Ahead of the weekend, the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority is once again urging the public to heed Government advice to stay home and avoid all unnecessary travel.
David Butterworth, Chief Executive of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority said: “I am incredibly grateful to everyone who stayed home last weekend. Staying home will undoubtedly save lives, and our advice is the same this weekend”.
“People must not make unnecessary trips to, or around the National Park, whether visitor or local. Our Ranger Service will be out again this weekend supporting North Yorkshire and Cumbria Police to encourage people to heed that advice”.
National Park Offices, Visitor Centres, car parks and toilets are all closed, while public rights of way remain open for local people to take exercise, and shop for essentials, and it is important these are not blocked or obstructed. Where rights of way pass close to, or through residential and agricultural properties, Government advice regarding social distancing and hand washing should be strictly adhered to.
As a reminder, the public should only leave the house for one of four reasons:
- Shopping for basic necessities, for example, food and medicine, which must be as infrequent as possible.
- One form of exercise a day, for example, a run, walk, or cycle – alone or with members of your household.
- Any medical need, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.
- Travelling to and from work, but only where this absolutely cannot be done from home.
Minimise time spent outside of the home and ensure you are two metres apart from anyone outside of your household.
Mr Butterworth said: “The beautiful Yorkshire Dales will still be here when this is all this over. It isn’t going anywhere, and neither should you. Stay home and plan your visit for when we’re open, and for when local businesses across the Park will be delighted to welcome you”.
You reminder goes beyond what the law says. It doesn’t restrict people to one form of exercise outside the house nor even a single session, but merely says that you should have reasonable excuse. See the weblink I posted here. (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/350/regulation/6/made)
That said, I don’t think you should try arguing the point with an Officer of the Law or a Park Ranger if told to turn around and go home. There’s no reasonable excuse for travelling 75 miles for a walk in your favourite spot in the Dales – like the Dewsbury family I met up my local Dales Fell last week.