A Most Unusual Month

Keep Calm and Stay Home

.

11th,March 2020

Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic, reached the UK

23rd March 2020

The Government ordered the country to 

STAY HOME.

The resulting weeks were as follows;-

School cancelled
GCSEs cancelled
A-Levels cancelled

All non-essential travel banned.
We are to distance from each other.
Don't socialise with anyone outside of your home.

Racing

Non-essential shops and businesses mandated closed.
Pubs, theatres, restaurants are closed.
Entire sports seasons cancelled.
Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events - cancelled.
Children's outdoor play parks are closed.  
Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings - cancelled.
Churches are closed. Graveyards are shut.


Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towel no laundry soap, no hand sanitiser.

Bread, pasta, flour, chicken and chopped tomatoes are sold out everywhere
Shelves are bare.

London

Press conferences daily from the government.
Daily updates on new cases and deaths.
Arenas open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.
Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.
Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.
Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitiser and PPE. 
Essential key workers are terrified to go to work.
Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.

The government throws money at businesses to try to keep the economy from imploding. 

Grants and loans. 

The government to pay 80% of employees wages where businesses cannot continue to do so.

Self-distancing measures on the rise.

The dead are denied wakes or funerals and barely anyone is allowed at the graveside.

Tape on the floors at shops to help distance shoppers (2m) from each other.
Limited number of people inside shops, therefore, lineups outside the doors.
Fines are established for breaking the rules. Police patrolling the streets.
Barely anyone on the roads.
Diesel price at all time low; just over £1.00

People wearing masks and gloves outside.

YET

We have so much!
Be thankful. Be grateful.
Be kind to each other - love one another - support everyone.

A record of what it was like so we don't forget. 

Celebrations

Well my wishes have come true.

Quite appropriately on the anniversary of the forthcoming book signing of my first "Wonderful Walk...." book.


The publishers are Hubble and Hattie.

They have agreed to publish a sequel. 

This book too locates walks from dog-friendly campsites.

The campsites will however be in in different counties to those in the first book. 

There is an added ingredient of the British Pub.

Because of the current situation with regard to the Coronavirus the publication date is February 2022 .
The manuscript and associate materials have to be submitted by August 2021.

With 21+ campsites I need begin my research as soon as possible. 
I am doing as much preparation as possible now.

Needless to say I am keen to be off on my travels with Pearl.

As usual posts of  happenings will appear in due course. 

Photo of the Month (April 2020)

This is only my third "Photo of the Month" even though it has been a year since the first one,

It has yet to become a regular feature.

As the current situation prevents Pearl and me from exploring in the motorhome for an unknown period of time I thought I would resurrect "Photo of the Month"

Having a new camera makes this particularly appropriate.
I have a different make of camera.
It is also much newer.
As a consequence the controls are very different and much more complicated.
I am still familiarizing myself with it so the quality of the photos is extremely variable.
At present the photos selected are those taken with my old camera.

This is a rather dramatic photo.
It is in the Lake District near Windermere Club Campsite where I stayed last year.

Respect the Countryside

Whilst researching for my first walk book "Wonderful Walks from Dog-friendly Campsites throughout the UK" I realized just how amazing the British countryside is and how fortunate we are to be able to access so much of it.

At different times over the years since the 1930s various
UK Government's Rights of Way and Accessing Land  Acts have been passed.

These have 2 purposes:-

1. Ensure all could access the countryside to enjoy. 
2. Protect the countryside

Full detauls of the current act can be found at.

https://www.gov.uk/right-of-way-open-access-land

Our unique rights over our land carries with it huge responsibilities.
These are set out in the Country Code.

I appeal to all those enjoying the countryside to follow this code;-

Respect other people

• Consider the local community
• Leave gates and property as you find it 
• Always try to follow paths and tracks (most important)

Protect the Natural Environment

• Leave no trace and take litter home
• Keep dogs under control

Enjoy the Outdoors

• Plan ahead and be prepared
• Follow local signs and advice
  
  
  

Full details can be found  at

www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-countryside-code/the-countryside-code



Please respect the farmers'

Let us support them in the work they do.

We need them.

Read of the Month (April 2020)

BBC

Now you may think what has the BBC got to do with Read of the Month

Its long and illustrious history are fertile territory for a whole range of books

• It was established in 1922 and granted a Royal Charter in 1926.  This makes it the oldest national broadcasting company in the world.
• It is the largest broadcaster in the world as far as number of employees.
• It makes a wide range of TV programmes
• It has several national and local radio stations.
• It publishes a weekly TV and Radio guide "The Radio Times"
• It has various in-house orchestras and choir.

It is unlike any other broadcasting company.  For this reason many people all around the world tune in to the BBC.

The Read of the Month for March is a book about one of the world's most iconic radio stations; Radio 4.  It is one of the few radio stations in the world that is purely a "talk" station;

And now on RADIO 4

by 

Simon Elmes

The book is informative and interesting; a behind the scenes look at a "national treasure".

Nowadays many of the programmes are easily available due to the popularity of the recent technological evolution of podcasts which has garnered it a global audience.

As well as the current affairs output such as The Today Programme some of Radio 4's programmes which are extremely popular include;

• Desert Island Discs
• More or Less
• In our Time
• Start the Week

Former creative director of Radio 4's documentary unit, Elmes provides a fascinating insight into the workings and history of a truly iconic institution.