The Blue Lagoon at Abereiddy is to remain closed to the public in a bid to protect the seals and pups which are currently inhabiting the site.

The announcement was made today (Saturday, September 16) by the National Trust.

It is understood that the Blue Lagoon will remain closed between September 23 and November 4, however the Trust has said that it’s possible that these dates could be extended.

Three weeks ago the National Trust closed Mwnt Beach in southern Ceredigion to protect the seals and their pups.

The announcement comes just hours after reports of ‘a significant shower of rock’ was seen falling from a cliff edge at the Blue Lagoon by members of a wild swimming group.

“It came down like a waterfall effect, some four or five metres wide between the horizontal bar that’s set a couple of metres above the water directly opposite the concrete slip in the lagoon,” commented one of the witnesses.

“This is directly below the significant fresh scar, close to the cliff dive set-up. The scar is almost semi-circular and several metres across and deep.

“As a group we had already set this as a no-go area and this was justified shortly before 3pm on Friday.”

The farthest rock scatter was about two metres from the wall but the largest pieces, which were described as ‘head size’, were one metre away.

The Lagoon, which sits just to the north of the beach, was formerly the main slate quarry of the St Brides Slate Company and remained active up until 1910.

Slate that was extracted from Abereiddi was transported by tramway to the neighbouring Porthgain Harbour from where it was shipped out. The Blue Lagoon was formed when the channel connecting the quarry to the sea was blasted, allowing the sea to flood in.

Ruined quarry buildings still sit on the clifftop, with the remains of the workmen’s cottages adjacent to the car park, along what was called The Row or The Street.

The National Trust, in conjunction with Pembrokeshire County Council, has been addressing coastal erosion on the site for a number of years. 

“Since the deteriorating sea wall was removed in 2012, the pace of change has sped up dramatically,” the National Trust has stated.

“During the winter storms of 2014 there were overnight land losses of more than five metres.”

The Blue Lagoon and the coastal area around Abereiddy remains a popular spot for coasteering and climbing along the cliffs at sea level.