DORSET residents considering going on a country walk this weekend have been issued with a warning.

With excellent weather predicted over the Easter bank holiday weekend, the Countryside Alliance is reminding members of the public of the importance of respecting the countryside during the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

The campaigning group have echoed the Government's instruction to avoid non-essential travel, and stress that this also applies to public rights of way and land open to public access.

Despite numerous warnings to stay at home, people have been flocking en masse to popular destinations throughout the country, including beaches along the south coast.

In the wake of the closure of the Lake District National Park as a result of people ignoring Government instruction, the Countryside Alliance says responsible behaviour is now needed from the public to ensure we do not see a blanket closure of public rights of way.

The advice from the Countryside Alliance is:

  • Avoid all non essential travel. This is the advice coming from the government and it applies to those getting their daily exercise. Members of public must not travel by car to access a particular walking route and when walking or exercising locally it is important to respect social distancing
  • Where possible, avoid using public rights of way where you're likely to come into contact with livestock. Farmers need to be able to care for their animals safely without risking infection
  • Consider not using rights of way which come too close to other people's houses or land as these homes may be self-isolating or sheltering vulnerable people.

Sarah Lee, Head of Policy at the Countryside Alliance said: “Under normal circumstances we’d always encourage people to get outside and explore the countryside, especially during the Easter bank holiday weekend. However, the official guidelines on containing the spread of this awful virus couldn’t be clearer. We need people to stay at home to save lives.

"For those doing local travel for exercise, please respect the importance of sticking to footpaths and other walkways while maintaining a distance of 2 metres from others. If you cannot avoid opening a gate, please be sure to close it behind you and remember to use a sanitiser after doing so.

“If we stick to following these crucial guidelines, we can hopefully avoid having any further restrictions brought in. This is about everybody’s safety."

For more information visit www.countryside-alliance.org