Outdoor attractions reopen as five-mile guidance lifted in Wales

Outdoor visitor attractions have today (Monday, July 6) reopened in Wales, while the five-mile travel guidance has finally been lifted.

This means tourists will be able to visit sites such as Cwmcarn Forest Drive once again.

However, indoor attractions like Llancaiach Fawr in Nelson, and the Winding House Museum in Elliotstown, will not yet be able to reopen.

It is not yet known when attractions such as Caerphilly Castle can reopen, and in what capacity.

The castle, which is run by Welsh Government body Cadw, has a mixture of outdoor and indoor space for tourists.

Speaking at Welsh Government’s daily press briefing on Friday, July 3, First Minister Mark Drakeford said Welsh Government has been working with Cadw to solve the issue.

The First Minister said: “Cadw has been focusing over the last couple of weeks in making sure that all its outdoor sites are fit and ready for visitors to return to them, and then we are having conversations with Cadw about ways in which sites that are a hybrid – a mixture of indoors and outdoors – can be safely reopened.

“I’m hoping that it will not be long before we will be able to resolve that matter as far as Caerphilly Castle is concerned, and a relatively small number of other sites which have that hybrid characteristic.”

Meanwhile, Wales’ hospitality sector could be set to reopen next Monday (July 13), which could see bars, restaurants and cafés with outdoor spaces reopening.

However, the reopening is dependent on transmission of Covid-19 continuing to fall and a final decision will be made at Welsh Government’s next review of coronavirus regulations on Thursday (July 9).

Pubs in England reopened on Saturday (July 4), but after images showing revellers failing to abide by social distancing measures emerged on social media, John Apter, national chair of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said it was “crystal clear” drunk people couldn’t social distance.