As a rule, what nick are that bunch of ‘byways open to all traffic’ on/around Salisbury Plain in? Minced by offroad vehicles? Wide gravel tank highways?

Not looking for details on specific routes or tracks, just an overall feel; I’ve never been there, just looking at maps and considering incorporating them into a longer ride.

Varies!

Some, like the Old Marlborough Road are just dandy. Nicely metalled range roads. Some can be trashed by, erm, tanks!

Probably easiest to explain that there is the Imber Range Perimeter Path but not all is open to cyclists. Yes, there’s plenty of gravel tracks that can vary in condition but you can ride a complete circuit of the Plain without touching any roads.

Edit: look upon it as 3 separate areas. If it were me I would access the Plain from the Warminster end, you’ll see loads of rusting tanks in a surreal landscape.

I was thinking of going up from Warminster, round the NE edge past Edington and on to a northerly exit Urchfont way. I’m hanging the trip on a historical hook, so rusting tanks sound interesting – grid ref?

The section between Warminster and Westbury will be footpath, not used it so can’t comment. From Bratton White Horse onwards you’ll be fine.

To see a good selection of tanks you’ll need to wait til the Imber Range tracks are open which will be 12th and 13th November only for the Remembrance Weekend. Imber Church will be open both days, Service on the Saturday. Always subject to change by the MOD. Tea and coffee will be available.

If you look on your map for the Warminster Training Centre where the metalled road turns to gravel this will take you all the way to Imber. There’s loads of rusting tanks along here, you obviously must stay on the track.

You can exit the Plain at Gore Cross then pick up the Imber Range Perimeter Path but really there’s loads of options.

Some, like the Old Marlborough Road are just dandy

CFH – is that the one going North from the old Bustard Inn? I still haven’t got round to doing it.

The Old Marlborough Road is a nice track, the parts that still exist. It’s the Eastern side of the A345, just West of Tidworth. You’re probably thinking of the NCN one that crosses Larkhill?

Remind me to tell you of the time I ran over the Bustard’s landlord’s cat…..! 🙂

The OMR I was referring to runs North/South (ish) to the West of Sidbury Hill, to the North end it meets the road just down from the sadly departed Crown at Everleigh.

Lots of the tracks with the double-hatched lines on the OS are very rideable on anything even vaguely gravelly, such as the one that runs from the trig point at the end of the Nethers runway down towards the TVDTA in the lee of Sidbury/Clarendon.

That’s the old Devizes road, north of the Bustard??

The section between Warminster and Westbury will be footpath

There was a wrongly classified bit where the bridleway turned into a footpath but not any more 🙂

Edit: Imber is open a lot more than Remembrance Sunday. Check the SPTA Newsletter for details.

Edit: Imber is open a lot more than Remembrance Sunday. Check the SPTA Newsletter for details.

I know due to being a volunteer. 🙂

Right, got my bearings now! I was thinking of the old Devizes road that goes north from the Bustard to Urchfont.

I’ve now found the OMR, I’ve actually done the southern bit quite often from where it leaves the A345 and goes past Boscombe airfield and up to the A303, but haven’t done anything north of the 303 yet i.e. Bulford and beyond.

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/communityandliving/rightsofway/publicrightsofwaymapping.htm

Worth bearing in mind a few extra rules on the Plain.

Tanks have right of way. Even if you feel they don’t, they do.
The red flags are there for a reason. Respect them.
The Range Wardens are also there for a reason. Respect them. (They’re great folks, as it happens!)
If you don’t know what it is, DON’T PICK IT UP!
Do not, and I repeat, do not ride through puddles at speed. Plain puddles can be bottomless pits under that chalky water, and you simply can’t see what might be in there.
Stonehenge Ales in Nethers is a lovely spot, producing some lovely beer. If they aren’t open, try the Swan in Enford.

For info – the existing circular “Imber” footpath route is in the process of being upgraded to a full ‘no flag’ 30ish mile Bridleway loop, which will be open at all times

The Larkill side is ‘no flag’ to the North but they are working to find a practical route that will allow them to complete this down to link in with the routes closer to the racecourse and Bustard – thats the longer term goal out of an ongoing project “Ubique” where they closed the dead end routes into the ranges:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/27456/ubique_summary.pdf

and a natty video that was done earlier this year:

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9wHDnIYbU4[/video]

Update on Imber Range opening for the Remembrance Weekend: due to a large training exercise taking place there may possibly be access only for the church service. This would involve meeting at a designated vedette for an onward escorted convoy.

Tagging this for info at a later date.

Of course, if you’re 14 with a C90, the whole of SP is fair game. Just got to outrun the range warden, which isn’t exactly a challenge.

Update on Imber Range

There will be NO public access on 13th and 14th November, this means that the Remembrance Service at Imber Church will unfortunately not take place.

Have you been told why? The last Salisbury Plain Challenge appeared to have been cancelled due to the contractor that manages the Plain not doing the paperwork rather than because of military activities.

awh – latest e-mail from Imber Church states that the MoD need to use it. In fact at very short notice this Summer the MoD changed the dates which affected the already announced Imber Church Open Days.

Not aware of Xmas/New Year dates yet but these things happen.

As regards Imber, public access is granted for up to 50 days in each year but it falls short of this.

These may be useful:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/298654/20140127_Larkhill_PublicRightsofWay.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/27468/SalisburyPlain.pdf