Welsh beach named UK’s cleanest as litter concerns grow after bank holiday heatwave

Amelia Jones

A new study has named a Welsh beach the cleanest in the UK, after it received zero complaints of litter on its Tripadvisor reviews.

According to new data compiled by waste management company BusinessWaste.co.uk, White Sands Bay in Pembrokeshire topped the list of the UK’s cleanest beaches. The study analysed Tripadvisor reviews mentioning litter and rubbish at beaches across the UK to identify which stretches of coastline received the most — and fewest — complaints from visitors.

Whitesands Bay, near St Davids, recorded zero litter mentions from its 540 Tripadvisor reviews. The beach was one of only three across the UK to achieve the distinction, alongside Whiterocks Beach and Tyrella Beach in Northern Ireland.

One of the best-known beaches in west Wales, Whitesands is particularly popular with surfers due to the strong swells and clean waves rolling in from the Irish Sea. Kayakers, windsurfers and bodyboarders also regularly use the bay, while families are drawn to its wide sandy beach, rock pools and coastal walking routes. The beach is also home to the annual Whitesands New Year’s Day Swim, where locals and visitors gather each year for a charity dip in the sea.

Located on the Pembrokeshire coast, the beach is known for its long curved bay and views across St Bride’s Bay, with the Pembrokeshire Coast Path running along either side of the shoreline.

However, the picture elsewhere in Wales was less positive.

Whitmore Bay at Barry Island ranked as the fifth most littered beach in the UK, with 16 Tripadvisor reviews mentioning rubbish or litter concerns.

The research comes after social media users raised concerns about large amounts of litter being left on beaches following the bank holiday heatwave.

 

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A post shared by Lisa Jane Wallace (@lisajane_w)

Lisa Wallace, a local in the Vale of Glamorgan, took to Instagram to show the amount of litter left behind by visitors. She followed this with another video saying she was so sad the beach was being treated this way.

She said:  “Good morning, I’m so sad that our beach has been abused like this by the visitors. We left it beautiful for you yesterday morning and this is how you leave it for us today.

“Anyway, if you are coming today, please take a look at my video and think to yourself, I’m taking my rubbish home with me.

“And if you are coming today, don’t bother to bring towels,  umbrellas, spades, buckets, because there’s plenty of towel here for free.

“And this is a full bottle [of suncream] I’m having that. Please be respectful and take your rubbish home with you.”

The post was met with other locals echoing her concerns. One commenter said: ” I don’t know how people can afford to leave some of the stuff they have. Crazy.”

Another commented: “Same every year Lisa, some people have no respect for our lovely beach. I would never leave any rubbish anywhere.”

The Barry Community also made a statement on Facebook. They said “We love seeing so many people enjoying our beautiful beach and making happy memories here. Barry Island is a special place, not just for visitors, but for the people who live here too, this is our home.

“However, the amount of rubbish left on the beach after the hottest day of the year was truly shocking. Sadly, litter left behind often ends up in the sea, causing pollution and harming marine life.

“We kindly ask everyone to help keep our beach clean and tidy by using the bins provided or taking your rubbish home with you. A small effort from each of us can make a huge difference in protecting our coastline for everyone to enjoy now and in the future.

“Please enjoy the beach, respect the area and help us keep Barry Island beautiful

“Thank you and have a fantastic visit!”

You can view the rest of the UK list and plans to reduce beach litter here.