Otterburn Training Area facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Otterburn Training Area |
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| Otterburn | |
The southern entrance to Otterburn MoD camp
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 Otterburn Training Area
Location within Northumberland
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| Coordinates | 55°22′10″N 2°18′20″W / 55.36944°N 2.30556°W |
| Type | Training Area |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Ministry of Defence |
| Operator |  British Army |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1911 |
| Built for | War Office |
| In use | 1911 – present |
The Otterburn Army Training Estate (ATE) is a military training area near Otterburn, Northumberland, in northern England. It is owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) and operated by Landmarc on contract from the MoD's Defence Infrastructure Organisation. The range and is used for training up to 30,000 soldiers per year. The site was established in 1911 and covers about 242 square kilometres (93 sq mi) of the southern Cheviot Hills.
Otterburn is the UK's largest firing range, and is in frequent use: artillery can be clearly heard from Lindisfarne to the northeast and Fontburn to the south. The ranges are used by AS-90 artillery and M270 Multiple Launch Rocket Systems; Otterburn is the only place in the UK where the MLRS can be fired, requiring an 11 mile long via 2 mile wide firing range.
The training area accounts for 23% of the Northumberland National Park.
Because of the danger posed by live fire exercises, recreational use of the area is restricted, although it is possible for the public access use some parts of the estate subject to the relevant bylaws. The MoD publishes a booklet, Walks on Ministry of Defence Lands, which offers advice on this matter.
Gallery
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Otterburn Ranges. The road leading into the Ministry of Defence Ranges, and the red flag showing that the army are practising live firing there.
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Signpost for Otterburn Crossroads on the MoD ranges
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Entrance to the Otterburn Ranges near Holystone - note the cattle grid
