World-class Welsh beach – please keep away

THE National Trust has urged sunseekers to stay away from a popular beach in order to preserve it.

Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire, which is only accessible by walking half a mile from the nearest car park, has seen visitors soar.

It was listed as one of the best in the world last year by Passport magazine.

In the past three years, visitor numbers increased by more than 30,000 to 120,000, which has caused the erosion of footpaths and disturbed wildlife in the sand dunes.

The National Trust has now asked people instead to visit Broad Haven South beach, which is less than two miles away and has attracted only 8,000 new visitors.

The trust, which looks after both beaches and the coastline in between, said: “Swapping Barafundle for Broad Haven South will help conserve the coast by spreading the people across the estate, reducing the erosion of footpaths, minimising the disturbance to wildlife in the dunes, and ensuring less litter is being washed out to sea.”

The trust has also launched a Sea Safari project, to promote a coastal trail around the Stackpole Estate and inform holidaymakers where the other beaches are.