Freshwater West Beach is a small but very beautiful beach in the Pembrokeshire region of Wales. Until about ten years ago, it was mainly known and popular among surfers or locals due to the very good waves. Although it is off the usual tourist routes, St. Davids is the largest town in the area with 1,700 inhabitants. The smallest town in Great Britain – however, for some time now it has been a tourist area and a kind of paradise for fans of the Harry Potter saga. In fact, the beach was used as a filming location for the film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1Opened in 2010, the park is recommended by many on social media as a place to visit. It is positive for the economy and local businesses, but causes various problems for the coastal ecosystem.
In fact, fans of the series have recreated the grave of Dobby, a mythical creature beloved by readers, on the sand dunes of Freshwater West Beach, where his death and funeral were filmed. The grave consists of stones, a wooden cross and a headstone with the inscription “Here lies Dobby, the free dwarf”, just like in the film. However, fans started covering it with pebbles and socks (in the second book, Dobby was actually freed by being given one as a gift) to honor the character, and in no time the grave became a sort of pile of stones and rags.
To protect the coastal and marine ecosystem of the region, the National Trust – the association responsible for preserving and protecting the natural and artistic heritage of Great Britain – has been asking tourists interested in the series for some time to leave everything as it is. They found that this could avoid polluting the area and asked them to spread the message on social media. In fact, lately, among the many videos circulating on TikTok and Instagram, it is easy to find comments or descriptions explaining that it is better not to bring or leave anything on the beach, but the request is not always accepted by those who are among the 75,000 tourists who visit the area every year.
@mindovermattertravelHow to find Dobby’s grave 👇 Add this to your travel list if you’re a Harry Potter fan! Freshwater West is where Dobby’s death scene was filmed (spoiler 😅) and fans have built a memorial to Dobby filled with rocks and painted socks 🧦 To find the memorial when you visit, park in the main car park and walk up the hill next to the lifeguard hut! Important notes! National Trust Wales asks that all visitors only take photos and do not add anything to the memorial to protect the surrounding environment. Save this post for your next trip to Wales and let me know in the comments if you’re a Harry Potter fan! ⚡️♬ Harry Potter – Intermezzo Orchestra
In recent years, local environmental groups and residents have complained that socks left behind by fans are quickly lost on the beach and end up in the sea, where they become litter and endanger the animals and seabirds living in this context, while pebbles can be decorated with toxic materials that can be harmful and release microplastics onto the beach and into the sea.
In order to protect the beach, in 2022 the National Trust looked into the possibility of removing the grave and moving it elsewhere. This also considered the aspects of panoramic distortion, erosion of the sand dunes by visitors and also the question of opportunity as the grave commemorates the death of a fictional character. After also conducting a survey of locals and online, it was ultimately decided to leave it on Freshwater West Beach.
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In a report prepared by the National Institution, we read that local residents responded to the survey by demanding its removal, while many local business managers considered it very useful to attract tourists, who generate around 11,000 jobs in the area. In addition, according to the association, there was a possibility that even if the current grave was moved, fans could still go to the beach and leave stones and socks. So the decision was made to create infrastructures that welcome tourists while minimizing the environmental impact, for example by building a car park, a mobile bar and a toilet, and raising awareness among fans by asking them to spread the message through social media.
Overtourism and disproportionate tourism through films and epics are common in the United Kingdom, where Harry Potter was set and filmed. In Scotland, for example, thousands of people flock to the village of Glenfinnan every year to watch the train pass over the bridge that also passed over the Hogwarts Express (the train that took students to the magic school) in the film. Secondly, The World Every year 500,000 visitors come, which is certainly too much for the village’s 150 residents, who complain about garbage and overcrowding.
