Wales' highest mountain risks becoming a 'deathtrap for animals'
The Big Clean Up Yr Wyddfa returns tomorrow (Thursday, July 31) to tackle an issue that's been blighting the mountain for decades. Some litter, blown from the peak, has collected in steep gullies that are too dangerous to be reached by anyone other than specialist climbers.
Everything from sleeping bags to drink cans have steadily accumulated in the Trinity Gullies on the northeast side of Yr Wyddfa. Looking like streams of rubbish cascading down from the peak, it's thought some items may have been there for 100 years.
Tomorrow morning, a team of climbers will catch the first train on the Snowdon Mountain Railway, Llanberis. They will then abseil down a cliff face to reach the gullies on Clogwyn Y Garnedd.
The team will have been briefed by Plantlife Cymru to limit the damage to rare Alpine plants, some of which have become established within the waste streams.
Ecologist Robbie Blackhall-Miles said microplastic pollution is having 'serious impacts' on the mountain's fragile ecosystem.
Yr Wyddfa's littering, and the damage it causes, is being used to underpin calls for Deposit Return Schemes (DRS), where people bring back used drinks containers.
TTT's Dom Ferris said the group's research has shown that a fifth of animal interactions with litter ends in death. 'Our volunteers are increasingly finding examples of this occurring when an animal gets trapped inside a bottle or can,' he said.
'We know from European case studies that a DRS can eradicate a whole category of litter from our trails overnight. Why are we allowing beloved hiking spots such as Snowdon to be the alternative to a reverse vending machine?'
The three-day clean-up, organised by the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), ends on Saturday, August 2.
On that day, 40 volunteer walkers will hike up the Pyg Track to the upper Glaslyn bowl above Llyn Glaslyn, the lake beneath the Trinity Gullies. There, they will analyse and bag up litter removed by the climbers.
Launched last year, the 2024 event saw 2,765 items of litter removed by climbers and volunteers. Analysis showed:
62% of items removed were single-use products
More than 800 plastic water bottles were collected
Lucozade, Red Bull, Coca Cola and Monster were the most common brands removed from the Trinity Wall gullies and the popular Miner's Path.
Tom Carrick, BMC access and conservation officer for Wales, said gullies beneath the peak were natural debris traps.
'We're not talking about deliberate fly-tipping,' he said. 'Rubbish can be dropped accidentally by anyone, however careful they are, and blown away into these gullies.
'It's important to emphasise that everyone is welcome in the outdoors and the vast majority of the 600,000 people visiting Yr Wyddfa each year have great respect for the mountains and the environment – they would never dream of discarding any litter on purpose.'
Also on Saturday, the BMC will have an information tent at Pen-y-Pass, a popular starting point for Yr Wyddfa ascents. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
Visitors can take part in a 'rubbish raffle' or 'trail clean bingo cards' with the chance of winning Deuter backpacks – awarded for picking the most litter or having the 'most single-use-plastic-free lunches'.
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BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
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The Guardian
4 hours ago
- The Guardian
You be the judge: should my partner use a co-working space so I can have our flat to myself?
I want him to work away from the flat so we keep a healthy relationship and avoid a couple bubble Before Xavier moved into my flat in a sunny European city, I lived alone for three years. Ahead of him moving in, I said we could live together but that he needed to find somewhere else to work so we weren't on top of each other. We'd both moved here from other countries, and I think it's healthy to carry on meeting people and not just live in a couple bubble. I asked him to find a co-working space to help us keep a balanced, healthy relationship. Also, when I wake up, I don't want to speak for a while. Because I work remotely for a client who doesn't need me until 1pm, my mornings are my solo time. Having Xavier in my flat all day every day isn't an option. My job is 90% calls, so it had to be him that left. Also, it's my flat, and he was the one who proposed moving in. Luckily, we are super compatible as flatmates, but this was my condition. 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The Guardian
7 hours ago
- The Guardian
You be the judge: should my partner use a co-working space so I can have our flat to myself?
I want him to work away from the flat so we keep a healthy relationship and avoid a couple bubble Before Xavier moved into my flat in a sunny European city, I lived alone for three years. Ahead of him moving in, I said we could live together but that he needed to find somewhere else to work so we weren't on top of each other. We'd both moved here from other countries, and I think it's healthy to carry on meeting people and not just live in a couple bubble. I asked him to find a co-working space to help us keep a balanced, healthy relationship. Also, when I wake up, I don't want to speak for a while. Because I work remotely for a client who doesn't need me until 1pm, my mornings are my solo time. Having Xavier in my flat all day every day isn't an option. My job is 90% calls, so it had to be him that left. Also, it's my flat, and he was the one who proposed moving in. Luckily, we are super compatible as flatmates, but this was my condition. I like to have different spaces for work, sleep and socialising, but Xavier doesn't think like that. He can get up, start work straight away at the kitchen table and then leave the house when he's done. He likes to do all his work-related activities indoors, then socialise outdoors. It took Xavier a while to commit to a co-working space. Before that, he was hanging around at home. One day, a month after we started living together, he wanted to take a call at the flat. I said it was fine, but actually it was annoying. Later, we had to have a conversation about why I was irritated, and he joined a co-working space right after that. I like to talk about issues that arise right away, whereas Xavier will avoid things and hope they'll disappear. I need to be understood, whereas he can just suppress things. Luckily, there are no other issues between us when it comes to living together. But I think it's important to have boundaries. Xavier can work from home occasionally, but I'd prefer it if he stuck to the routine and came back in the afternoon while I'm working and not when I want to relax alone in the morning. It's important to have separation as a couple. I'm more productive working from home. I wake up, have a coffee and start straight away About a month after I moved into Claire's flat, she told me I needed to go to a co-working space. We both work remotely, and when I moved in she did mention this stipulation. We've only been dating a year, and she didn't want us to be on top of each other. I dragged my heels because I'd never been to a co-working space; I'd always worked at home. I'm more productive that way. I wake up, have a coffee and start work straight away. I like starting early and finishing by 2 or 3pm, and having my own space, with my food, snacks and a toilet all close by. Claire starts at 1pm, so I originally thought: great I'll work in our flat until she needs the office, and pop into a co-working space now and again. But then, about 10 days into this routine, she sat me down and said it wasn't working, that she wanted me to work outside of the flat consistently. So now I have to pack my bag, walk to a co-working space, and speak to people, all because Claire wants me out. I don't like it. I get up at 7am and my productivity starts at 100%. Every little thing I do before working detracts from that – it drops off bit by bit. Claire said she wanted her space in the mornings. She doesn't talk much, whereas I am a morning person. I didn't think I was disturbing her, but she said it was more about having space to just exist away from me in the day. I wasn't offended, but I didn't like having to find a co-working spot right away. I needed to work out what I liked and what I wanted out of one – it's not easy. I tried one place and it was way too social. Everyone said 'hi' every five minutes, and my productivity was affected. Claire is a very open communicator, and I'm glad she told me she wanted me out of the flat. And I have managed to find a more corporate, soulless co-working space that is less sociable and suits me. In some ways, my working there makes our lives more interesting, because I come home with news about my day. But sometimes I wish I had a bit more freedom to be in the flat because it's my home, too. Should Xavier let Claire have the space to herself? Claire wants Xavier to live on her terms and offers no flexibility. The mention of 'her flat' makes it feel as if she hasn't embraced living together as a couple. He is asking for more freedom in his own home, which seems a reasonable 35 If working elsewhere was a condition of moving in, Xavier needs to stick to it. But Claire needs to remember that this is Xavier's home too now – he's allowed to be there during the day. Flexibility on her side would help ease this 40 There seems to be a disparity in the equality dynamic and a disconnect in the relationship harmony. Claire is pulling rank because it's 'her flat' and seems to be insinuating that her needs are more important than his so Xavier should change. Compromise is called 72 Covid taught us that spending 24 hours together is not healthy, particularly for a relatively new couple. Claire could compromise and agree on some occasions when Xavier can work from home, but I am with her when she talks about needing space and quiet in the 53 It doesn't seem as if it would take long for Xavier to walk to his work space, so I don't buy the argument that every second wasted between waking and working drains him of productivity. It also sounds a bit awful to have your boyfriend get up at 7am and start working on your kitchen table. Alone time is good for a 48 In our online poll, tell us if you think Xavier should pack his bags and go to work. The poll closes on Wednesday 13 August at 9am BST We asked whether Wes should stop drinking from a water bladder while having sex with his girlfriend 89% of you said yes – Wes is guilty 11% of you said no – Wes is not guilty
