Travel vlogs are back in high season on social media in mid-summer. Every year, some of them try to combine sunsets, sand dunes and childhood fantasies. That’s what 26-year-old Jessica (like other people mentioned only by their first names, she wished to remain anonymous) did in late July when she headed to Freshwater West beach near the town of Pembroke in southwest Wales, UK. The reason for the place’s fame: It was the setting for a well-known scene from the Harry Potter series, which was seen in the first part of the last part. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallowsin 2010. It was on this beach that Dobby, an eccentric elf who helps the young wizard in the stories, died and was buried. “I live in Germany and have been looking forward to this for months. Seeing Dobby’s grave in real life is just incredible,” says Jessica.

A few years ago, fans erected a memorial to the elf on the beach. Over time, more and more visitors continued the tradition, leaving painted pebbles and socks at the foot of the gravestone, which reads: “Here lies Dobby, a free elf.”

In the books, elves are enslaved and can only be freed if they are given a piece of clothing. In book 2, Harry gives Dobby a sock, marking the end of his enslavement. After the elf’s death, the story goes, the young wizard regularly visits his friend’s grave, bringing a new pair of socks each time. A plot point that has not gone unnoticed by fans, and many of them reenact the scene when they visit Freshwater West.

In 2022, the National Trust, the conservation organization responsible for the beach, expressed its concern about the increasing number of visitors and this strange habit that could have a harmful impact on the environment of this coast, classified as a Site of Scientific Interest and a Protected Area. The association launched an investigation and ended up announcing that “the monument to Dobby will remain at Freshwater West for people to enjoy in the immediate future.”

However, the National Trust had also warned fans to “take photos only”. Items such as socks, jewellery and painted pebbles could enter the marine environment, disrupting the food chain and endangering wildlife. Large grey seals and porpoises can still be found at Freshwater West, as well as large populations of waterfowl.

“75,000 visitors a year is huge”

Despite warnings from the National Trust, tourists and videos on social media seem to depict an unchanged situation, especially in the height of summer. Aiden, 25, from Cardiff, was there in June: “Around the memorial, the ground was littered with socks and painted pebbles. It was like a mountain,” he said. Like most visitors to the memorial, Aiden grew up with Harry Potter. That doesn’t mean he understands the behavior of some fans. “These stupid socks end up in the sea and become a problem for creatures that are not fictional,” he said. In 2023, locals removed the mass of socks and other items from the beach, but the chaos returned soon after.

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