London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Oct 30, 2025

Covid in Wales: Calls to respect beauty spots as rules eased

Covid in Wales: Calls to respect beauty spots as rules eased

There are calls to respect beauty spots as the weather gets hotter and Covid restrictions are eased in Wales.

Natural Resource Wales (NRW) has urged sun-worshippers and beauty seekers to respect local communities ahead of an expected arrival of visitors over the next few weeks during the summer break.

Parking, littering and vandalism were all reported as problems for popular areas last year.

NRW said patrols would be increased but individuals must "behave responsibly".

On Saturday, some restrictions were lifted in Wales, meaning people no longer have to socially distance outside.

From 7 August, more rules will be removed - including the end to most other social distancing and the requirement to wear mask inside pubs and restaurants.

Beaches were busy over the weekend as restrictions were removed and temperatures soared

NRW said its sites had already seen a significant increase in visitors since lockdown began to be eased in March.

But while the majority of visitors left no trace behind, many sites had been "bearing the brunt" of some who "show little to no regard or respect for the areas they have come to enjoy", it said.

That included forests being used as "makeshift car parks and campsites" and the scattering of litter and other waste.

NRW said it would be working with the police and "will not hesitate to take enforcement action" to prevent a repeat of last summer.

Richard Owen, team leader for estate recreation planning and land stewardship, said: "While we are delighted to welcome people back to our sites... we must maintain a balance between the wishes of individuals to enjoy the outdoors and the responsibilities each and every one of us has to protect nature and to respect our local communities."

Car parks have been full as many make the trip to Welsh beauty spots

A continuing problem for some sites is mess left behind by people camping, barbecuing and lighting bonfires.

NRW said one of the most prevalent issues it experienced in the Welsh countryside was the impact of wildfires and fly camping - where people pitch tents or park campervans without the landowner's permission and do not clean up after themselves.

Last summer in Porth Ysgaden, Gwynedd, there were reports that human waste was dumped into the sea.

NRW is urging people to follow the Countryside Code, including parking responsibly, planning ahead to avoid crowds and cleaning up after themselves.

'It isn't a playground'
Emma Edwards-Jones said people needed to take personal responsibility

Emma Edwards-Jones is projects manager at Snowdonia-Active - a non-profit consultancy for outdoor activities and conservation.

She said people needed to take personal responsibility when outdoors and to plan thoroughly for activities.

The majority of people were being responsible and doing it right, she said, "but there are some who haven't ventured into the outdoors before and for example, are buying a paddleboard in the morning then heading straight out onto the water in the afternoon".

"Unfortunately, some haven't got the understanding that it isn't a playground and they don't know how to take care of themselves, others and the environment they have come to enjoy.

"For some who have not done a lot outdoors they don't always know what to expect and they're surprised by rural environments with limited access to facilities such as toilets and parking - there is a real lack of understanding of how to behave."

She said personal safety was not just about themselves but reducing the strain on emergency services and respecting the environment.

"We ask people to ask themselves three questions before they set off: do I know what the weather will be like? do I have the right gear? do I have the right skills?

"Personal safety and responsibility for the environment come hand in hand - a lot of people work hard to care for our landscapes and we want to work with visitors so that everyone can enjoy the coast and countryside of Wales," she said.

'Litter attracts more litter'
Lesley Jones says litter is a real danger to wildlife

Lesley Jones, chief executive of Keep Wales Tidy, said it was essential rivers, beaches, parks and green spaces were kept clean and safe for everyone to enjoy.

"We saw a devastating increase in litter at iconic beauty spots when restrictions eased last summer and none of us want to see the same thing happen again this year.

"Litter attracts more litter. Just one piece becomes just two pieces, until the tens and the hundreds of pieces are a real and growing danger to wildlife and to our own health and well-being and it is not longer possible for these areas to be enjoyed," she said.


More than 500 cars were parked along the roads in Snowdonia last July


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK and Vietnam Sign Landmark Migration Deal to Fast-Track Returns of Irregular Arrivals
UK Drug-Pricing Overhaul Essential for Life-Sciences Ambition, Says GSK Chief
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Temporarily Leave the UK Amid Their Parents’ Royal Fallout
UK Weighs Early End to Oil and Gas Windfall Tax as Reeves Seeks Investment Commitments
UK Retail Inflation Slows as Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since Spring
Next Raises Full-Year Profit Guidance After Strong Third-Quarter Performance
Reform UK’s Lee Anderson Admits to 'Gaming' Benefits System While Advocating Crackdown
United States and South Korea Conclude Major Trade Accord Worth $350 Billion
Hurricane Melissa Strikes Cuba After Devastating Jamaica With Record Winds
Vice President Vance to Headline Turning Point USA Campus Event at Ole Miss
U.S. Targets Maritime Narco-Routes While Border Pressure to Mexico Remains Limited
Bill Gates at 70: “I Have a Real Fear of Artificial Intelligence – and Also Regret”
Elon Musk Unveils Grokipedia: An AI-Driven Alternative to Wikipedia
Saudi Arabia Unveils Vision for First-Ever "Sky Stadium" Suspended Over Desert Floor
Amazon Announces 14 000 Corporate Job Cuts as AI Investment Accelerates
UK Shop Prices Fall for First Time Since March, Food Leads the Decline
London Stock Exchange Group ADR (LNSTY) Earns Zacks Rank #1 Upgrade on Rising Earnings Outlook
Soap legend Tony Adams, long-time star of Crossroads, dies at 84
Rachel Reeves Signals Tax Increases Ahead of November Budget Amid £20-50 Billion Fiscal Gap
NatWest Past Gains of 314% Spotlight Opportunity — But Some Key Risks Remain
UK Launches ‘Golden Age’ of Nuclear with £38 Billion Sizewell C Approval
UK Announces £1.08 Billion Budget for Offshore Wind Auction to Boost 2030 Capacity
UK Seeks Steel Alliance with EU and US to Counter China’s Over-Capacity
UK Struggles to Balance China as Both Strategic Threat and Valued Trading Partner
Argentina’s Markets Surge as Milei’s Party Secures Major Win
British Journalist Sami Hamdi Detained by U.S. Authorities After Visa Revocation Amid Israel-Gaza Commentary
King Charles Unveils UK’s First LGBT+ Armed Forces Memorial at National Memorial Arboretum
At ninety-two and re-elected: Paul Biya secures eighth term in Cameroon amid unrest
Racist Incidents Against UK Nurses Surge by 55%
UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves Cites Shared Concerns With Trump Administration as Foundation for Early US-UK Trade Deal
Essentra plc: A Closer Look at a UK ‘Penny Stock’ Opportunity Amid Market Weakness
U.S. and China Near Deal to Avert Rare-Earth Export Controls Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit
Justin time: Justin Herbert Shields Madison Beer with Impressive Reflex at Lakers Game
Russia’s President Putin Declares Burevestnik Nuclear Cruise Missile Ready for Deployment
Giuffre’s Memoir Alleges Maxwell Claimed Sexual Act with Clooney
House Republicans Move to Strip NYC Mayoral Front-Runner Zohran Mamdani of U.S. Citizenship
Record-High Spoiled Ballots Signal Voter Discontent in Ireland’s 2025 Presidential Election
Philippines’ Taal Volcano Erupts Overnight with 2.4 km Ash Plume
Albania’s Virtual AI 'Minister' Diella Set to 'Birth' Eighty-Three Digital Assistants for MPs
Tesla Unveils Vision for Optimus V3 as ‘Biggest Product of All Time’, Including Surgical Capabilities
Francis Ford Coppola Auctions Luxury Watches After Self-Financed Film Flop
Convicted Sex Offender Mistakenly Freed by UK Prison Service Arrested in London
United States and China Begin Constructive Trade Negotiations Ahead of Trump–Xi Summit
U.S. Treasury Sanctions Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro over Drug-Trafficking Allegations
Miss USA Crowns Nebraska’s Audrey Eckert Amid Leadership Overhaul
‘I Am Not Done’: Kamala Harris Signals Possible 2028 White House Run
NBA Faces Integrity Crisis After Mass Arrests in Gambling Scandal
Swift Heist at the Louvre Sees Eight French Crown Jewels Stolen in Under Seven Minutes
U.S. Halts Trade Talks with Canada After Ontario Ad Using Reagan Voice Triggers Diplomatic Fallout
Microsoft AI CEO: ‘We’re making an AI that you can trust your kids to use’ — but can Microsoft rebuild its own trust before fixing the industry’s?
×