Lyme Disease - What You Need to Know
Think you know all you need to about ticks and Lyme disease? Think again, says John Burns. In this episode of his Outside In podcast, expert Julia Knight from Lyme Disease UK debunks some common misconceptions, and offers useful advice on tick ...
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Covid lockdown exile was a shock. Think it took me into this year to recover my full comfort and enjoyment of being out in the hills. I've seen enough morbidity and mortality at work to have understood that it's a transitory privilege getting out there....having it taken away by dictat was a shock I wasn't expecting.
I actually enjoyed some aspects of our enforced lockdown. I'm fortunate to be able to see real hills from the flat lands I live in. It was novel to walk around and not hear the constant thrum of traffic. Even the M6 was still. After work I could just go for a walk in the fields and enjoy the peace and watch birds and nature carrying on with things, indifferent to the worries of the human world. Then I got long covid and it was possibly the first time the reality of our true fragility was forced into the front of my consciousness. I've just recently passed the age of my father when he died nearly thirty years ago, I've had friends die younger than I am now. When you are young, fit and active the future stretches out before you into unending infinity. It's great, you are invincible. I don't rush around ticking lists of hills any longer but look for 'nice places' to be and that can be on a beach, in the woods, by a beck or even on a hill as well. I want to try and get to as many Scottish islands too and next year (Calmac's ageing fleet willing) I shall go to Arran for the first time. I find it helps to keep looking forward.
It was an experience driving 80miles per day for work on deserted roads, but Scottish lockdown rules left us confined for leisure in a relatively small, urban council area. The limited green spaces were quite busy. Not sure I've ever enjoyed a bit of peace and quiet as much as being out in Glen Isla in the summer of that year.
That's really interesting, kinley2. I remember feeling intensely self-conscious during those first outings, making damn sure I didn't stumble and initiate an MRT call-out. It took a few trips to regain equanimity.
Good luck with the island-hopping adventures, Lankyman. Arran is a fantastic place.