This evening’s Clitheroe under Pendle.
It’s all happening fast, maybe a little too fast.
The government’s [they now try to label it as the NHS’s for scientific kudos] Tell, Track and Trace scheme came into being yesterday although they forgot to tell most of the volunteer trackers. The pilot scheme of smartphone tracking, used by most other countries for accuracy, failed in the Isle of White and is nowhere near ready despite us being promised it would be underway mid-May.
So we are left with a ragtail plan for the good British public to have a test if they feel unwell with Covid19 symptoms and then tell a phone operator the names and addresses of all their contacts, as if they would know.. Those contacts will then have to voluntarily self-isolate almost without realising why. It won’t work.
At the same time, despite there being a high incidence of viral infection still, we are being allowed to meet up with more family and friends. Social distancing of course in the garden and using the loo when you’ve had too much to drink. This for some reason starts on Monday, why tell us before a hot sunny weekend when half the population will take it into their own hands and interpretations tonight.
How long before the second peak? We are already leading most of the world in deaths per capita.
With that background, I drove cautiously up the fell this evening when it had cooled down. I expected I would have the little quarry up on Kemple End to myself for some safe low-level bouldering. And so I brought my brain into action with climbing moves I’ve not executed for months. The very act of climbing concentrates the mind to the exclusion of most other incidental thoughts. The trees on the quarry floor have grown and leafed up. There was bird song everywhere, though I couldn’t identify any. I was isolated from the rest of the world and its troubles for a short spell.
After my short-lived exertions, I climbed back up and viewed the Ribble Valley with Clitheroe and Pendle Hill prominent. My photo of this tranquil scene heads the post.
I then drove back to reality.
As I write this the sounds and smells of barbeques drift through my window.
I know where I’ll be as lockdown is lifted.
*****
Breaking news…
So all’s OK.
I think our only hope is to learn as much as we can about bio-security and apply it to ourselves, in spite of whatever else we’re told. Glad you were able to beat the crowds for a bit. I’ve not got the head for exposure, so never took to the crags that way, but always admired the mountaineers as a breed apart. Self-reliant, taking safety into their own hands.
Yes I feel I’ve to take safety into my hands at the present time.
I Agree with every word you’ve written\JB
We are all in this together, which is slightly worrying.
Glad you’ve been out and done something you enjoy. Whilst your local low level walks are ok they are not the same as having the freedom to choose pastures new and explore. I agree also with your lockdown thoughts.
As for the US I see no hope. When they can only charge somebody with third degree murder and manslaughter for deliberately killing somebody over an eight minute period with unequivocal film footage of the event all I can say is I’m glad I don’t live there.
I don’t see how anybody including J. could have a meaningful phone conversation when lies, conspiracy theory, persecution complex and violent ultra right policy all abound to the extent where most reasonable people would question sanity.
Yes “ongoing international cooperation” with Trump seems a little incongruous.