UKH

Having lived there for a number of years I can understand the concern.

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands/2090794/this-isnt-a-wil...

And the Lake District. 

And anywhere.

Basically, stay within walking distance.

Hear hear!!!

All Scottish ferries closed to non-island residents as of this afternoon.  Rumour of police hunting out camper vans and sending them home on the next boat, although I’ve not seen it owing to being at home in my house.

Are we still able to drive camper vans? I've loaded mine up with supplies from my Edinburgh flat and intend to drive home to Skye with provisions for my friends and neighbours. Will I be hounded off the road by Hamish Macbeth? 

And Fife believe it or not.

Please dont.

What? Don't follow official advice and go home? Don't empty my Edinburgh flat of loo roll and supplies my neighbours don't have. What can you possibly be objecting to?

Sounds like taking some proof of address would be wise.

Surely your Edinburgh flat is regarded as home, or can be in these exceptional circumstances?

Why choose to drive 200+ miles to an Island with zero cases of CV, and potentially cause an outbreak when you dont need to.

Sounds pretty selfish to me.

My Edinburgh flat is not home. I drove here yesterday to wind up my company business and will be driving home tomorrow. I have no medical supplies here. I have chosen to use a van rather than a car to return. I still don't understand your outrage. 

"I still don't understand your outrage."

People have little to do and are bored so they are getting their kicks out of taking the "moral high ground" (probably with 1,000 bog rolls stashed under their beds). It will settle down in a bit once they get into their box sets and then it will kick off again once they start drinking early.

Hopefully.

If this is the reaction I'm getting here I don't really want to chance taking my camper tomorrow incase some idiot thinks I'm off for a jolly. Shame because I emptied my office cleaning cupboard and have lots of loo rolls and cleaning supplies that I had hoped to take to Skye. I know people there are running short and I have more than I need. 

Aye big man, just you go to Skye where there are fewer medical facilities than Emburra. Hounded off the road? We can but hope.

Its a tough one for you really. Firstly the optics won't look good because people won't know that you are going home. In truth I doubt you'll get much more then a few dirty looks (I'm not sure if they have road blocks up yet ) so you might just get on with it.

The second is whether there is a chance you have come into contact with the virus while in Edinburgh. That's on you to make the call.

TBF, I don't think anyone is being outraged and, tbf, you did set up the response by not being clear in your first post.

could you spray your Skye postcode temporarily on the van with the words "Going Home to"

Something easily washed off, like chocolate sauce ?

If you are going home then I don't see the issue, although you should consider quarantine when you get there in case you've got the virus rather than seeing people to give out supplies. 

Certainly maintain distance from people when you get back for long enough to be sure you don't have it.  At least 2m and outdoors. 

Wash your hands if you stop for petrol or anything.  

I would suggest that people use soapy water or disinfectant and water to wash down any plastic or glass bottles.  Alternatively leave everything in the van untouched for 72 hours then someone can else can unload it all safely.  

If you can stay in Edinburgh and get your medical needs met that might be a better option.  

I don't see what the problem would be if you get in your van, don't stop and quarantine yourself when you get home. What would be the infection point if you take precautions? Or is it the chance of crashing the van? Wouldn't a chance of depression be higher? (It would be pretty miserable to be in your empty flat away from your family for 2 months). I had to get back from Jordan to get home, considerably further away... Anyways, thinking out loud

I live in Skye. I have lived there for 30 years. I have been in the hospital in Broadford. I know exactly what they do and don't have.

And yes, I'm off home to Skye. In my car, incase I meet people like you. 

I live rurally so will be quarantining anyway. However I filled up with fuel before I left Skye so won't need to stop. I have also been in a private (and empty for 9 days) office with direct access from indoor parking and have had no contact with anyone. My flat also has private parking and I have no contact with anyone. 

I'm not sure why no-one seems to be outraged at the dozens of trades people still travelling to Skye from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness etc. 

The only problem is meeting aggressive tw*ts. In other circumstances I would be happy to 'chat' with anyone but no-one can risk getting close to people.

I have lent my city flat to a self employed friend who suddenly can't pay his rent and will be moving in at the weekend, so staying in Edinburgh isn't an option. 

Will be leaving on doorsteps. Or would have been.

Apologies La Sapeur. I am tense and angry as our village is seeing an increase of second homers thinking they'll just come up to the Black Isle. This obviously doesnt apply to you. It hasn't really hit here yet but we have already lost 40% of our local doctors as they are off looking after their families. It's tense, like waiting for a wave to break over you.

Hope you got back to Skye ok.

Stay well.

Thank you. Appreciated.

Same happens here in Germany, and I see this rather differently. Rural communities expected everyone from the cities to stay away, so they could enjoy their peace and safety, even before leisure travel was explicitly banned (from then on they might have a point), but will of course demand to be treated in city hospitals should they fall eventually fall ill.

I come from a rural community myself, and now live in a university town, and to me this appears like a staggering level of hypocrisy and selfishness.

The same things happen outside crisis times, when rural/coastal communities take the infrastucture and services available in cities for granted, but are less generous the other way round.

CB

Is that the same infrastructure that rural people's taxes helped to pay for but which was built miles away from where they live?

Yes, the airport the noise of which they do not feel but which they want to use for their travels, the factories whose emissions they do not smell but whose products they demand....

CB

edit: You do have a point, though, especially with the amount spent per capita in London vs. the rest.

Yes.  You have a point too.  They're trying to build an airport near me which I'd hate but am happy to use the one over the hill.

This virus has barely hit the Highlands, certainly much less so than other places. A couple of people in our village are up from London, the major hotspot in the UK, to live in their second homes. We don't want them bringing coronavirus to here. If its selfish to not want me and my family to get this thing, then you have a point, I am being selfish

Any other time of year we don't mind tourists. It is, after all, the biggest industry in the Highlands. But just not when there is a chance of bringing a virus here which could easily overwhelm the hospital. 

There is also the demographics to consider. Lots of retired people in the Highlands. Less infrastructure with a large high risk population could be a recipe for disaster.

When this all clears tourists will be welcome, actually they'll be vital up here to help the recovery. But that's some months away.

Stay well big man!

In terms of per capita: the Shetland Islands have the highest infection rate in the UK, at least until a day or so ago.  They also now have Swine Flu to add to their problems

Selfishness is not the point, that sentiment is entirely understandable. I am annoyed about the hypocrisy. Here in Germany, people living e.g. in the countryside just south of Munich want to prevent people living in Munich from going for a walk in their county, while they themselves want both to enjoy walking near Tegernsee or Lake Starnberg and will of course still drive into Munich for work (if they are not yet home office bound).

They would of course also expect to be treated in one of the big Munich hospitals if they were seriously affected.

I would not mind so much if they promised to not add to the load of the city hospitals once the shit hits the fan. Fat chance, though.

Anyway, on a more light hearted note, do know what the most annoying news of recent days has been about this epidemic?

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Marbled duck 20 min from my parent's place in Bavaria, resident since 10 days or so.

6 Baikal teal half an hour from my brother in law's place in Westphalia, also resident.

Eastern Imperial Eagle close to the Polish border, a couple of hours from my own place.

No chance to chase any of these, the first two would be lifers for me....

You stay well, too,

CB

Noooo!!! As a fellow ornithologist, I really feel for you! I am waiting for the migrants to arrive up here and you know there are going to be overshoots but we'll not see them. Quite a few people asking the rare bird services in the UK to suspend operations. Partly so as not to encourage people to travel but also, I suspect, because it would be brutal having a lifer, or worse a blocker, just down the road and you couldn't go twitch it.

Imagine if Houbara Bustard was blown to Britain. There would be heart attacks!

I was supposed to fly to my inlaws near Osnabruck this weekend. Hoping to see cranes, not anymore!

Let us know if you see any good stuff cb. House birding!!

Was watching a pair of short toed snake eagles (is that the correct name in English ? - Circaète Jean-le-Blanc / Circaetus gallicus ) yesterday not far from home, (well within the 1 km allowed by the French restrictions)  widespread here in summer but the first I've seen this year.

I had to check I was on UKC and not some birding fetish site.

Come on lets talk about climbing not birds. Imagine if the bloody rare birds start to get a foot in the door while the crags are quiet... as soon as we are allowed out all the crags will be bloody bird banned!

Short toed eagle. Lovely birds.

Isn't that what Singletrack is for?