Beautiful Cornish beach feels like ‘hell’ because of tourists | Great Britain | Travel

Locals fear that increasing social media attention is turning a once-under-the-radar beach into an overrated and dangerous tourist hotspot.

Pedn Vounder, near Treen, is celebrated for its golden sands and turquoise waters. But the beauty spot has seen an influx of visitors thanks to its growing popularity online.

Residents are concerned that visitors are trying to recreate the Ibiza vibe in Cornwall, which has sparked numerous problems: traffic jams, littering including human waste, on-site fights and fires.

The fear is heightened by the lack of lifeguard coverage on a beach known for treacherous currents. Locals are concerned the rising steps could lead to erosion and damage to Cornwall’s beautiful beach.

One resident told Cornwall Live that social media has drawn overwhelming crowds to the area, which has caused infrastructure problems.

“Apart from access issues and lack of facilities, including rescue, the huge social media coverage it has attracted over the past few years has led to an overwhelming number of visitors, which in turn have created problems massive infrastructure for the local area”. said the resident.

Another local expressed concern, saying the town’s reputation as a “hidden gem” was having “catastrophic effects on the local environment and infrastructure”.

They added: “Quite simply, narrow streets, coastal paths and the sheer volume of ‘Instagrammed’ visitors who ‘heard about it via social media’ are putting a huge strain on local infrastructure. It’s no longer a secret beach and its beauty is in danger of being its downfall.”

Traffic congestion is a common sight, often stretching to Porthcurno, another popular beach spot. Cars are frequently abandoned on curbs when parking spaces fill up during the peak summer season. The lack of beach facilities only adds to the worries of the locals about litter, dirt and pollution.

Porthcurno is far from Ibiza. Its narrow roads struggle to cope with the influx of up to 3,000 cars on busy summer days, not just for the beaches but also for the ever-popular Minack Theatre.

A local resident who raised his concerns revealed that the problems started in 2018 when Pedn Vounder started trending on social media.

“The world and his wife went down West Penwith and Treen. We had roads blocked, emergency services couldn’t work, the local bus network shut down, no rubbish removal services, no food delivery trucks could get to the campsite Treen Farm,” they said. .

“Minack staff and performers couldn’t get to the theatre, there were nappies in the hedges, aluminum barbecue trays left everywhere, human excrement in every field entrance and station, bottles, cans, food wrappers and rubbish bags strewn liberally in the hedgerows, the Path to the beach was a dangerous run down nightmare, people were climbing over each other hoping for a photo to share on social media, the beach was broken up, there was shards of broken glass, tent pegs, excrement left in the sand was hell.”

The resident added: “Every summer since has been just as stressful. Including the two years of isolation where all kinds of people who would normally have gone to party in Ibiza sought out Pedn Vounder, lured by Instagram promises of “paradise” or “the best beach”. in the world’.

“As a result, gangs of party bosses descended on the beach, a can of beer on one shoulder, a ghetto-blaster on the other, unseen by Covid, desperate to ‘load up'”.

The resident complained: “The last decade has seen the beach transform from a quiet sanctuary where a few respectful people could find some peace and quiet in nature, to an over-the-top summer festival scene that went on for far too long a long time.

“Ankle-high bottles, vomit, dog excrement, litter, excrement, fights, fires, smoke, graffiti, drug abuse and paraphernalia. The same can be said for Porthcurno beach, Kynance, Sennen and numerous other hot spots in the county. “

The local also pointed out the dangers of Pedn Vounder’s strong rip currents, which “can be deadly to unwary bathers, as has been seen many times. The main way down to the beach is dangerous, slippery, a rock climb, there are many opportunities to kill yourself.”

He added: “People injure themselves every year, often because they are completely ignorant, wearing flip flops, lured by Instagram’s promise of a ‘list experience’.

“There are stinging jellyfish, weaver fish, sea lice, the rocks collapse from time to time and rock falls happen. There are no lifeguards – just a bunch of selfless locals helping out where they can. emergency services to clean up the mess.”