Watch: Bird’s eye view as helicopter films crowds on Pen Y Fan summit
This was the scene yesterday as the fine weather brought many hundreds of climbers to south Wales’ highest mountain on the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
A helicopter from the National Police Air Service captured the scene at the summit as people waited patiently to have their picture taken alongside the Pen Y Fan sign.
The clear day allowed the helicopter crew to capture the scene of climbers at the top of the mountain and those making their way up.
The National Police Air Service post read: ‘Our route back from a job took us over Pen Y Fan this afternoon…….. pretty busy up there and lovely day for it!’
One of the most popular destinations in Wales over the Easter bank holiday, Good Friday and Easter Saturday saw hundreds of people queuing for up to 30 minutes to have their photo taken at the summit, while cars lined both sides of the A470 as climbers headed to the Brecon Beacons making the most of the sunshine.
Our route back from a job took us over Pen Y Fan this afternoon…….. pretty busy up there and lovely day for it! ⛰️ 🚶🏼♂️☀️😎 @penyfanmountain @WalesOnline @BreconMRT @BreconBeaconsNP ^KF pic.twitter.com/ra8mGdhIl1
— NPAS South West Region (@NPASSouthWest) April 8, 2023
It was equally as busy in Eryri National Park in north Wales, where almost 40 vehicles parked “dangerously” were towed away by police.
North Wales Police said 29 vehicles parked dangerously on narrow mountain roads near Llyn Ogwen and nine in Pen y Pass at the bottom of Yr Wyddfa were taken away on Good Friday.
It said drivers were risking lives through “irresponsible and dangerous” parking in spots where emergency vehicles could be blocked from getting through.
Parking in the National Park will continue to be monitored over the Easter weekend and any vehicles found to be parked on the clearway, double yellows or causing an obstruction will be removed at the owner’s expense, North Wales Police said.
It added: “Whilst we appreciate people are visiting Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park to enjoy the weather and stunning scenery this bank holiday weekend, we are urging motorists to be responsible and think about where they park and to make full use of the park and ride facilities that are available.
“We continue to work closely with our colleagues at Gwynedd Council and the Eryri National Park to help reduce the risk to walkers, cyclists and other road users.”
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See anybody you recognised and how many cars did your colleagues tow away?
Climb!
In the days before social media you could walk Pen y Fan and not see another living soul.
Trouble with Cader Idris was you might bump into Jim Perrin or Bill Tilman when I was a youth…
Something really needs to be done to limit the numbers on this exploited hill side. Most of these ‘trippers’ take the easy route from Storey Arms and the path is becoming wider and more ravaged every year!
The easy route is from the Pont ar Daf car park…
While it’s a good thing that people are getting out and enjoying the countryside, far too many are crowding on just one or two mountains and one or two routes on those mountains. There’s loads of places you can go to avoid the crowds. Take a walk in the Berwyns and you’ll find very few people. Even in the national parks you can find quieter routes, Carnedd Llewelyn has loads of scope from walks in which you’ll barely see a soul.