People have been flocking to a Welsh woodland despite the fact that the country continues to be in a state of lockdown.
Scores of cars were parked up in Penllergaer Woods outside Swansea on Thursday afternoon.
In an image taken from the scene, a large number of vehicles can be seen in the area, which is popular with walkers, runners and cyclists.
It’s a far cry from the quiet scenes which have been the norm in the area ever since Wales went into lockdown in the last week of March. However, since the Welsh Government announced "modest adjustments" last week, the guidelines for exercising in Wales have changed.
On Friday, May 8, First Minister Mark Drakeford said that people in Wales would be able to exercise more than once a day, but that he still wanted people to “stay local”. However, it has not been specified what exactly “local” means within this context.
The slight change in lockdown guidance has seen garden centres reopen across Wales and some golf clubs.
One eye-witness who was walking in Penllergaer Woods on Thursday afternoon said that he saw many different people in the area, most of whom were exercising, but some who were not.
“I saw approximately 25 cars in two different places at the woods,” they told WalesOnline.
“One family was having a picnic and I saw five teenagers riding their bikes, but most people were keeping their distance.
“My main issue was the fact that people had driven there.”
While there appears to be some confusion over where people can go to exercise, the First Minister did stress last week that “any exercise should start and end at home and not involve going a significant distance from home”.
Furthermore, the Welsh Government website states: “Travelling by vehicle to exercise should be avoided unless there is a good reason for doing so.”
A picture of the packed road near Penllergaer Woods has drawn a mixed response from members of the public. Some were scathing of people’s desire to drive to the area, while others expressed sympathy.
One person said on social media that they “wished people would stop and stay away”, while another referred to people as “idiots”. One man commented: “What is wrong with people - do they want to die?”
In defence of those who had driven to the woods, one woman said: “What about people who live in a flat or on a busy road? Surely it’s safer to drive to a destination in those circumstances. If people are using their common sense and staying away from people then leave them be.”
Another person said: “There could be a million people in Penllegaer Woods; as long as everyone stays at least two metres apart not one person will catch anything.”
Stop checks continue to be carried out by police across Wales, as they try to ensure that people are only travelling in line with government advice.
South Wales Police has said their officers are actively increasing patrols in the Penllergaer area.
A spokeswoman for the force said: "Our officers are doing their best to ensure that as many people as possible are complying with the government guidelines. Extra patrols are taking place in key locations.
"While some very minor amendments to the Welsh legislation came in to force on Monday, the message to our communities remains consistent – please continue to Stay Homes, Protect the NHS and Save Lives.
"Restrictions around the number of times an individual can exercise have been eased, but Welsh Government advice continues to be to exercise locally and, where possible, to avoid travelling to do so.
Travelling should be reserved for limited reasons, and we’d urge people to stick to the spirit of the guidance, including when undertaking outdoor exercise."
