The crag is situated on Open Access land, however, the area is also private military land and subject to a Section 28 restriction to protect public safety. Thanks to a permissive arrangement with the RAF, climbers can access this crag.
Text from the MOD website dated 30/09/22:
8. DESCRIPTION OF MILITARY USE: The area to the north of the road [i.e. the road just north of the crag] is a designated Air Weapons Range (AWR) for dropping of practice bombs, chaff and magnesium decoy flares, which burn at up to 3000°C. It is primarily used by attack helicopters which regularly fly knap-of-the-earth (extreme low-level flying to ground level). The area to the south [i.e. the area including Spadeadam Crag], between the Wiley Sike road and the River Irthing is within the AWR although outside of the Danger Area. Within this southern area helicopters also fly to ground level when approaching the Danger Area and can appear without warning though the dispensation of ordnance is not permitted here. Additionally, Unmanned Air Vehicles (Drones) operate across the Spadeadam estate and the AWR. Ground troop training across the site has increased exponentially over the last 3 years and is predicted to continue to grow for the foreseeable future; this has brought with it an increase in the use of pyrotechnics potentially dangerous to the public.