A coasteering company has been served a trespass notice by the National Trust in a dispute centred on coastal land access.
Adventure Beyond, based in Pembrokeshire, received the notice on May 22 through the National Trust’s solicitors, Birketts LLP.
The letter stated that continued use of Ceibwr Bay would be considered trespass on land owned by the National Trust.
Jethro Moore of Adventure Beyond said: "I've been taking people into that sea for thirty years – not just to experience the thrill of it, but to understand it.
"To be told I'm a trespasser on land I've known my whole life, on a path that belongs to everyone, by lawyers who appear to have never looked at a map – it's beyond belief."
Adventure Beyond challenged the notice on the grounds that the Wales Coast Path, a statutory long-distance route established under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, passes directly through the land in question.
The company wrote to Birketts requesting clarification by May 26, but the law firm replied that their instructing officer was on holiday and said they would respond "where we consider it appropriate to do so" upon her return.
No comment was made about the Wales Coast Path issue.
Adventure Beyond claims that the Trust’s stance "became gradually more aggressive" following a recent meeting.
The case has prompted questions about the National Trust’s legal authority to restrict public activity on land it manages.
The Trust is a registered charity with the stated purpose of "the preservation for the benefit of the nation of lands of beauty or historic interest".
A letter from the Trust’s solicitors described it as "are private landowners and are entitled to regulate and restrict the use of the Land as they see fit."
Rene Olivieri, chair of the National Trust Board of Trustees, wrote to a resident on May 12 saying he was "satisfied the matter is being dealt with appropriately by the local senior leadership team."
At that time, the Board had not reviewed all documentation, external solicitors had only recently been engaged, and no legal basis for the Trust’s position had been identified.
A formal referral has now been made to the Charity Commission.
Adventure Beyond said it has operated at Ceibwr Bay for more than 30 years.
Ceibwr Bay is located between Cemaes Head and Newport along the Welsh coastline, within an area managed by the National Trust.
A National Trust Cymru spokesperson said: “Whilst there is an ongoing legal dispute it would not be appropriate to comment in detail on this matter.
"However, we'd like to assure people that we are in no way restricting the public’s legal rights to use the Wales Coast Path.”
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