Covid in Wales: Beauty spots 'busy' despite lockdown rules

Arwel Morris said national park staff and police had been engaging with visitors

Beauty spots have been "disappointingly busy over the last few days" despite restrictions meaning all but essential travel should be avoided.

Snowdonia park warden Arwel Morris reiterated the message that people should not be driving to visit places.

On Saturday, police stopped people from Milton Keynes attempting to walk up Snowdon in breach of Covid rules.

Mr Morris blamed a "perfect storm" of good weather and people being off work for the number of visitors in the area.

"We try and enforce the fact that exercise should begin and end at home, meaning people should not try and drive to a location where they plan to exercise," he told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast.

"And this has been really difficult over the last few days.

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"We have dealt with people from London, Birmingham… numerous people from north Wales travelling to beauty spots."

Mr Morris, a warden for Snowdonia National Park, said police had been doing their "absolute best" dealing with visitors despite other pressures, as wardens could not enforce breaches in lockdown rules.

A breach of Covid rules can incur a £60 fine, which rises to £120 for a second breach.

On Saturday, North Wales Police said officers had "turned away" people who wanted to walk up Snowdon in breach of stay-at-home rules, including some some from Milton Keynes and London.

On New Year's Day, the force tweeted to say people had been reported for breaching travel restrictions.

Wales has been in a nationwide level four lockdown since 20 December.

Wales is in a tier four lockdown

Travelling is only allowed for essential purposes, such as for work and for caring responsibilities. International travel is also not allowed.

People are still allowed out of their homes to exercise for unlimited periods each day, but must maintain social distancing and not exercise with anyone outside their household.

More than three quarters of England is also under the strictest tier four coronavirus measures, putting restrictions on people's daily lives.