Bank holiday visitors urged to 'leave no trace' at beauty spots

High numbers of people expected in Wales' beauty spots over the bank holiday weekend are being urged to respect areas and "leave no trace".

It follows a rise in vandalism, overnight camping and littering at Carmarthenshire beauty spot Morfa Bychan beach.

National Trust Cymru said the site of special scientific interest was being put at risk.

A "high volume of visitors" is expected this bank holiday across Wales.

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National Trust Cymru has appealed to the public not to park overnight near the Morfa Bychan beach, ahead of the bank holiday weekend.

It said the secluded beach's plants, wildlife and ecology were being put at risk by "wild" camping, rubbish dumping and human waste.

As the bank holiday weekend approaches, there's an appeal for the public to follow the Countryside Code, stay at authorised campsites and take their litter home to protect the ecology of some of Wales' most scenic spots.

'Destroying a unique habitat'

Morfa Bychan beach is a site of special scientific interest

Stuart McDonnell, area ranger for National Trust Cymru in Carmarthenshire, said the vandalism which was "destroying a unique habitat" was "disheartening" for his team.

"These places are jewels to come to but unfortunately the people who are coming here have no respect for the land or the wildlife," he said.

The gate from the car park to the beach is usually locked, but has been vandalised several times over the last year by "wild" campers using portable angle grinders to gain access to the spot.

National Trust Cymru's rangers have also had to deal with rubbish, toilet waste and left-over BBQs and said they have seen evidence of illegal felling in the area surrounding the beach.

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The gate from the car park to the beach has been vandalised numerous times over the last year, with footpath gates and posts "chopped up and used for campfires".

The trust is working with local agencies, including the local MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire - and Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart, to highlight the issue.

Simon Hart MP joins National Trust Cymru ranger Stuart McDonnell to pick up litter

Mr Hart said he was delighted that people wanted to enjoy the beach, but added: "It is being spoiled by a selfish few.

"Local residents regularly pile up the rubbish and the National Trust is very good about collecting it - one autumn we even cleared away an old trampoline and a dead caravan.

"We think there are sufficient laws to deal with it - we've just got to get the evidence and give the police every possible chance of dealing with it."

Vandalism at the secluded beach has been "steadily increasing for the last five years", an area ranger says

But Rebecca Williams, director of conservation with National Trust Cymru, said fines or stricter measures would be "difficult" to implement.

"Fines are difficult - it means having people here overnight, putting their safety at risk, so we need to work with the local community to raise awareness of the impact the damage is having," she said.

National Trust is also looking for volunteers to act as what they call "coastodians" to help look after places like Morfa Bychan with regular beach cleans.

'Leave nothing but footprints'

This summer is expected to be "the busiest ever" for RNLI lifeguards and volunteer lifeboat crews in Wales

Morfa Bychan beach is the latest in a long list of sites across Wales which have seen a rise in vandalism and "wild" overnight camping.

Richard Owen, from Natural Resources Wales, reminded those enjoying Wales' landscapes this weekend to "leave no trace" of their visit and ensure enjoyment outdoors is not done at "the expense of nature".

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"The scenes of abandoned campsites, damaged habitats, verge parking, as well as litter, are totally unacceptable and a blight on Wales' reputation as home to some of the world's greatest landscapes," he said.

'Snowdonia is a protected area'

Hundreds of bags of rubbish were collected from Snowdonia in the last year

Meanwhile, in north west Wales, plans are in place for a busy bank holiday weekend.

Snowdonia National Park Authority, local councils and North Wales Police, said they had learned lessons after seeing an increase in litter and illegal camping, after restrictions were eased after the first lockdown last year.

They said they were "anticipating a significantly high volume of visitors" to the area over the bank holiday and urged visitors to respect the rules and not put a strain on resources.

Emyr Williams, Snowdonia National Park Authority's chief executive, said there would be extra shuttle bus services in Snowdon's Yr Wyddfa and Ogwen areas, temporary and permanent signage and pre-booking at Pen-y-Pass.

"We need to remember that Snowdonia is a protected area where people live and work and we also recognise the countless hours the dedicated hard-working team of volunteers give to the area and appreciate their hard work and generosity," he said.

Snowdonia National Park Authority are expecting high numbers of visitors over the bank holiday

Supt Neil Thomas, of North Wales Police, said when lockdown rules lifted last year, the force saw "dangerous, irresponsible and illegal parking which posed a risk to public safety" in many beauty spots, including Ogwen and Pen-y-Pass.

"Patrols will continue throughout the bank holiday weekend and we'll continue to work with our partners to ensure the rules are being followed," he said.

He urged anybody considering visiting areas such as Snowdonia to be responsible and think about where they park.

'Busiest summer ever'

People are urged to "respect the water and think about their own safety" by the RNLI

Meanwhile, Chris Cousens, RNLI water safety lead in Wales, said they were expecting this summer to be "the busiest ever" for lifeguards and volunteer lifeboat crews in Wales.

He urged people to "respect the water, think about their own safety and know what to do in an emergency" as well as enjoying being on beaches.

The RNLI warning to swimmers and coastal walkers follows a survey predicting unprecedented numbers of people on Wales' beaches, with an estimated 30 million visitors expected in the coming months as people opt for 'staycations'.

In a survey commissioned by the RNLI, 75% of 16 to 64-year-olds expect to visit a UK beach or the coast between April and September, with around half of that number likely to do so three or more times.