Wales - Public access to military areas
Information about public access to military owned land.
Wales firing times
Wales byelaws
Read about accessing the training estate safely
Capel Curig
Location
Capel Curig Training Camp is located three and a half miles from the village of Betws-y-Coed, within the northern part of Snowdonia National Park.
Site description
The camp covers an area of 4 hectares with a perimeter fence around the main buildings area of 845 metres. The main camp area contains woodland and a helicopter landing area/sports field. There is also provision of secure and centrally located accommodation for units undertaking adventurous training in North Wales. The Camp provides 280 bed spaces and catering facilities.
Castlemartin
Location
Castlemartin Training Area is located on the South Pembrokeshire coast within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Site description
Castlemartin Training Area covers about 2,390 hectares (5,900 acres) of freehold land within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
A beautiful area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, Castlemartin contains a wide variety of flora, as well as some of the finest limestone coastal scenery in the National Park. It has significant archaeological and geological interest, including fossil records of international significance.
Castlemartin has been preserved as a spectacular coastal landscape, and Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) manages its special heritage to preserve it for future generations.
Access opportunities
Castlemartin Training Area is extremely popular with climbers, surfers and many other recreational groups.
All visitors to Range West must attend a robust access briefing before entering the area.
Further information
Changes and cancellations to firing/road closure times can happen without notice. Please phone 01646 662367 from 8.15am for daily updates.
Kinmel Park Training Area
Location
Kinmel Park Training Area is located at Bodelwyddan near Rhyl. It lies just off Junction 25 of the A55 trunk road.
Site description
Kinmel Park Training Area covers an area of 35 hectares (83 acres) of grassland. The training area lies between 2 large private estates and slopes from high ground in the west down to flat ground which borders the A55 trunk road. The area land is grazed by sheep and beef cattle. Within the confines of the training area there is an obstacle course and a 25 metre No Danger Area Range.
The original Kinmel Park Camp was once many times larger than the existing camp, which is now awaiting disposal, and was the site of the alleged mutiny by Canadian troops which took place on the 4 March 1919.
Kinmel Park Training Area plays host to a large winter migrant bird population, which takes full advantage of the large woods surrounding the training area. Flocks of redwing and fieldfare are abundant, particularly in harsh winters. There are sizeable native bird populations of most species here. Large predators include buzzard, carrion crow, and raven. There is also a large population of red deer, which move freely through the training area.
Access opportunities
There are no public footpaths that cross the training area. No live firing takes place at Kinmel in normal training, however the MOD Deer Management Society do cull deer at Kinmel during the hunting season.
Further information
Contact Nesscliff Training Camp on 01743 741607 (Monday to Friday only).
Manorbier Range
Location
Air Defence Range (ADR) Manorbier is located near the village of Manorbier, within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Site description
ADR Manorbier is the only range in mainland UK from where the High Velocity Missile, employed in the anti aircraft role, can be fired.
In addition to High Velocity Missile firings, which constitute the core business of the range, ADR Manorbier also plays host to the Air Warfare Centre who conduct a variety of aircraft related trials. Every effort is made to ensure that the inevitable low flying activity associated with these trials is kept to a minimum over the mainland.
Access restrictions
When the ranges are used for live firing, red flags (day) or red lights (night) are displayed: access is prohibited.
Further information
Contact the Control Tower on 01834 870105 for information on when the range is active.
At all other times please phone 01834 870104 or 01834 871282. Or listen to the recorded message on 01834 870098.
See also Manorbier firing times and byelaws.
Pembrey Sands
Location
Pembrey Sands Air Weapons Range is located near the town of Kidwelly in South Wales
Site description
Pembrey Sands Air Weapons Range is primarily an air-to-ground bombing and strafing practice area.
Access restrictions
Do not enter the danger area when the range is in use.
Normal range firing times are:
Summer
9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday
9am to 2pm Fridays
Winter
9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday
9am to 2pm Fridays
Night firing can take place on an irregular basis. Other air and ground training activity does take place on the range outside these times including C130s landing on the beach, aircraft using the range targets but not firing weapons and various cadet organisations conducting exercises.
Further information
For further information about all firing and flying activities call: 01554 892 205. Low flying and air weapons activities.
Penally
Location
Penally Camp and Training Area are located near Tenby in South Wales
Site description
Penally Camp is located adjacent to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, while the Training Area falls within the National Park boundary.
The camp, and associated firing range, was established in 1860 to cater for an identified need for musketry training following the Crimean War. Extensive use of the accommodation and training facilities was also made during the First and Second World Wars, providing facilities for many British and Allied troops. Some of the original buildings are still in use.
Penally Training Camp’s classrooms and training facilities complement activities at both Manorbier and Templeton, and it administers the latter. Penally Training Camp is also used as a centre for many types of training, including adventurous training, and is the principal accommodation for units using Air Defence Range Manorbier.
Access restrictions
When the ranges are used for live firing, red flags (day) or red lights (night) are displayed: access is prohibited.
Further information
For updated information on firing taking place on Penally Gallery Range phone 01834 845950.
Penally Gallery Range firing times.
Sennybridge Training Area
Location
Sennybridge Training Area lies near the county town of Brecon, in Mid Wales within the counties of Powys and Carmarthenshire.
Site description
Situated just outside the Brecon Beacon National Park to the northwest of the town of Brecon, Sennybridge Training Area covers an area of approximately 12,000 hectares (31,000 acres) of MOD freehold land and 2,500 hectares (6,000 acres) of land leased from National Recourses Wales.
Sennybridge Training Area hosts sophisticated live firing and dry training activities for light forces including artillery.
Sennybridge Training Area consists mainly of a flat upland plateau known locally as Mynydd Epynt. From this plateau there are spectacular views across to the Black Mountains, the Brecon Beacons, the Cambrian Mountains, and the Carmarthenshire Black Mountain.
Access restrictions
When the training area is being used for military activities the red flags (day) or red lights (night) are displayed, access is prohibited in accordance with the Sennybridge Byelaws.
The Epynt Way
Permission under byelaw 8(1) of the Sennybridge Training Area Byelaws 1974
The Officer in Charge of Sennybridge Training Area gives permission under Byelaw 8(1) of the Sennybridge Training Area Byelaws 1974 for members of the public:
(a) to use those parts of the Epynt Way that lie within the Danger Area, on either foot, horseback or cycle;
and
(b) for the purpose of enabling access to and from the Epynt Way, to follow the route of a public right of way shown on the plan subject to the same limitations as its status as a public right of way provides,
when the Danger Area is being used for a military purpose, and Byelaws 3(1)(a), (b ) and (c ) do not apply insofar as they are inconsistent with this permission.
Explanatory Note
The Epynt Way is a permissive route that lies within the Sennybridge Training Area. It has been provided by the MOD for the purpose of enabling the public to travel along all or part of its route on foot, or by riding a horse or a cycle, for open air recreation.
The route runs around the perimeter of the Training Area. However, parts of it lie within the boundary of the Danger Area which is closed to the public when the area is being used for a military purpose.
This permission is intended to enable the public to only use:
-
the entirety of the Epynt Way as described on the accompanying plan and on the ground using signs and waymarker discs
-
those public rights of way outside the Epynt Way that are closed under the Byelaws in order to gain access to the Epynt way but not beyond to further travel along PROW that enter the Danger Area even when the Danger Area is being used for a military purpose.
Further information
For further information on firing times for Sennybridge phone Range Control on 01874 635599 or 07467 015206. You can also visit Sennybridge firing times.
Swynnerton Camp and Training Area
Location
Swynnerton Training Camp and Training Area is in North Staffordshire, 8 kilometres (5 miles) west of the town of Stone and near the villages of Eccleshall, Swynnerton and Yarnfield.
Site description
The Camp and Training Area are on the site of an old ammunition production factory from the Second World War. There is a comprehensive tarmac road system and a mix of old factory buildings and walkways running through the site, with open and wooded countryside and a lagoon in the south fed with surface drained water and from the river Meece in the west.
Access restrictions
No entry is allowed at any time.
The site is approximately 228 hectares and is ring fenced with no direct public access or byelaws. Visits can be arranged at convenient times when no training is taking place by contacting the local staff.
Further information
Queries should be addressed to the following contact numbers:
Training Safety Officer: 01785 763134
Operations room: 01874 635599 (24 hours)
Helpdesk: 0800 0223334 (24 hours)
Main Office: 01785 763127
MGS Guardroom: 01785 763137 (24 Hours)
Templeton Training Area
Location
Templeton Training Area is located to the west of Templeton village in the southwest of Pembrokeshire.
Site description
Templeton Training Area is a disused World War II airfield of approximately 164 hectares (404 acres). It is located approximately 25 minutes north of Penally training camp. Built in 1939, it has 3 intersecting runways and a network of taxiways that link into aircraft standing areas. The terrain is flat to undulating with a west to southwest aspect.
Training personnel, made up of regular and territorial soldiers as well as cadet units, extensively use Templeton Training Area for up to subunit dry training with the use of pyrotechnics authorised within designated areas. An army orienteering course has been set up and is widely used by visiting units. A bridging pit is available to engineering units.
Access opportunities
Public access is via 2 bridleways transversing the runways, which have been recently renovated to allow greater use by diverse organisations. The grassland is leased for grazing and there are several organisations who hold leases to enable other use of the area on stipulated occasions.
Further information
For further information about the usage of Templeton Training Area call the Penally Training Camp Administrative Officer on 01834 843522.