hello my UK friends. Though I do not live in your fair country I can say I AM an avid walker of English footpaths and had to reconsider a trip I'd planned to the UK in June because of the foot and mouth crisis, since I wanted to eb able to spend time in the countryside as I usually do...

I sympathize with your feeling of being imprisoned by those who arte not necessarily managing this crisis as effectively as they might have.

But I am reminded of something an English friend said to me at the beginning of all this; she is one of the caretakers of a prominent sacred site which had to be closed for some time to foot traffic. She said that when the walking restrictions first were implemented, there were a nuber of locals who paid them no mind, because they did not want to be told what to do, and in the spirit of "protest" they encouraged other sto defy the ban: thus running the risk of spreading the disease, and perpetuating the crisis. She said she thought this was very selfish and I hasd to agree.

I do NOT think your proposal is the result of selfishness, not at all. And I support your desire to get back tot heland. But I agree with Liz that perhaps it is best to hold off on such activity until somre more time with no new confirmed cases has gone by...

And Swan, I have to say, living in the U.S. where every bit of countryside that is not government owned has "No Trespassing" (often to prevent illegal hunting and trapping) signs on it, my first visit to the UK some years ago, where I could walk on public footpaths throughout the countryside, was like a breath fo fresh air...

Peg