WITH the schools out for summer from this week, many will be taking advantage of the heatwave to visit south Donegal’s busiest beach, Rossnowlagh.
A popular spot for Fermanagh day-trippers, the good news for local families is the opening of a new car-free zone ahead of the busy holiday season. The move will ensure that families can enjoy the sun, sea and sand in a safe space.
The designated area for car parking on Rossnowlagh Beach will keep vehicles away from one section of the popular beach.
Rossnowlagh is one of only two beaches in Donegal that cars are allowed to drive on to but concerns over public safety have surfaced during recent spell of sunny weather when thousands of people flocked to the coastal village.
In the past sunny afternoons have turned into soggy disasters for visitors to Rossnowlagh who have found their vehicles submerged in water on the beach. Dozen of drivers continue to be caught out by exceptionally high tides swamping their cars when they are left parked at the beach.
Buoys have now been laid out on the sand between the two slipways to create the car-free area. The move has been much-welcomed by beachgoers and community members who say they can enjoy the beach “as nature intended.”
However, some drivers are not still adhering to the barrier with the ‘Friends Of Rossnowlagh Beach’ community group calling on cars to respect the zone after one buoy was broken on the first night.
Neil Britton who runs the nearby Fin McCool’s Surf School said: “This is a safety move for families with young children to help them feel more secure. It will give people the option of using the car park and then walking 50 metres where they can let the kids run free and off the leash. Of course people can still drive down to the beach as before away from this new family-friendly area.
“The buoys have only been in place for a few weeks but so far the reaction from people has been very positive.”