Mountaineers clear tonnes of rubbish in huge Yr Wyddfa clean-up
- UK Hidden Gems
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
A huge clean-up on Yr Wyddfa has shown just how badly litter is harming wildlife on Wales’ highest mountain.
The three-day effort, led by the British Mountaineering Council and local charities, saw 4,282 pieces of plastic waste taken away from the summit in Eryri National Park.
Volunteers joined forces with expert climbers to collect rubbish left behind by visitors on the 1,085m peak in north Wales.
Professional mountaineers abseiled down the steep cliff face of Clogwyn y Garnedd (Trinity Gullies), carefully avoiding damage to rare plants and insects.
Later, BMC volunteers hiked the PYG Track and into the upper Glaslyn bowl, gathering rubbish that had been blown into the fragile alpine environment for more than 100 years.
In total, 4,828 pieces of litter were cleared from the Glaslyn bowl and the dangerous cliffs, thanks to 50 volunteers and eight mountaineers.
Another 321 items were picked up around Pen y Pass car park and along the PYG and Miners’ Tracks.
The most common items were Lucozade bottles, Red Bull cans and Walkers crisp packets.
Nearly a third of the waste was made up of sweet wrappers and plastic bottles, followed by old clothing and footwear.
Experts warned that microplastic pollution is badly damaging the delicate mountain ecosystem.
They found that up to 5% of soil at the summit now contains microplastics, with 70% of the rubbish collected being single-use products.
Among the litter were outdoor items such as hats, rain covers, jackets and even a map – things never intended to be left behind.
Mountaineers believe that around a quarter of the rubbish could have been avoided if a deposit return scheme (DRS) had been in place.
The Welsh Government has announced plans to introduce a DRS in 2027.
Remember - LeaveNoTrace!
As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!
Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.
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