Field Studies Council - Dale Fort

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FSC Dale Fort has 6 dormitory rooms, 19 twin-bedded rooms and eight en-suite rooms, two of which are designed for disabled visitors. These are arranged in three completely separate accommodation blocks and so can be delegated to specific schools and groups. Each room has a key code for access and security. There are five workrooms available of varying sizes. One can be used as a wet lab. All have similar facilities which include full interactive whiteboards and ceiling mounted projectors as well as normal whiteboards. There are 6-8 desktop computers in each all connected to a student network with NAS storage for digitised resources and network printing. The network is also expanded with a large number of laptops, which are moved around as necessary. All teaching areas are wi-fi enabled with filtered broadband. All computers are available for visitor and student use. Although there is a library most resources are stored in a dedicated resource room. Several different types of visualisers are available and for extended microscope work videoflex cameras are connected through the projectors.

The centre also has a weather station, a dedicated visiting staff lounge, shop and bar. There is a student common room with continuous supply of hot and cold drinks as well as a TV lounge sitting area and games room with a pool table. When large numbers require the TV, e.g. sports event, there is a large screen projection area set up for maximum 60 people.

There are several outdoor game areas including a field for football, rugby, rounders, etc. A lawn and decked area has been created for relaxation on the top of the headland for spectacular views across Pembrokeshire and the Milford Haven waterway. Between the fields are an Iron Age Fort and the site of an ancient village, over 2000 years old. Being on a headland the number of trees is limited but within a short walk beautiful bluebell woods, streams and a variety of beaches are available. Clifftops are a blaze of flowers in spring and over 150 species of lichen grow around the Fort. For many visitors just living in a 150 year old historic Fortress is exciting with gun emplacements like the 1890s Zalinski Pneumatic Dynamite Gun, one of the biggest guns ever built.

There is a large drying room available 24 hours a day as well as wellington boot and waterproof hire. An important asset for marine courses is the Rigid Inflatable Boat, used to take students out in the bay to collect plankton so that the larval stages of the seashore creatures can be studied.