Don't Panic!!!!!!!!!
 

To anyone who wishes to visit Great Britain....Just come! <BR> I live in the north of England in a semi-rural area and have seen no restrictions to normal life, except for not being able to walk across fields on footpaths.So, unless you wish to have a walking holiday, you will be able to do anything you wish to do, drive anywhere you wish to drive, eat anything you wish to eat.The only thing that you cannot do is walk on path across fields. <BR>The panic that I have been seeing in the questions from prospective visitors to the U.K.(especially the one's from the U.S.) is sad and perplexing.I can't ever remember seeing hoards of American tourists on the footpaths that I regularly walk in the Peak District(perhaps they have been unable to find ther way out of London). <BR> So please ignore all the rubbish that you are hearing about Foot & Mouth closing the country down, and come and visit us.Try to find the M1 motorway that travels north out of London, go on it's not too difficult and visit the real England...you will be pleasantly surprised. Enjoy your trip.

Thanks, Steve. I'm in the US and I'm planning on visiting the UK in September. I have walked my share of paths through pastures and over stiles, so I hope that this restriction will be lifted in time for my first visit to Wales. :)

To get the accurate information, go to the tourist bureaus websites. I did a random check on Scotland and Wales, and the do's and don'ts are clearly listed. There's usually a phone number listed for contact. My idea is always go right to the source, rather than depend upon second- or third-hand information that at best is out-of-date.

Planning to be in Scotland the beginning of May and thought I would let the hosts of the hotels we'll be staying at know that the recent epidemic is no deterent to visit. Here's a reply from one on the Isle of Skye:<BR><BR>Hello Anne,<BR> I am pleased that you contacted us because I am trying to contact as many<BR>U.S.A. guests as possible because the PRESS is portaying a wrong picture. I<BR>would like to take this opportunity to dispel any concerns you may have. We<BR>on Isle of Skye are over 300 miles from the nearest outbreak of foot and<BR>mouth. All the major roads throughout U.K. are open so there is no problem<BR>getting from A-B. Humans can NOT contract the virus. It is limited to cloven<BR>hoof animals only. so even horses &amp; dogs &amp; cats etc are o.k. as their hoof<BR>is not cloven.<BR> There is no problem with eating or drinking, Scotland's Larder can offer<BR>all the delights it has always done. The mountains are still as<BR>awe-inspiring as ever, the sunsets still occur and the countryside is as<BR>beautiful as it has always been. I hope this helps. You are with us for only<BR>2 nights thus you will be travelling to Skye, arriving here, having dinner<BR>on the Thurs. and after a chat around the fire (Campbell's piping before<BR>dinner), a good night's sleep , a hearty breakfast on the Friday you will be<BR>off out to explore and all our walks are open maybe even a quick horse ride<BR>if you have time and weather permits and back to us for dinner then you will<BR>be on your way refreshed I hope and will not have missed anything except<BR>that you will not have had enough time so with some luck you will return<BR>another year to spend longer! Kind Regards. Jane.<BR>----- Original Message -----<BR>From: "Anne Wein" &lt;[email protected]&gt;<BR>To: http://[email protected]<BR><BR>S ent: Friday, March 30, 2001 3:36 PM<BR>Subject: Just a note<BR><BR><BR>&gt;<BR>&gt;<BR><BR>

Amita,hope that you enjoy your stay, and hopefully all this problem will be over by then.The fields and dales will seem strange without the sight of flocks of grazing sheep.Glad to hear that some travellers will still be visiting to help out the already devastated 'little' businesses in the tourist industry.<BR> Once again please come and enjoy, as Britain is still open for any one to visit, and you will be welcomed with open arms.

Like Steve I live in a rural area in the North of England. A few paths are closed but many attractions are re-opening today or shortly.<BR>I'd come and enjoy the peace and quiet. I too have heard some daft stories, e.g. Americans wondering if they should bring dried food or worrying that their hands and feet might drop off.<BR>It should be perfectly OK by September and in fact there are now the first signs that the epidemic may be peaking.

Topping. In hopes that those who have made plans, will keep those plans.

Elvira: thanks for the tip; I've been looking at the official sites and will continue to do so until my trip. :)<BR><BR>Steve: Can't wait to get back out to the countryside, but it will certainly seem desolate if there are no sheep left. :(

Hello All, I won't panic, but I am a trifle concerned. My husband mentioned over the weekend that maybe<BR>(Horrors) we should change our Scotland/Ireland trip in August. I have planned soooo long and hard for this trip, I am bound and determined to go. So far, so good. <BR> I hope this crisis ends soon for all those involved. I also read that the UK gov't(at this time) was a trifle more worried about the impact on the 71 billion gbp.tourism industry, than the impact on farmers. This is sad.<BR> Judy :-(

Steve:<BR>I'm an American who will visit the UK from April 11 thru 18. That's next week!<BR>My wife and I are really looking forward to this visit and don't intend to cancel. A friend of ours in Wrexham describes the issue as a "country problem trying to be handled by city boys". I'm old enough to remember the Swine Flu scare in the States 25 or so years ago. We survived nicely. <BR>Looking forward to a great trip.<BR>John

<BR>Are you the Steve who left a message for me re the tools you use to find obscure south Italian towns, and who also commented about the www.basilicata.com website I'd shared with you earlier this year? If so, I left a response for you on the thread you started called "For CMT". If I'm doing this right (probably not, since I'm resistant to all this techie guidance, but I'll try), this may be the link to it:<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...numresponses=5

cmt- Sorry, I'm not that Steve.<BR><BR>John- Glad to hear that you will not be cancelling- Enjoy your trip.<BR><BR>Judy- Please don't cancel, you will really enjoy your visit.Good point about the Government' priorities.

Judy,<BR><BR>Do come and visit, you'll have a great time. Scotland and Ireland have been the areas least affected by the outbreak.<BR><BR>As for the government's priorities, you should know that five times as many people work in the tourist industry as in agriculture. <BR><BR>Doug

Hello, "other" Steve,<BR><BR>The following supports your effort:<BR><BR>http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.cfm?fid=2&amp;tid=1287670&amp;numresp onses=0<BR><BR>P.S. I'm getting good at this pasting URL business, right?

I'm going to Scotland next month and will be spending two weeks in rural areas. (B&amp;Bs already booked in such major metropoli as Oyne, Kinlochewe, and Appin.) At the beginning of the epidemic when all footpaths were off limits and all National Trust properties, nature reserves, etc., were closed, I was worried. But I monitored the official websites daily (as Elvira says, go to the source) and watched as many places opened up, and now I have no intention of cancelling.<BR><BR>I must admit, though, I'm getting a bit tired of hearing about how Americans are all idiots who are scared for no reason. I wasn't scared, I just didn't fancy spending my time in the highlands staying on the paved roads, watching the rain fall, and not being able to hike or visit historic or archaeological sites. Of all the Americans who know that I'm going to Scotland soon, not one has suggested that I bring my own food or am likely to die of foot and mouth. Really, we're not all a bunch of Chicken Littles.

KT-Glad to hear that you will be visiting our shores in the near future. I'm sorry,but I can't remember calling all Americans idiots in my previous messages.<BR> Just recently there is sad news that F&amp;M has arrived in my locality (the Peak District), and also in one of my favourite week-end retreats (Whitby). Hopefully this business will soon be over.Until then please don't stop visiting, just adhere to the few restrictions to protect the rest of our flocks and herds.

Steve--<BR><BR>An apology is in order (from me). Sorry, I wasn't referring to your posts. I was feeling irritable when I posted, and later regretted my harsh words. I read a number of British websites and the cumulative effect is beginning to get to me!<BR><BR>I'm sorry to hear about the Peak District. I'm thinking of visiting there next year. I'm sure that F&amp;M won't be a factor by then, but nonetheless every time I hear about a new area being affected I feel sad for the locals.

KT-<BR> Do come to the Peak District next year, it's worth the trip.New cases of F&amp;T appear to be slowing down- hope this is the beginning of the end, not just the end of the beginning.

By all means come. Only last week we travelled from Bolton ( NW England ) to Skegness ( Lincolnshire - East Coast ) for a "Motorcycle Break" no problem. I would however dispute the assertation that the press is portraying a 'wrong picture'. The Times is, in my opinion, providing the best all-round coverage of the Foot &amp; Mouth "event" - as to the Tabloids, I wouldn't know - I don't read rubbish !<BR><BR>Try The Times' Website :-<BR><BR>WWW.THE-TIMES.CO.UK<BR><BR>( Backissues should be available ).

Sorry, 'assertation' should, of course, have been 'assertion' &amp; the website link will only work ( he said ! ) in lower case :-<BR><BR>www.the-times.co.uk