'Please do not drive to the Pentland Hills' - Message to stay at home after 'unprecedented' visitor numbers at weekend

The UK Government and its health advisers have issued clear guidelines saying members of the public should stay at least two metres apart. But weekend sunshine saw large numbers of people seek out the open space and fresh air at walking spots and beaches around the Capital.

However, the Evening News was deluged with messages from worried visitors and residents concerned about the number of people ignoring advice on social distancing.

On Monday afternoon, a message posted on Facebook from the Pentland Hills Regional Park said: “The last few days have seen unprecedented levels of visitors in the PHRP: no corner was untouched.

“Please do not drive to the Pentland Hills. These non-essential car journeys cause chaos and additional stress and worry for those that live in the Pentlands and rely on the hills for their livelihoods. This is extremely worrying and we cannot emphasise enough that you must stay at home or stay local.

“The Pentland Hills will still be here when this is all over, if you need to get out and exercise please do not get in your car and drive to the hills. Stay at home and stay local.”

It comes as Health Secretary Matt Hancock said today that anyone ignoring government advice aimed at tackling the coronavirus pandemic is “very selfish.” He also said the government was willing to take “more action” if needed to stop the virus from spreading.

The Pentland Hills Regional Park covers 10,000 hectares of land including reservoirs, agricultural land and sporting estates.

Three local authorities cover the Park, which is a mixture of publicly-owned land – such as Hillend, Bonaly, and Harlaw – and private land used for farming and sport shooting.

Reservoirs dot the landscape, providing homes for many birds and mammals.