Rounds 11 & 12 - Epynt, 11th-12th June
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“Sennybridge Training Area (SENTA), located upon Mynydd Epynt, is the principal one of three military training areas in Wales. The land was requisitioned for military use in 1939 and covers approximately 31,000 acres of Ministry of Defence freehold land and 6,000 acres of forested land.
Mynydd Epynt is a desolate tract of upland plateau in central southern Wales, one of a number of extremely high and remote moorlands towards the southern edge of the Cambrian Mountains that stretch between the Brecon Beacons in the south and the peaks of Snowdonia in the north. This bare plateau is dotted with small ponds and peat bogs and is deeply dissected along its southern fringes by numerous river valleys, among them those of the Honddu, Bran and Cilieni. A great escarpment falls away along the north edge to the valley of the Irfon, and north-east to the route of the Wye. |
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Epynt was requisitioned in 1939 by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for military training, and remains in use today as the Sennybridge Training Area. The greater proportion of Mynydd Epynt, some 196 sq kms, forms a restricted military ‘Impact Area’ used for live firing and training. To the south-west Mynydd Bwlch y Groes is a continuing ridge of high ground also used for training.
The Sennybridge ranges have long been used for artillery practice and live firing takes place for most of the year. There is some live firing by ground-attack fighter aircraft, as well as use of air-dropping zones, although infantry are now the area's predominant users, firing mortars, anti-tank weapons and machine guns. The FIBUA (Firing in Built Up Areas) training village is a key facility.
The Sennybridge ranges have long been used for artillery practice and live firing takes place for most of the year. There is some live firing by ground-attack fighter aircraft, as well as use of air-dropping zones, although infantry are now the area's predominant users, firing mortars, anti-tank weapons and machine guns. The FIBUA (Firing in Built Up Areas) training village is a key facility.
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The Training Area encompasses a wide range of sites of different periods, in varying conditions, and its continued existence has preserved an historic landscape as it was pre-1939, unchanged by modern farming methods.” (www.coflein.gov.uk Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales).
The site is well camouflaged as you would expect and is difficult to find (turn right at the Psycho motel). ‘Unchanged by modern farming methods’ means there are sheep everywhere, and consequently, there’s sheep poo everywhere. As a military training area, there are some special conditions that have to be met when competing here (see DIO notice). Of particular interest is point 6. “Do not pick up or touch any military equipment or debris. IT MAY EXPODE AND KILL YOU!” 
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The landscape is stunning, and the weather massively unpredictable – a combination of the steep gradients, micro-climates, and being a restricted area, internet forecasts are indicative at best. We had rain at the start with sunshine at the finish. We had fair at the start and lashing it down at the finish. And everything in between.
Most of us stayed in a delightful pub B&B just outside of the range, with Dave holding the fort for us in his camper van at the paddock. He joined us for tea on Saturday evening, making the commute on his tricksy folding Di Blasi moped. Being fully automatic (and Italian) it doesn’t qualify for the Speed Championship. But the practice around the pub car park went someway to determining the results of the weekend.
Most of us stayed in a delightful pub B&B just outside of the range, with Dave holding the fort for us in his camper van at the paddock. He joined us for tea on Saturday evening, making the commute on his tricksy folding Di Blasi moped. Being fully automatic (and Italian) it doesn’t qualify for the Speed Championship. But the practice around the pub car park went someway to determining the results of the weekend.
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And that reminds me, there was some racing too. The tarmac is ‘military grade’: smooth, and grippy in all but the wettest of conditions, which is fun. And actually, we got dry conditions for at least a couple of runs each day, which turned fun into exhilarating. The hill is steep with a couple of twisty bits. It suits a combination of high power and bravery. Dave won, Captain Chaos 2nd, Jo 3rd, Three Nuts 4th, Shunter 5th. Both days.
Go on, put some numbers on it. Shunter |
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