Security firm is called in to patrol village at foot of Snowdon that has been plagued by illegal camping and littering after being flooded by day trippers since lockdown was lifted
- Villagers are furious the behaviour of touristsv isiting the 3,560ft mountain
- They say some descending on Llanberis have started fires and gone to the toilet in public
- Narrow roads have also been clogged up with visitors’ vehicles parked illegally
A security firm has been enlisted to patrol the village at the foot of Mount Snowdon, after the area has been plagued with visitors illegally camping and dumping mounds of litter.
Villagers have been left furious at tourists’ behaviour as visits to the 3,560ft mountain resumed when lockdown measures were eased.
Residents say those descending on Llanberis have started fires, with some even spotted using going to the toilet in public.
The anti-social behaviour prompted floods of complaints from villagers who also claimed that tourists were flouting social distancing rules.
Rubbish including empty beer bottles and banana skins are pictured dumped at Snowdonia’s visitor centre
Narrow roads have also been clogged up with vehicles parked illegally by mountain walkers, and a number of visitors have returned to find their cars towed away. Villagers have been left furious at tourists’ behaviour as visits to the 3,560ft mountain resumed when lockdown measures were eased
Visitors were earlier in the year seen ignoring requests to stay away from the area as they made their way through Pen y Pass
And now Gwynedd council has enlisted the help of a security firm to patrol troublespots, including around Padarn lake.
The ‘staycation’ popularity has provided a late summer boost for businesses hit by the pandemic but also brought an influx of tourists with little regard for protecting the beauty of Snowdonia.
Narrow roads have also been clogged up with vehicles parked illegally by mountain walkers, and a number of visitors have returned to find their cars towed away.
View of lakes Glaslyn and Llyn Llydaw from the Llanberis Path, Snowdon, Snowdonia National Park, Gwynedd
Mount Snowdon side view, showing final accent route from Llanberis, Miners and Pyg tracks
A message reading ‘Don’t come on holiday, self isolate’ on April 4
Police, National Park wardens, the National Trust and Natural Resources Wales will also join the effort to curb the trouble and clear up mess.
In a letter to residents posted online Sian Gwenllian, local Plaid Cymru member of the Welsh Senedd, said ‘I understand that it is a worrying time for Llanberis residents, and many feel unsafe in their own village. I’m pleased to announce that steps will be taken.’
Llanberis Development Group, an organisation set up to promote the area as a tourist destination and protect the environment, said: ‘We need our visitors but not all of them have been behaving in a Covid-19 responsible way.’
The Snowdonia National Park Authority is trialling a pre-booking system at the popular Pen-y-Pass car park, for weekends and bank holidays, during the remainder of the holiday season.
A woman villager said : ‘We have never seen anything like it. The crowds have been unbelievable, and some completely anti-social and who would be better suited in Magaluf.’