New provision for wheelchair users at Morfa Bychan beach

Wheelchair users will be able to enjoy the popular Morfa Bychan beach (Black Rock Sands) after Cyngor Gwynedd invested in purpose-built wheelchairs which are available to hire free of charge.

From the Easter holidays until the end of September the wheelchairs, designed for disabled people with reduced mobility, will be available for enjoyment of the beach and the water.

The chairs are an innovative solution to the problems that usual wheelchairs might experience on the beach. This includes:

• large wheels on the chair to make travelling over the sand easier,
• floats to enjoy the sea safely,
• adjustable harness to ensure the user is safe and comfortable in the chair.

Helen Griffiths, one of the first users of the purpose-built wheelchairs, said:

"It's great to be able to come to the beach and enjoy the wheelchairs. They make life a lot easier for me as a wheelchair user coming to the beach. It gives me much more freedom when I come here, and instead of having to sit on the beach in the back of a vehicle, I can now come and use the wheelchairs, take part and enjoy the beach as a whole. I will be here every day!"

Councillor Gwilym Jones, Local Member for Porthmadog (West), said: ⁠

"Over the years, we have received a number of enquiries about a provision like this on Morfa Bychan beach, as it is an extremely popular and unique beach. Vehicles are already allowed to drive and park on the beach, which makes it convenient for users with physical impairments. 

Similar chairs have long been available for hire on Pwllheli and Abersoch beaches following support from a local charity (Wheely Pete). I'm very happy to see that the Council has invested in similar provision for Morfa Bychan beach – the gentle slope of the beach makes it ideal for this provision."

Councillor Nia Jeffreys, Local Member for Porthmadog (East) and Leader of Cyngor Gwynedd, added:

"Going to the beach is a great opportunity to enjoy the scenery and nature of Gwynedd at its best, not to mention that sea air can be beneficial for our mental health. It's extremely important that everyone has a fair chance to enjoy all that Morfa Bychan beach has to offer so I'm pleased that this investment in the new wheelchairs is opening new doors for people.

“We would encourage local residents and visitors who want to go to the beach but find it difficult due to reduced mobility to try these new wheelchairs.

"Thanks to Helen for raising the need for the chairs with me - I am extremely proud to see these chairs and hope to see the scheme go from strength to strength as more people use the wheelchairs."

There is no cost for the hire of the wheelchairs and officers from the Maritime Service will demonstrate and explain how to use the wheelchairs safely.

The chairs are available for hire on a daily basis (subject to availability) from Easter 2025 until the end of September 2025.