UKC

Went to hit  Maeshafn after being rained out of mid Wales but was stopped by a group playing Airsoft. Does anyone know if this is an official activity and climbing is now restricted?

Ended up finding Pot Hole Quarry instead which was a lovely alternative.

Ive come across this in the past, but not recently, where a note on the gate has said "War games in progress", or words to that effect.

The crag is on private land so presumably the farmer is aware of and has given permission for airsoft to happen. Climbing is definitely not restricted but when both groups want to use the land, who has 'right of way' is anyones guess?

There's an Airsoft group the other side of Findeg that I think has been closed during lockdown,  so don't know if its the same bunch keeping out of the spotlight?

I run through that area quite a bit but haven't seen anyone.

Hopefully the BMC local rep will spot this and answer

I understood you were meant to check with the farmer at the house first? The BMC RAD has: "But it is imperative that permission is obtained from the land owners at the cottage before the access path and that all gates are kept shut and dogs are under very close control (i.e. kept on a short lead)." 

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/modules/RAD/View.aspx?id=898

Presumably they didn't stop you using the public footpath which goes through the field from that gate by the parking, but just veering off it to the crag?

Probably worth reporting to the BMC access rep as I've never known of anyone being turned away before, although it's been a few years since I used to frequent it.

I've never heard of airsoft - could you see what they were doing?

It's playing army with BB guns

Paintball?

No it appears to be low powered compressed air guns firing plastic BBs. Sounds rather fun, a bit like Call of duty, but outdoors and less pizza.
 

No paint involved. Remember when you could buy pistols from the newsagents that fired little plastic ball bearings to shoot your mates in the eye with?

Same thing only with realistic looking rifles that do it on full auto. Doesn't seem all that environmentally friendly, running around firing 600 bits of plastic litter per minute.

I regularly run through another piece of woodland in Flintshire that is used for airsoft, and at times the ground is littered with the tiny plastic pellets, there must be thousands left everytime they play. It is pretty amusing when they all have to stop due to the public footpath being used, it must break any immersion they feel in the game when a family of four, two dogs and a granny wander through.

Apparently you can buy biodegradable pellets, which seems like it should be enforced by the people running these things.

Ah. I see. I had an airgun as a spotty youth. Seem to remember bb guns were slightly less lethal, so I guess these are less lethal still

It's way better than paintball for the following reasons - it's cheaper, you don't get hurt anywhere near as much, and you get more game time due to the ability to 'respawn'.

Steel BB's are more lethal than pellets.  They carry the same power but ricochet and bounce all over the place. BB's used for air soft are bigger, softer, and are fired at much lower power levels. 1.1 ftlbs I believe, compared to an air pistol at just under 5 and an air rifle at just under 12.

Al

Looks fun, I will have a look if there is any going on near me. The Paint Ball always looked at bit too painful for my liking, I could imagine people thinking it funny to aim for bare skin.

Most countries/organizers have actually outlawed the use of plastic pellets. Most of 'em are made from biodegradable corn starch. 

Used to help run a paintball site that was periodically used for Airsoft. Less lethal maybe but we had someone's front tooth shot in half from a hit with a bolt action rifle so not without risk. Full face pro' only on the site after that one. 

BOOM HEADSHOT!!!

Definitely not most. A small minority. 

Overhere it's pretty much the only type allowed. You can theoretically get plastic pellets but they are not allowed by any event organizers and therefore almost nobody buys/sells them. 

I saw a blackbird choking up a red pellet a few years back - he must have thought it was a berry.  We found him dead a few days later, just keeled over, legs extended.

using those things and not picking up all of the remnants should be a wildlife crime,