The car park at Pentland Hills Regional Park was closed last week to avoid any road safety issues and to ensure that people heed government advice to stay at home.
All Regional Park car parks are closed.
The other reasons given are that this closure will help to prevent further gatherings such as those seen on the weekend of 21-22 March 2020. It will reduce the pressure on emergency services and mountain rescue services if a road accident did take place, or if you were to fall ill or get injured in a remote location. It will also prevent the spread of coronavirus within farm communities and reduce any need for people management.
The official advice is not to travel to Pentland Hills Regional Park, or to any other regional park, by a motorised vehicle.
Gordon MacDonald MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands has urged residents in Edinburgh to ‘stay local’ when exercising and walking dogs, and avoid any unnecessary travel that could help spread coronavirus.
Official advice from the Scottish and UK governments warns that people should not be driving somewhere with the intent of doing exercise or walking their dog – with new powers granted to police to enforce these regulations.
To protect yourself and others from illness and save lives, people in Edinburgh should also avoid driving to beauty spots such as the Pentlands and Harlaw and Threipmuir Reservoir.
SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald said: “Of course, exercise is extremely
important for people’s physical and mental wellbeing, so it’s important to note that people in Edinburgh can leave their homes
for exercise once a day, with members of their own household.
“However, you should only be outside for a reasonable purpose – buying food or essential household or medical supplies travelling to or carrying out essential work exercising once a day or providing care or assistance to others.
“People in Edinburgh should make use of gardens – if they can – and stay local when exercising or walking dogs, to ensure that we stop the spread of coronavirus.
“This is about saving lives and protecting our NHS. We all recognise how unusual and difficult these regulations are, and the Scottish Government will act to remove these restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so.”
- stay local and use open spaces near to your home where possible
- do not travel unnecessarily
- you should only go outside alone or with members of your own household
- keep at least 2 metres apart from anyone outside your household at all times
- gatherings of more than two in parks or other public spaces have been banned and the police will enforce this
- if you have a garden, make use of the space for exercise and fresh air
- take hygiene precautions when you are outside, and wash your hands as soon as you are back indoors
