Chiefs at Snowdonia National Park have asked people not to leave memorials to loved ones after one appeared on Snowdon’s Crib Goch ridge. The tribute, a slate plaque, was left to a keen climber. Park officials, however, are concerned that it might become a trend.
There have been some deaths reported on Snowdon this year, and passers-by assumed the "love you always" tribute was left to one of them. However, it was actually created for an “absolute legend” from the Wrexham area who loved climbing mountains but who died last year after a long illness.
Park chiefs have acknowledged that the area can hold sentimental attachments for many and said they could understand that people might want to honour loved ones' memories there. It’s a sensitive issue but the authority said it had a duty to preserve the natural environment and it said the impact of too many memorials would be “significant”. You can get more Welsh news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
In 2018, the Snowdonia National Park Authority (SNPA) had to ask mourners to stop spreading ashes up the mountain. While it could not ban the practice, it began advising mourners to pick an alternative location as it was damaging the area's natural ecosystem by affecting the acidity of the soil.
Regarding memorials, the park told NorthWalesLive that if the families of people commemorated this way could be identified, they would be politely asked to remove any plaques or other items. Others would be taken down by SNPA staff if those responsible could not be traced, they said.
A spokesperson said: “The National Park Authority understands that people can form a special attachment to places, and that friends and family may wish to honour the memory of loved ones by placing a plaque or memorial in a particular place. The park authority receives many requests for plaques and memorials, but because the accumulative effect on the landscape would be significant, especially in popular areas, the authority cannot support such requests.”
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