There aren’t many fan bases more dedicated than the world of Harry Potter obsessives. And one of the most significant real-world spots for Harry Potter fans is the beach where Dobby, one of the best Harry Potter characters, died during the devastating finale of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One.
For years, there has been a memorial site for Dobby close to the filming location of one of the franchise’s best movies at Freshwater West in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Fans leave pebbles on the beach, but they have recently been leaving socks, and this is raising the environmental alarm.
The socks are, of course, a reference to the scene from Chamber of Secrets in which Harry tricks one of the best Harry Potter villains, Lucius Malfoy, into presenting Dobby with a sock and thereby ensuring his freedom.
Unsurprisingly, local authorities aren’t too keen about the idea of their prized beauty spot being littered with discarded hosiery. Little did they know what would happen after the Harry Potter cast came to town.
A National Trust spokesperson told Sky News: “When visiting the memorial to Dobby, we ask that visitors leave no trace. In order to protect marine wildlife – including grey seals, harbour porpoise, and seabirds – from plastic pollution in the marine environment and food chain, we are urging visitors to take photos only when visiting the memorial.”
It should go without saying, but you shouldn’t be spending your weekends leaving socks on beaches. We love Dobby as much as the next Potter fan, but nobody should be littering the UK’s coastline with clothing for the benefit of a fictional elf. See how bizarre that sentence sounded? We shouldn’t have to say it.
If you’re a Potter lover addicted to rewatching the Harry Potter movies in order, we’ve got plenty for you to enjoy. Find out surprising facts about Hagrid, Voldemort, and Dumbledore, as well as checking out our picks for the best Harry Potter spells. You can also find out why Harry Potter’s success was bad news for owls and learn why we think Hermione overshadows Harry in the movies.
We’ve also looked into the new movies and the best TV series that could be coming to the Wizarding World, including the Fantastic Beasts 4 release date, the Harry Potter TV series release date, and the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child release date.