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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.

Castlemartin firing times.

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.

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 Camps 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.

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.