It’s a tale as old as time: fans flock to sites from their favorite books, movies or TV shows to pay homage. But while that is fun and exciting, an influx of too many people can harm those very sites.
Such has been the case for Pembrokeshire’s Freshwater West Beach, which marks the spot where Harry buried Dobby in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. For years, fans have been going there to pay tribute to the lovable house elf by leaving socks, which Dobby prized.
A local conservation group has expressed concern for the overwhelming number of socks and people that have taken over that area. It’s a potential hazard for the surrounding landscape. According to The New York Times, the National Trust Wales, a local conservation group, took eight months to look into the effects on the beach and the surrounding area. And this is what they found!
Harry Potter fans: Stop leaving socks at Dobby’s memorial!
Harry Potter fans will be happy to know that while the group considered tearing down Dobby’s memorial, they decided to keep allowing visitors to the site…with some exceptions. “The memorial to Dobby will remain at Freshwater West in the immediate term for people to enjoy,” the National Trust Wales said. “The Trust is asking visitors to only take photos when visiting the memorial to help protect the wider landscape.”
So you can visit and take pictures, but do not leave any socks or trinkets!
The understandable fear the group has is that these items can do harm to the local marine wildlife. So if you are going to pay homage to Harry Potter’s cutest character, remember: take pictures and don’t leave anything behind. I think Dobby would appreciate that.
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h/t The A.V. Club