Snowdonia National Park Authority do not support the use of lanterns and balloons within the National Park.
Fire Hazards and Wildlife Disturbance
Lanterns have open flames and can be a dangerous fire hazard if they travel and land near or on buildings and open land including, but not limited to:
- agricultural buildings and barns (potentially containing hay, straw, grains, fuels or machinery)
- private dwellings
- dry hillsides
- dry peat and forested areas
They can also disturb wildlife and panic grazing stock resulting in serious issues for landowners.
Environmental hazards
Released lanterns or balloons result in uncontrolled litter in the countryside. Balloons (even if biodegradable) can be hazardous if ingested by grazing stock.
Flight hazards
The National Park is an area which has a considerable amount of low-flying aircraft (including low-flying jets, search and rescue helicopters and other aircraft for low-level training purposes). Released lanterns and balloons are an issue in terms of flight safety.
Further information
If you have any queries relating to this topic, then please consult further with the National Park Authority’s Access and Wellbeing Manager.
Peter Rutherford
Access and Wellbeing Manager, Snowdonia National Park Authority
peter.rutherford@eryri.llyw.cymru
01766 772258