Most of you know that I live next to Daisy Hill Forest. I have been walking in this forest since the 70's and I love it. I have seen many changes over the years but it hasn't changed my opinion of it being a beautiful place to visit. Normally I walk with three friends every morning but recently I've been walking by myself. I have felt safe away from people and panic. However, as lockdown gets more severe everyday the forest has been closed for BBQ's, picnics and group gatherings. The toilet facilities have been closed as well as the gas BBQ's. The walking and bike tracks have remained open. Unfortunately, as many other parks are closed there has been an influx of walkers and cyclists and the forest is becoming crowded so I know the tracks will be closed too. It makes my heart ache. Here are some photos of my last walk in the forest.
An update: The forest tracks are still open a week later. Hooray!
It is sad to see your favourite walking space closing but I can understand why. The usually local streets are becoming busier with walkers, cyclists and the most irritating of all, joggers. It is not so easy to get out of the way of a jogger coming round the corner. I wonder how long it will be before we have to stay indoors unless going to the food shop or the chemist.
ReplyDeleteIt feels very uncomfortable all those new rules. You get scared to pass someone in the street or in the woods. It doesn't feel right to live this way, but we will have to deal with it for the moment....
ReplyDeleteHello, beautiful scenes from your walk in the forest. We also have some parks closed and some open!
ReplyDeleteTake care, wishing you a happy weekend!
Diane, it's beautiful and I too would miss walks through there.
ReplyDeleteEventually as time passes you will be permitted to walk there again. There is one good thing, you have your photos of the area to look at :)
Take care.
it is truly beautiful and I always enjoy your photos when you visit there. for now we will all have to do the virtual views like I just did of your photos. glad you are safe and hope we can all get out soon... our local news had one of our ER doctors on the news today, he was begging everyone to stay home. he said the worst part is still to come and the more we go out the longer it will take...
ReplyDeleteQuite The Metaphor With That Fork In The Road Photo - Be Well While The Forest Takes A Breather
ReplyDeleteCheers
It's beautiful and it will be sad if it closes. Very few people's fitness levels will increase during these times and the mental benefits of being able to walk in such a park must be huge. I guess you better become interesting in local architecture. PS Love the caterpillar photo.
ReplyDeleteVery sad that your forest will close and I feel sorry for you. Unfortunately we all have to live with the closures of different things that we have been enjoying. I hope you stay well and glad you have lovely memories of your walks, and in time you will go there again. Take care.
ReplyDeleteTennessee has closed all of our state parks, which is sad because they are beautiful and have wonderful hiking trails. For the time being the trails in local parks are still open, but all playgrounds and other facilities are closed. Hopefully your forest and our parks can be available for hiking and walking in the not-to-distant future.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about trails being more crowded with people going out for walks because other places are closed down. The same is happening here in the large park close by to our mill apt. Last weekend it was very busy with walkers, joggers, cyclists, families...hopefully it will not be shut down completely. I hope your forest will remain open. People need someplace to go outside.
ReplyDeleteOh what a shame The forest is so beautiful and a walk is always so nourishing. Maybe you can still go early in the morning ot so They can't close a forest. Here we are still allowed to walk but as you say it is getting busy in the parks
ReplyDeleteBut you did take some nice pictures on your last walk in the forest.
ReplyDeleteI feel for you, Di. I can't imagine how I would cope if I couldn't enjoy the familiar places that cheer and sooth me. Your photos are lovely, I can quite easily transport myself into a few of them.
ReplyDeleteOh no. Your lovely place of respite lost. Fortunately the grounds of your village are lovely too and surely you won't be fined for sitting on a bench there.
ReplyDeleteAll our national and provincial parks are closed. Small city ones remain available for walks but spacing is a must. One may walk with a person who share the same home address. Fines are big if caught cheating. It is a very new world.parks are
ReplyDeleteIt is so sad your walking place has to close. It’s so pretty and peaceful and I know how much you have enjoyed it. Most of our favorite places have closed down, too. We just have to think it isn’t forever and it will be there when we are able to go back, and soldier on .....
ReplyDeleteDiane, have you heard from Colin Huggins recently? He is a faithful comment or on my blog and email-er and I haven’t heard from him in over a week and I’m concerned.
It's a very beautifuL place and I know how much you love this forest, Diane, and I'm sad it has to close for awhile. Let's hope the precautions won't last too long and you will be able to enjoy it again soon.
ReplyDeleteWhat a pity if your local walking trail closes due to having too many people. It's so good to be able to still go out and walk, even if we can't do much else.
ReplyDeleteWow - so beautiful! I'm thankful to have the woods and lake to walk in / around.
ReplyDeleteThe disconnect and the "new Normal" sure aren't any fun.
ReplyDeleteI do know it's for our own good but it's so sad.
We are able to still walk around our neighborhood and people smile and wave and keep their distance.
That's about as far as we go...my Hubby and I...that and once a week to the grocery store during senior hours. We're masked and gloved and get out of there as fast as we can..just like the rest of the people there too.
We will get through this and perhaps we will all be kinder to each other.
Sue
We had the same here, they had closed parks and woods in Brussels with the result that people took their cars (which was not allowed to go farer then ? km) and arrived in the outside parks and woods. Now in Brussels everything is open again, and we don't have all the city people here. But there are rules, you can walk seniors are allowed to use a bench but not long, you are not allowed to walk on the grass only on the little pathes ! We still don't know how long it will last probably until May !!
ReplyDeleteIt is an idyllic place to walk and I am so sorry that you will not be going there for a while. It's the same in our local parks. You and Bill take good care of yourself Diane, I wish you both good health and only the very best. Hope your families are well also.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear this beautiful piece of Nature is still open for you. The trails look so inviting.
ReplyDelete