Report - Penhale army camp Holywell Cornwall August 2018

[Matkylang]

Penhale Camp was established in 1939, to the north of the dunes, as a World War II emergency measure to train anti-aircraft gunners. There still remains evidence of the gun sites, searchlight batteries and defensive positions such as pillboxes and trenches. On 7 June 1940 the camp was bombed by a single German bomber, probably looking for the nearby St Eval airfield; twenty-two British soldiers were killed in the raid, most were subsequently buried in nearby Perranporth.In 1943 the camp was occupied by the United States Army Corps of Engineers as part of the buildup to Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings. The engineers built the fourteen Nissen huts on the Camp; still used today as accommodation for training units. In 1955, three Royal Artillery men drowned while swimming in the sea at Perran Corner. These dangerous waters, with treacherous rip tides, have also claimed the lives of at least two civilians. In April 2010, the camp was closed by the Ministry of Defence and was sold in September that year for £1.5million. However, the area is still governed by Ministry of Defence Byelaws. Today, Penhale Camp and the associated training area are available to all Arms and Services wishing to carry out low level infantry skills training, cadre courses, communications and CPX training. The surrounding area provides opportunities for all recognised adventurous training activities and the newer extreme sports such as power kiting and coasteering. Now established in Penhale Camp is EBO Adventure Centre which provides a diverse range of training activities including Military Resettlement.

 

[kernow84]

this is just down the road from me, was going to check it out but was put off by reports of stringent security, did you have any issues getting in? i know a few explorers have been arrested going in

 

[Matkylang]

this is just down the road from me, was going to check it out but was put off by reports of stringent security, did you have any issues getting in? i know a few explorers have been arrested going in

Yes there are a lot of security camping out in huts there, me and my mates got caught in there but managed to get out before the security guards caught up with us lmao

 

[whatsinaname]

There's not much going on here now but the MOD do drop in on the hill side doing various training exercises with troops.
The main part is an industrial site which has little to protect really. Most security is civilian and try to play up its an MOD site when most of it isn't at all and plans for private housing are well advanced.

Personally I'd tell them to p*ss off.

Although ultimately if you hang around too long the pastie patrol will be along to feel your collar! Whoopee a charge of trespassing which is a civil issue and unless they can prove damage carries little weight at all.

However, up by the sub radar Ariels a bunker still exists and is maintained and who knows may still have some use. Never seen many go up there mind in a two week stay in the area.

Will be back there this year maybe have another little nose.

Ps. Good look with the £500k houses there's lots of mining shafts all over this site.

The top of the site there's a B&B business starting up with extension work going on in 2017.

Back of the huts at the top of the site the national pathway had to be re-routed right against the site fencing because of a large cliff fall. I reckon these huts will dissapear in the next couple of years through the action of nature rather than by design.

 

[Ghost200o95]