The vice chairman of regional tourism organisation MWT Cymru is delighted that 13 popular beaches along the Ceredigion coastline in Mid Wales have achieved prestigious Wales Coast Awards.
Blue Flags will again be flown at Borth, Llangrannog and Tresaith, while six beaches have achieved Seaside Award status and a further four have secured a Green Coast Award.
The Green Coast Award goes to Llanrhystud, Cilborth-Llangrannog, Penbryn and Mwnt, while Clarach, Aberystwyth North, Aberystwyth South, New Quay Harbour, New Quay Dolau/North and Aberporth have achieved the Seaside Award.
The awards, managed by Keep Wales Tidy, signify that a beach or marina meets and maintains the highest environmental standards and achieves tough water quality targets They also ensure high standards of information, environmental education, safety and site management.
Beaches achieving Blue Flag and Green Coast Award status must meet the overall “excellent” water quality standard and are judged for the provision of facilities for beach users and for demonstrating good management and safety provision.
The Seaside Award recognises beaches that comply with recognised water quality standards, public facilities, safety provision and management.
Suzy Davies, MWT Cymru vice chairman, is delighted that Ceredigion beaches have continued to maintain their high standards.
“These awards are a celebration of the high quality beaches that we have in Ceredigion,” he said. “They are a fantastic natural resource, of which the whole of Wales should be proud.
“MWT Cymru is delighted, as always, to see visitors and local residents alike enjoying these beaches responsibly, whilst also contributing to the success story by helping to ensure that they are clean and safe.”
Owen Derbyshire, Keep Wales Tidy chief executive, said: “Most people are familiar with the Blue Flag and Seaside Awards – but it’s just as important that we recognise the wild, unspoilt beaches that stretch along so much of the Welsh coast,” he added.
“The Green Coast Award signifies the highest standards of water quality, environmental education and site management. These are the sweeping coastlines that define Wales on the world stage and it’s right that we celebrate these extraordinary places.”
Councillor Clive Davies, Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet Member for the Economy and Regeneration, thanked the individuals, groups, organisations and businesses across Ceredigion who voluntarily pick up litter, promote environmental conservation, wildlife education and beach and water safety activities along coastline.
“Without this long-standing support, we would not be able to put forward so many of our beaches and successfully obtain these prestigious coastal awards, which place Ceredigion amongst the very best of coastal destinations in Wales and the UK, ” he said.
MWT Cymru represents more than 600 tourism and hospitality member businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Eryri (Snowdonia).
