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Allowable exercise

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 9:57 pm
by Tyke57
Does anyone know if going to the plot for a couple of hours will be allowed. Boris says we can go to the park to exercise or go for a run or for cycling as long as we do it alone or with a family member.
So is exercise on the allotment ok?

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:36 pm
by Stephen
I'm in the position where the 'lottie is 5 minutes walk away and I can certainly manage to get there while remaining at least 2m away from anyone else. (It might require one of us to cross the road)
If it is a drive away or along a busy High Street, I might not.

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 3:19 am
by Chantal
As gardening is exercise and our allotment is a 5 minute walk/one minute drive away, we intend to go there and take lunch. We can safely spend time there with some hope of staying sane!

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 7:58 am
by Compo
Minister Michael Gove has just confirmed on National TV that the very nature of allotments is appropriate exercise!!

Carry on cultivating!!!

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:08 am
by Primrose
Allotments are fine according to Michael Gove Apparently playing golf is not counted as "exercise" so if you know any golf players you can ask them to come and help dig your allotment!

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:45 am
by robo
Aldi this morning had bouncers on the door operating one out one in policy, the cashiers had polycarbonate wrapped around the till

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 7:12 pm
by Monika
We have decided to collect our daily newspaper from the village shop (we could have them delivered) because that will give us a 30 minute walk and we rarely meet anybody. When there is somebody in the shop when we get there, we'll just wait outside and then go in. It also means we can buy some foodie bits and pieces which, of course, is allowed.

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 8:09 pm
by Westi
I'm so glad Michael Gove clarified that, as common sense said it was deffo OK, but other gardening sites posting all sorts of garbage (& some not nicely)! I'm very glad this is my main site for Q & A's & rational polite folk with so much knowledge to share & who remember the start of their journey, so not making the new guys seem an interference, but an opportunity to share sound advice in a polite & gentle way!

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:25 pm
by Stephen
I'm so glad Michael Gove clarified that, as common sense said it was deffo OK, but other gardening sites posting all sorts of garbage (& some not nicely)

I have been subject to some sanctimonious and slightly condescending, comments elsewhere about following the words as spoken (i.e. take orders, don't interpret or use common sense).
The really important thing is to avoid contact/proximity to every possible extent. Getting food from the 'lottie achieves this to a far better extent than nipping down to Waitrose/Tesco/M&S (those being the food shops within walking distance).

I have suspended the volunteer gardening project I lead.

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 8:28 am
by Colin2016
Wondering what is best for going to the plot... car which has had only wife, neighbour, dog & myself in it or going by bike.

The road is a rural/coastal road usually with just couple of local people about suspect will be less now.

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 10:28 am
by Stephen
Bike, I would suggest.

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 1:50 pm
by JeanSmith
we are forbidden to run, but I continue to train anyway

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 10:04 pm
by Stephen
Welcome Jean. If that's the advice you have received then follow it.
Importantly avoid proximity to the greatest extent you can.

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2020 6:45 pm
by Westi
We had the police out stopping cars questioning where & why travelling today! They were not budging & letting anyone through! Mr W can't walk down to the quay anymore so he takes the car with his binoculars to check out the sea birds. Their message was clear - not allowed to take your car but you can walk or jog down - doh what if you can't & only a handful of people down there anyway so social distancing is not an issue? Our friend in North Dorset got stopped twice today going to the nearest shop & back! His village has no shop. He even had to open his boot to show them his shopping on the way back when they stopped him!

We will risk taking the car down to lottie over the weekend as no way he can walk down there. Fortunately it is only about 50mtrs from the supermarket so hopefully they will not be on that road assuming we will all be going shopping if going that way!

Re: Allowable exercise

Posted: Fri Mar 27, 2020 9:42 pm
by Catherine
We've been to the plot today, we had to drive because we had the rotorvator with us. Half an hour into it suddenly we heard police sirens x several, then the police helicopter came over, then we had a dog handler arrived, then more police all over the plots. The helicopter hovered over our shed for several minutes. I thought oh I think that it is a bit over the top just because we are at the plot planting potatoes. But no, thank goodness, two Asian's had been chased through Barrowford, and had abandoned their car on the estate and they thought that they could be on our plot. One of them was caught on the far plot.