The UK remains in a state of lockdown but with some important concessions. One I’m particularly valuing at the moment is the “exercise” one – “only leave home for essential shopping, medical needs and exercise once a day”.

I’d call that last one a get out clause. I don’t typically do a lot of exercise for its own sake but I’d normally expect to walk or cycle at least to work and possibly onto town and back. I appreciate that one can’t be wandering around all the time – not least, the emptier the streets, the easier it is to remember that we are being requested to take pains to limit our contact with people and our access to places where people tend to congregate. However, it was a delight today to take a longish early morning stroll and, even more so, to cross back over an almost deserted Ashby Road at what would normally be a highly congested hour.