The tiny Welsh village paying the price for having 'most famous' waterfall in Europe
A German study found the popular cascade had top 10 search volumes
A tiny Welsh village is paying the price for having one of 'most famous' waterfalls in Europe
Crowds of people flocking to see a waterfall that has been identified as being one of the "most famous" in Europe is causing chaos for people in a small Welsh village.
The 120ft cascade at Aber Falls and its surrounding area have been popular tourist destinations since the 18th century but as the waterfall gathers increasing attention on social media, the flow of people wanting to see it has turned into a stampede.
It means an access road to the falls has now become so busy that the nearby village of Abergwyngregyn in Eryri can become gridlocked at peak times. Residents complain of being trapped in their homes, unable to leave a village that was home to the last native prince of Wales, reports North Wales Live.
In terms of popularity, the waterfall was ranked 10th in Europe, placing it alongside some of Iceland's iconic cascades. Other Welsh waterfalls to feature in the list were Swallow Falls near Betws-y-Coed, Henrhyd Falls in Bannau Brycheiniog, Pistyll Rhaeadr in the Berwyn Mountains and Horseshoe Falls on the River Dee in Llangollen.
To arrive at its findings of popularity, German travel provider SpaDreams analysed 219 European waterfalls and their presence on Google, Bing, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and TikTok.
The Hamburg-based company said waterfalls have long held a certain allure: "Anyone who has ever stood in front of a waterfall knows its magic: the hypnotic roar of the water, the caress of the spray on the face, the feeling of being in touch with the pure energy of nature."
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Rhaeadr Fawr (Aber Falls) near Abergwyngregyn
(Image: North Wales Live )
Billed as a "must-visit" attraction with scenic walks, Aber Falls is within easy reach of families from Liverpool and Manchester wanting a day out. The waterfall has attracted celebrity endorsements too: last year model and TV personality Christine McGuiness described it as "the most magical, beautiful thing I have ever seen" after visiting it on BBC's Pilgrimage: The Road Through North Wales.
As it lies just a mile from the A55, the waterfall is easily accessible. A narrow road winds through Abergwyngregyn up to Aber National Nature Reserve where ticketed car parks are run by Eryri National Park and Natural Resources Wales (NRW) At busy times, villagers say queuing traffic can snake back all the way to the dual-carriageway.
Gwynedd council says it is sympathetic to the issues and has met representatives to discuss solutions. But it said there are "no easy fixes".
In the past, Horseshoe Falls has also faced illegal and inconsiderate parking, though enforcement has helped ease the issues.
Horseshoe Falls, Llangollen
(Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live )
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According to the SpaDreams study, Europe's highest profile waterfall is Rhine Falls in Switzerland. One of the continent's biggest falls, spanning 150 metres, it sees up to 600,000 liters of water per second plunge over a 23-metre drop. The 165-metre Marmore Falls, Italy, the world's largest man-made waterfall having been created by the Romans, was also on the list.
Skogafoss waterfall in south iceland Skogafoss, iceland, july 14,2019
Otherwise, seven of the top nine were waterfalls in Iceland, crowned by the majestic Skógafoss. Cascading from more than 60 metres, it creates an imposing curtain of water that creates large, rainbow-forming mist clouds.
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