Hoped for Relaxed-Lockdown Activities (Outside)

Now that the UK Government is beginning to reduce the restrictions we have to follow during lockdown we've been taking a realistic, rather than fantasy pie in the sky, look at what we can now do when we leave the flat.  Of course, it all involves being outside and, more specifically, going walking/trekking and wild swimming.  It's still a little vague at the moment, but this is the plan we've got going so far.

Wild Swimming

We couldn't have come to a more perfect location to go wild swimming.  Devon and Cornwall are filled with great locations and many are close enough to us that we wouldn't be breaking the 'stay local' rule advised by the Government.  We've got the wetsuits so we can spend longer in the water and will be getting a whole lot of use out of them in the coming months.

We have already had a little swim in Sugary Cover (near Dartmouth) so we know the wetsuits mostly work, though I do need to fix the arms, and these are some of the locations I'm intending on visiting next:

• Cowsic Waterfalls Pools
• Salmon Leaps, Teign
• Peartree Point
• Elberry Cove
• Haytor Quarry
• Sharrah Pool
• Anstey's Cove
• Seaton Hole

To be honest, the list is almost endless.

Walking & Trekking

This is yet another thing in which we've lucked out on location-wise as we're not only close to Dartmoor but also a number of coastal walks.  Obviously, there's no longer the mountains we're used to, but these walks are looking just as beautiful and some can be just as challenging.  We're also looking out for a good tent so that we can do some wild camping which will allow us to extend our time outside on our days off.

There are a number of day trips that we can take during our wanderings, but these are some of the longer walks I want to do in the future:

• Two Moors Way (Devon Coast to Coast) - 100 miles
• Erme-Plym Trail - 15 miles
• South West Coastal Path (Britain's longest National Trail) - 205  miles
• West Devon Way - 37 miles
• Tarka Trail - 163 miles
• Templar Way - 18 miles

It is very unlikely that these will all be done by the end of 2021, but a full-grown woman can dream.

If I'm honest, the main thing for me at the moment is just the opportunity to spend some time away from the city getting my legs moving, and where the noises are a little less traffic and people-based, and a little more wind, wildlife, and crashing seas.  I'm also really looking forward to finally being able to properly explore the area I've moved to, and I'll let you know what I find.  If there's any locations and walks you think are good and that I've missed on my little list then please let me know.  There's only so much you can find when searching online.