Barafundle Bay eclipses another ‘hidden gem’ beach in Wales
SINCE it was voted one of the best beaches in the world, visitors have flocked to Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire.
But less than two miles away, Broad Haven South, another equally beautiful beach, is being ignored.
While numbers to Barafundle increased by more than 30,000 in the past three years, Broad Haven attracted only 8,000 new visitors.
Now, the National Trust, which looks after both beaches and the coastline in between, wants people to explore the “second hidden gem” of Broad Haven South in a bid to stop Barafundle being a victim of its own success. They are expecting more than 40,000 beach-goers to head to Barafundle this year.
The Trust 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.”
Last year, nearly 120,000 people enjoyed a day at Barafundle Beach, compared to only 40,000 at Broad Haven. But such popularity comes at a cost, as the secluded beach has experienced significant degradation of the sand dunes and footpaths.
On Wednesday, the Trust launched their Sea Safari project to promote a coastal trail around the Stackpole Estate and inform holidaymakers about the other beaches.