Some of Wales’ most significant archaeological sites at risk of being lost to climate change

Some of Wales’ most significant archaeological sites are at risk of being lost to climate change, a heritage body has warned.

As sea levels and global temperatures rise, many sites around Wales’ coast – including shipwrecks and hillforts – are at risk of being lost forever, the Cherish project said.

Cherish is an Ireland-Wales Programme focused on seeking solutions to shared challenges on both sides of the Irish Sea and making sure there is a permanent record of the history in case it disappears.

They have now launched a summer events programme to raise awareness of the dangers to Wales’ heritage by offering guided tours to Wales’ coastal archaeological sites.

The walks include a tour of the iconic prehistoric fort at Caerfai near St Davids where part of the remains have already been lost to the sea.

The event organiser, archaeologist Hannah Genders Boyd, said that it would be a great chance to visit some sites which are not normally easy to access and have an archaeologist on hand to answer any questions about our past and how climate change will affect our future.

“We hope to give people an opportunity to explore climate change from a new angle: through the lens of archaeological sites at risk from changing weather patterns like increased rainfall and extreme weather events,” she said.

There are open days at sites at Rhosneigr on Anglesey on May 14, Cwmtydu in Ceredigion on July 20, and a visit to St Govan’s Head in Pembrokeshire on June 29th.

There’s also a chance to find out more of the history of the Albion wreck at Marloes in Pembrokeshire on July 27 and special access to visit Linney Head promontory fort on the military ranges at Castlemartin on Aug 13.

They are also offering an ‘armchair walk’ – a live-streamed event available to all to discover the spectacular but rarely visited promontory fort at Flimston Bay in Pembrokeshire. More details can be found here.