It seems to me that you could have cycled to your local summits under the current lockdown rules. The definition of ‘local’ seems to depend on who you are. Let’s not forgot the Home Secretary and the Metropolitan Police Commissioner both stated publicly that our Dear Leader Boris Johnson did not flout lockdown rules by driving a car 7 miles [each way] from Downing Street through 3 London Boroughs [and several closer public parks] to go cycling at the Olympic Park.
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At the moment holidays in England are not allowed and hotels are only open to those who have to quarantine there and for those who need to stay at hotels due to work. Obviously those staying at hotels due to quarantine cannot leave the hotel at all and those staying at a hotel because of work probably wouldn’t get the time to walk or cycle to the local SOTA summit from the hotel. On the other hands, those who are living at a hotel due to the hotel being their primary address could walk or cycle to their local SOTA summit.
Jimmy M0HGY
G - Association Manager
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I can’t see any reason why that would be a problem in GM. As I know why our “mutual friend” will be staying in a hotel, I think such a local walk is fine.
There was someone out last week activating who lives at the foot of the hill he climbed, the path comes out in the road he lives in ISTR. I think it was about 5km from home to summit. That sounds most definitely local to me. Change home qth to hotel and it’s exactly the same.
O, RLY?
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The British Mountaineering Council’s take on the restrictions and the road map out of lockdown.
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And the only take that matters is your own Government’s 
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Apologies Jimmy should have mentioned I will be stopping at hotels due to work, I have been to a few summits with work but didn’t want to do an activation during lockdown.
Yesterday I had a trek up to Morrone GM/CS-060 there is a good access track to the top but needed the exercise. Four seasons in one day and bad wind chill but the views were great.
Started the week of at Tain working my way home via Fraseburagh , Glenshee and Edinburgh
The office booked me a hotel next to Aberdeen airport during the week, I kindly declined £50 parking fee and the possibility of people isolating.
The hotel staff have been great in the G/GM regions and have good measures in place that make you feel safe plenty of sanitizing stations and one way systems in place.
73
Graeme
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Hi Graeme, this does make sense now. From what I recall in regards to Lockdown in Scotland, recreation has been allowed throughout unlike England and the travelling rules are much clearer to. I believe that in Scotland to can travel anywhere in your own health board area and up to 5 miles in a neighbouring health board area for exercise. This means that if the SOTA summit you activated was in the same health board area as the hotel that you stayed or within 5 miles of a neighbouring health board area to the health board area which you hotel is in, your activation will have been valid. However I am not the Association Manager for Scotland, Andy MM0FMF is the Association Manager for Scotland so he’ll be able to advise better than me whether or not your activation was within the rules.
Jimmy M0HGY
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No it doesn’t!
The rules state
“For exercise, you should travel no further than you need to reach to a safe, non-crowded place.”
That means you can travel a short distance not anywhere in your authority which could be 40-50miles wide.
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In GM we are allowed to travel in our own council area and up to 5miles into another for exercise. Recreation has been added from today, with travel allowed a short distance to carry out.
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Local outdoor informal socialising, recreation, sport or exercise. This can be in groups up to a maximum of 4 people from a maximum of 2 households, plus any children under 12. 12–17 year olds can meet up in groups of up to 4 at a time and are not subject to the 2 household limit. Outdoor socialising, recreation and exercise can start and finish at a place in your local authority area (or up to 5 miles from its boundary). For exercise, you should travel no further than you need to reach to a safe, non-crowded place.
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Which is what I said, travel no further than you need to reach a safe non-crowded place. That doesn’t mean you can travel completely across your authority to find a SOTA summit as there will be plenty of places to get outside and enjoy today’s snow/sleet and winds.
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As you 2 both live in Scotland, I am sure both of you will know the Scotland Lockdown rules much better than I do. I am sure Andy MM0FMF is doing a great job as the GM Association Manager by checking which GM SOTA activations were within the rules and which GM SOTA activations were not within the rules.
Jimmy M0HGY
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Well that didn’t work out too well.
Just cycled out to Blake fell (G/LD-031), parking my cycle at the road and walking to the top.
I only made two contacts, despite sitting in the shelter for 40mins (having a picnic)
That’s the first activation on which I have failed to earn points.
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Hi Matthew,
2 QSO! That does not surprise me ! yet there should be a lot of people …
Better to wait until everything is open for everyone…
Seen what I read here…
73 Éric
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I think you were on 2m. I stopped looking at SOTA alerts/spots and getting notifications at the start of the current lockdown. I would imagine most other UK SOTA chasers are doing the same [at least for VHF/UHF], so you would have been relying on ad hoc local activity which I’ve found - outside of events - to be a bit hit and miss in Cumbria.
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Sorry to hear you only had 2 contacts. I listened out for you before 10.00, but I guess my Wirral QTH was too far away with too many big hills between for me to hear you. I have a huge take-off to the north & east & have had many successful LD chases, but not today. I’m counting the days to ‘Liberation Day’, (sort of, anyway) on 29 March, I don’t know if Wales will be open for an English invasion then, if not I intend picking off a few SP hills for activation for starters. 73 John.
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Sorry Matthew I was out for a run so missed you. Hope you didn’t get blasted with the rain, hail, wind, sun, sleet extravaganza we had in st bees
Alex
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It was still good fun despite the lack of 4 contacts. The weather was not as bad as mwis.org had forecast, but I am glad I chose Blake fell rather than one of the much higher wasdale fells.
I was surprised how much snow had settled at only 400m.
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Sorry to hear you didn’t get activation Mathew . I listened for you but all bands were very noisy down here mate. I could hear you but I couldn’t understand what you were saying most of the time so I thought it best not to call. Best 73
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A cocktail sausage is not an adequate prophylactic to the virus.
The minimum requirement is a scotch egg.
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