Stunning UK seashore liable to ‘closing’ due to social media influencers

One of the UK’s most beautiful beaches is buckling under the weight of its own popularity.

During the summer peak, the local campsite and car park at Porth Iago on Gwynedd’s Llyn Peninsula are overwhelmed with visitors, often resulting in visitors being turned away.

This has led to frustration for tourists who have journeyed from afar only to be met with disappointment, sometimes sparking furious disputes. With the only access route to the beach crossing private property, the management points out that there’s no way for visitors to check if parking spaces are free until they reach the site.

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Holidaymakers are now being advised not to arrive without prior reservations as they are likely to be denied entry. The stress has become so severe that the anonymous campsite manager is contemplating closing both the campsite and the adjacent car park.

He blames the excessive popularity on unsolicited and unwelcome glowing reviews which he believes create unrealistic expectations. The recent recognition of Porth Iago as Wales’ third-best beach in the Sunday Times Best UK Beaches guide 2024 only worsened the situation, drawing even more attention to the picturesque spot, according to North Wales Live.

“People just think it’s a free-for-all,” the exasperated manager shared. “They read articles in papers and online and they think they have a right to come here and go on the beach. But they haven’t – the only access to the beach is across private land. I’ve been attacked by people angry that they can’t visit the beach.”, reports Wales Online.

“We are on the verge of closing the gates and shutting a campsite that has been here since 1918. We’re constantly being inundated with people and we cannot cope. TikTokers are coming here, Instagram influencers are turning up, but we can’t let everyone in. The car park only has spaces for 30 or 40 vehicles.”

Porth Iago, tucked between jutting headlands, boasts a stunning sandy beach encircled by the serene sea, perfect for lounging and swimming. With its westward face, it becomes a theatre to magnificent sunsets.

Its dark skies allure those keen on astronomy, and the sea sometimes reveals dolphins at play. Enamored visitors dub Porth Iago a “little slice of heaven”.

The route to this coastal gem winds through the Ty Mawr farmyard before reaching the cliff-top campsite and parking area, from where a sharp grassy slope leads down to the shore. Once a hotspot in the 1970s, Porth Iago had seen its popularity wane until recently.

The Covid pandemic has turned Porth Iago into a hotspot for staycations, with the site manager of the popular camping and car park spot swamped by an unending tide of tourists. The once-quiet destination is now grappling with the strains of over-tourism, a problem that’s hitting hard, even if it’s not as headline-grabbing as the crowds at Snowdon or the canals of Venice.

He shared his woes: “I’ve got 164 messages on my phone from people asking if they can camp here in the coming week,” revealing the staggering demand. “My phone is ringing constantly. To get some sleep I turn it off at 8pm but by the time I get up at 4.20am, it’s full of new voicemails from people who have been ringing through the night. People don’t listen (when we say we are full). Sometimes we have to close the gates (at the end of the drive) but they open them up and come through anyway.”

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