher and longer, but again on terrain that mostly they know very well. Fairfield for example - people get lost on it all the time, even in good weather, but that is almost certainly not going to happen to a local - I must have done it 30 times, others even more. I think a non local is much more likely to need outside help than a local, even on relatively gentle terrain.Quote:
Originally Posted by Travs
Why don't we want visitors? Having to cross the road is a minor irritant, but some people are resistant to keeping 2 metres apart on narrow paths/trails which is really annoying. But the worst thing would be crowded shops - 2 metre distancing can be really difficult even now, and the risk of infection is much higher inside than out, and we do have a large number of frail and vulnerable friends/neighbours, as well as a high local infection rate.
As to potentially needing Mountain Rescue/Ambulance/A+E - as I have said I think non locals are at much higher risk of needing help, and now that day trips are permitted I think we will see these services being used much more often than they have been. My concern about shopping pales into insignificance compared to eight Mountain Rescuers having to carry somebody off the fells, and then self isolate until hopefully negative test results come back - or not.
But it is all about balancing risk - I know we are open to criticism for asking others not to do what we do daily - it will be interesting to see how busy Mountain Rescue get, and who it is they need to help - MR have been very quiet indeed since lockdown started.
I know one poor chap - not in Cumbria - who fell down his stairs at home and dislocated his shoulder, and then a couple of weeks later mis-fuelled his car at a cost of £750. So you don't need to go anywhere near a hill to need outside help.
All completely fair points.
A non-local fell runner may say "well I've ran the Fairfield Horseshoe, Wasdale in awful conditions, got round the LDMT in zero visibility, done BG legs in the dark in winter.... I'm no more (or less) of a risk than any local".
Of course you can't ask every visitor to submit their running/walking cv before leaving their car, which I suppose is the main problem.
I thought long and hard about this yesterday... Would I travel to the Lakes to run...? I'd deem myself less likely than the average visitor to find myself in trouble. I'd probably consider the chances of needing Mountain Rescue to be minimal (I'd have to keel over. Or sustain an injury severe enough to immobilise me to an extent that I couldnt get down to safety). I'm sure most regulars to the Fells would think similarly.
However, living in the Midlands, I'd have to pass by several alternative hill destinations with less pressure on them... Shropshire Hills, Lancashire Hills, Howgills, etc. So no I wouldn't travel to the Lakes in the current climate.
However if I lived anywhere from Preston northwards, I'd have to be brutally honest here and say that I'd be highly likely to be finding a quiet part of Cumbria/Lakes to go running. As you say, there is risk in every part of life, and I'd probably weigh up that risk and decide to hit the Fells (as you have done). Of course should anything happen I'd rightly have to take all criticism on the chin.
Personally, as stated somewhere on this forum, I'd ask the mountain rescue teams to stand down. This would force the national parks to either close the Fells as per Wales, or at least people would be fully aware that if they go up the fells there is no specialist help for them.
I've mostly been running on the low fells around Shap and Haweswater which I can do from home without driving. I've been taking extra kit and poles (which would be useful with a lower leg injury or as a splint) and my wife is under strict instructions that in no circumstances is she to call out MR.
I suppose that's akin to a Do Not Resuscitate instruction. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark G