You may well have made plans of one type or another for what you’re going to be doing over the Easter bank holiday with friends and family but these will now have to be put on hold as we continue to respect the Covid-19 restrictions. Having said that, there is still plenty you can do at home.
Should I go for a walk during lockdown?
Yes, please do go for a gentle walk as part of your daily exercise if you can do so safely and from your front door. However, you must ensure you stick to Government guidelines and keep yourself and others safe.
The national parks and many country parks are now ‘closed’ and asking the public to stay way following an impassioned campaign to help protect communities and key workers.
You can still go to the park for outdoor exercise however, but only alone or with members of your household, not in groups. Communal places within parks such as sports courts, playgrounds and outdoor gyms have also been closed to protect everyone’s health.
Read the full “Should I go for a walk during lockdown?” on the BMC website.
Stay local and stay safe.
Why can’t I go climbing or hill walking?
The answer is simple: emergency services and hospitals are already fully stretched and apart from the fact that there will be a considerable delay in rescuing anyone who is in difficulty in the countryside at this time, you really don’t want your broken ankle to be taking up a valuable hospital bed and depriving someone else of life saving treatment.
Also, it does seem that government and police forces nationwide are now strongly enforcing the regulations, that currently allow people to leave the house once a day for the purpose of exercise. There is now greater clarity that the definition of “exercise” under the emergency regulations seem to only include local walking, cycling or running from your front door. We have had reports that Police forces across the UK have been warning and even fining people who have been going climbing or bouldering and where previously they were only issuing warnings, that this weekend they would be enforcing with greater intensity and using the full powers available to them. If we all stay home and save lives, the sooner we can all get back to the hills and crags!
Reduce your risk, don’t climb or head for the hills, stay local and low key.
VIDEO
The BMC advice to all climbers and hill walkers remains the same: climbing and hill walking are not activities requiring essential travel. Stay local, and put your climbing and hillwalking on hold. This applies to all types of climbing and mountain activities, from bouldering to ski mountaineering. Use your local path network or the green space which is easily accessible from your front door, your activity needs to be low-risk and well within your limits.
All BMC owned and managed crags are closed for climbing.
In Wales most of the popular climbing and hill-walking areas, including most of Snowdonia, Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Moel Fammau have been legally closed and police have the powers to arrest anyone venturing to those areas.
Can I meet some friends?
By now, everyone should have got the message that social distancing is important in combatting this virus. We must all stay away from each other and that means you shouldn’t be meeting friends unless you live in the same household.
Unless you are with members of your household, gatherings of more than two people in parks and other public spaces have been banned. The police have the powers to disperse gatherings and issue fines if necessary.
Thinking of seeing friends and family this Easter? Don’t. Meet your mates virtually
What can I do this weekend?
There are now lots of resources to help us keep connected with the outdoors and engaged with our natural environments whilst we all continue to self-isolate to help protect our communities.
Online you can find any number of free yoga lessons, workout classes, and ways in which to exercise at home if you're lacking equipment. Get flexible and maintain your fitness with stretching and training routines, and we're still allowed out for a walk, run or cycle too.
Don't forget, the BMC has some fun activities for you to take part in too:
Thursday night BMC quiz!
Enter the #BMClockdown photo competition!
More FAQs about the BMC and Covid-19
🌳 Can I go climbing / hill walking in England? Here's what you can and can't do in the 3rd Lockdown (January 2021)
🌳 What's the situation for climbing and hill walking in Wales? Read our full January update
😷 When and will the walls reopen? In England and Wales they're now closed for the National Lockdown. Read our walls article
✈️ I have a travel insurance question! Here's the FAQs
🏡 Do you have any advice for clubs and huts? Check out our latest clubs, meets and huts update
🛒 Is the BMC shop open? Yes - it is and BMC members get 10% off!
We want to say thanks to every BMC member supporting us through the Coronavirus crisis.
From weekly Facebook Lives and GB Climbing home training videos, to our access team working to re-open the crags and fight for your mountain access, we're making through with your support.
If you liked what we are doing, then tell your friends about us: www.thebmc.co.uk/join
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