Please ensure that you stay safe, and help to keep others safe by adhering to the latest Government Guidelines relating to exercising.
Sport, exercise and outdoor activity
Can I leave home to exercise?
Yes. Exercise is important for physical and mental health, and you can leave home as often as you like to exercise as long as you do so from home and alone or with members of your household or support bubble (and/or a carer).
What kind of exercise is permitted?
There are no legal limits on this, but in practice this is constrained by other restrictions at alert level 4, such as the closure of leisure centres, gyms and swimming pools. As one of the purposes of the restrictions is to reduce pressure on the Welsh NHS, we also ask people to avoid activities that involve a significant degree of risk (for example swimming or other exercise at sea, or in lakes, rivers or other waterways).
Are there any limits on how far I can run or cycle for exercise?
There are no limits on the distance you can travel during exercise, though the nearer you stay to your home, the better. You should exercise alone or with a member of your household or support bubble. Your exercise must start and finish from your home, or the home of the members of your support bubble.
Does taking a walk count as exercise?
Absolutely. All time spent outdoors is beneficial, as long as people avoid interacting with people they do not live with.
I use a wheelchair or mobility scooter to get about. If I want to go out, does this count as exercise?
Absolutely. All time spent outdoors is beneficial, as long as people avoid interacting with people they do not live with.
Can I drive somewhere to exercise?
Exercise should be undertaken locally – from home or as close as possible to the home. In general this must not involve people driving to a location away from home for this purpose. No journeys of any significant distance should be taken, for example, just in order to exercise in the countryside or at beauty spots. This is the law and not just guidance. Police can fine people who travel beyond their local area to beauty spots.
People with specific health or mobility issues may, however, need to travel from their home in order to be able to exercise. For example, some wheelchair users may not be able to start to exercise immediately outside their homes for practical access reasons, and may need to drive to a suitable flat location, such as a park, for this purpose. In these circumstances the journey should be to the nearest convenient accessible location and no long journeys should be undertaken unless absolutely necessary.
The need to carry sports equipment isn’t regarded as a justification on its own for driving in these circumstances.
The need to carry sports equipment isn’t regarded as a justification on its own for driving in these circumstances.
Can I do other things while out for exercise?
Yes, as long as they are also permitted, and do not involve gathering with people from other households outside a permitted support bubble. Combining exercise with walking a dog or going to a shop to buy food, for example, is considered to be reasonable.
Leaving your home to exercise should not be used as an excuse to undertake other activity which is not permitted. The purpose of leaving home is to exercise. Going for a walk and then having a picnic or spending a prolonged period on a park bench, for example, is not considered to be exercise and is not intended to be a reasonable excuse.
https://gov.wales/alert-level-4-frequently-asked-questions#section-58322
Thank you for helping to keep us all safe.
