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What do I need to know about military training areas along the route of the Coast Path?
The Coast Path meets a small number of military training
areas where use by the public is sometimes restricted. Details
of these are given below. Care must be exercised within these
areas at all times – you must keep to the footpath, stay away
from all installations and avoid approaching or touching any
objects lying on the ground.
Penhale Sands, south of Newquay, north Cornwall.
The South West Coast Path is seaward of the training area
and is always available.
- Tregantle Fort east of Downderry, south-east Cornwall. When the red flag is flying, firing is taking place and you
must use the waymarked route around the landward side of the
military ranges. When firing is not taking place, a more seaward
permissive route takes you through the ranges.
- Chickerell, near Weymouth, Dorset. Two alternative
routes are available, both of which are official routes of
the South West Coast Path. When the red flag is flying, firing
is taking place and you must use the waymarked route around
the landward side of the military ranges. When firing is not
taking place, a more seaward route takes you through the ranges.
- Lulworth, Dorset. The South West Coast Path follows
a permissive route through the Army Ranges and this route
is only available when firing is not taking place. Normally
it is available during school holidays and at weekends. In 2010 this section of the Coast Path is open between 2nd - 11th April, 1st - 3rd May, 29th - 6th June,
24th July - 30th August and 18th December - 3rd January (all
dates are inclusive). Weekends when the Coast Path will
not be available are 23rd/24th January, 13th/14th March,
17th/18th April, 12th/13th June, 2nd/3rd October, and 13th/14th
November. However you should always phone the 24 hour answering
service 01929 404819 to check that the route will be open.
If firing is taking place, red flags are flown and the
gates are locked. When only open at the weekends, the gates
to the walks are opened as near to 9am on the Saturday morning
as possible and remain open until 8am on the Monday morning.
The gate to Tyneham is locked each night at dusk. The exhibitions
in Tyneham Scchool and Tyneham Church (well worth a look)
are open from 10am to 4pm.
- When the Lulworth Range is closed for firing, the alternatives
are either a 13 mile detour around the ranges (partly on roads)
or a more attractive option is to catch a bus (see Traveline)
from West Lulworth to Corfe Castle and then walk along the
ridge (which has great views) to the road near Great Wood
and then descend down to rejoin the Coast Path at Kimmeridge.
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