Freshwater West Beach is a small but very nice beach located in the Pembrokeshire area of Wales. Until about ten years ago, it was mainly known and frequented by surfers, due to the very good waves, or locals. Despite being off the usual tourist routes, the largest town in the area is St Davids, with a population of 1,700. smallest city in great britain – However, for some time it has become a tourist area, and a kind of haven for fans of the Harry Potter saga. In fact, the beach was used as a filming location in the movie Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1Released in 2010, it is recommended by many on social media to visit. It is positive for the economy and local businesses, but it causes various problems for the coastal ecosystem.
In fact, fans of the series recreated the grave of Dobby, a fantastic creature beloved by readers, on the sand dunes of Freshwater West Beach, where his death and burial were filmed. The grave is made of stones, a wooden cross, and a headstone reading “Here lies Dobby the Free Dwarf”, just like in the film. However, fans began covering it with pebbles and socks (in the second book, Dobby was actually freed by receiving one as a gift) to honor the character, and in no time the grave became a kind of pile of stones and rags.
To protect the coastal and marine ecosystem of the area, the National Trust – the association responsible for the preservation and protection of Great Britain’s natural and artistic heritage – has been asking tourists keen on the series for some time to leave everything as it is. They found to avoid polluting the area and invited them to spread the message on social media. Indeed, recently, with the many videos circulating on TikTok and Instagram, it is easy to find comments or descriptions explaining that it is better not to bring or leave anything on the beach, but the invitation is not always accepted by those who are among the 75,000 tourists who visit the area every year.
@mindovermattertravelHere’s how to find Dobby’s grave 👇 Add this to your travel list if you’re a Harry Potter fan! Freshwater West is the location where Dobby’s death scene was filmed (spoiler 😅), and fans have created a memorial to Dobby filled with rocks and painted socks 🧦 To find the memorial when visiting, park in the main/large car park and head up the hill next to the lifeguard’s cottage! Important notes! National Trust Wales ask that all visitors only take photos and do not add anything to the memorial to protect the surrounding environment. Save this post for your next trip to Wales, and let me know in the comments if you’re a Harry Potter fan! ⚡️♬ Harry Potter – Intermezzo Orchestra
In recent years, local environmental associations and residents have complained that socks left by fans quickly get lost on the beach and end up in the sea, becoming litter and endangering the animals and seabirds that live in this context, while pebbles can be decorated with toxic materials that can be harmful and release microplastics on the beach and in the sea.
In 2022, in order to protect the beach, the National Trust evaluated the possibility of removing the grave and moving it to another location, also taking into account the aspect of distorting the panorama, the erosion of the sand dunes caused by visitors, and also the question of opportunity, given that the grave commemorates the death of a fictional character. After also conducting a survey among locals and online, it was ultimately decided to leave it at Freshwater West Beach.
– Read also: How Edinburgh Believed It Inspired Harry Potter
in Report prepared by the National Institution In fact, we read that residents responded to the survey by calling for its removal, while many local business managers saw it as very useful in attracting tourists, who create around 11,000 jobs in the area. Furthermore, according to the association, there was a possibility that even if the current grave were moved, fans could still go to the beach and leave stones and socks. So the choice was to create infrastructures that could welcome tourists while minimizing the impact on the environment as much as possible, for example by building a car park, a mobile bar and a bathroom, and to raise awareness among fans by asking them to spread the message through social media.
Over-tourism and disproportionate tourism from films and epics is very common in the United Kingdom, where Harry Potter was filmed and shot. For example, in Scotland, thousands of people flock to the village of Glenfinnan every year to watch the train pass over the bridge that also ran over the Hogwarts Express (the train that took students to wizarding school) in the film. Second Le Monde Every year there are 500,000 visitors, which is certainly too many for the village’s 150 residents, who complain of litter and overcrowding.
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