Imber on Salisbury Plain (sorry, another CG odd one)

Have always been intrigued by the “lost” village of Imber in the middle of Salisbury Plain, together with its little church.

Apparently at Easter it can be visited using tracks that are normally closed to the public.

Has anyone cycled there? If so, what side of the Plain did you set off from?

Thank you so much!

Its also open over Xmas and new Year. The SPAM winter challenge goes through the village.

Yeah, been past/through it a couple of times on the Salisbury Plain Challenge ride (usually first weekend in Jan) but I’ve always been too busy suffering to have worked out things like how I got there…

It’s not “lost”, it’s an army training area. Originally it was a proper village but the residents were evicted during WW2 and since then it’s been military only apart from odd occasions.

Thanks Pete but I’ve always managed to talk myself out of taking part 😉

I have this idea that Imber will be “atmospheric” due to its past 8)

You can get to it from Warminster in the West and from the East.

We tried to ride there many years ago. It wasn’t open to the public that day. The place was completely deserted when we set off but within minutes we were intercepted by squaddies and escorted back to the road.

crazy-legs – there was a TV programme on it a couple of years ago. I’m just being nosey!

Have found out that it’s open from 12.00 pm Thursday 9th April to 6.00 pm on Monday 13th April.

Have also found a MOD phone number so may give them a call before I set off.

SPAM have done a race that took in Imber I think. You could email them and see if any of their members would be about that weekend?

I’m at Cwmcarn on the Friday and roadriding on the Sunday, but me and Anna have pencilled in a local ride for the Monday. Could be an idea for somewhere new to go. I’ve done a few of the SPAM races on the plain, but only know Erlestoke and Hill Wood a bit. It has some good singletrack, and a short DH type course. Could do a 1 way ride from there to Stonehenge across the plain?

crazy-legs – there was a TV programme on it a couple of years ago. I’m just being nosey!

Top Gear have filmed there a few times as well – one particular scene of Clarkson driving a convertible in/around/through the place while being shot at from the buildings springs to mind.

This one is more accessible and very interesting…

Tyneham Village

(Should like to see Imber as well…)

Not much there to be honest. Did some exercises there when in the air cadets.

Blimey, there could be a STW invasion of Imber at Easter 😯

Tyneham village sounds interesting as well.

Does anyone know whether you are restricted to certain tracks to and from Imber, ie one way in and the same way out?

Rich – Stonehenge could certainly be a start point for an out-and-back route. I am very interested in seeing Imber, there aren’t many opportunities. If Anna would be up for a ride as well, that would be great. Hopefully you won’t be too shattered after your mega riding days!

Meanwhile, shall study the map!

Yeah not alot there although me and the lad usually head out there when they open it up, shame the original village isn’t there, just a bunch of concrete training huts now.

Don’t expect much techical riding though as you have to stay on hardpack roads, I remember as kids stolling across there and collecting empty shells 🙂

Loads of good pubs too in the local area for food.

I thought me ears were burning! I’ve cycled to Imber at Easter before actually. Me and my ex thought the entire plain was open, so we just merrily set off, and were quite quickly pounced on as per above. Don’t know where our starting point was, that was in the days when The Bloke Had The Map.

I remember it being slightly bleak, cold and windy. Imber is mainly open so that relatives can go and pay their respects in the church graveyard.

I am totally up for a ride round there though CG, I’ve only cycled on the plain twice in the 15 years I have lived here. Am free all day Monday.

There are tarmac roads to Imber from Warminster to the west and from Gore Cross on the A360 to the east at about 009509. It is quite atmospheric, church is still there, but is spoilt a bit by the brick buildings the army put up to practice clearing out buildings. They don’t seem to use it so much they have a purpose built fake “German” village to the south at about 016453. You can’t get into it but it is a couple of byways go right by it and it is worth a look as a curiosity. There is also the old Salisbury – Devizes road which runs due north from the Great Bustard Pub across one of the remotest bits of the plain, easy ride, passable in a car provided the red flag isn’t flying. About half way along in the middle of nowhere is an old fashioned cast iron sign post.

Imber update, have spoke to Plainwatch, Imber church is not open, neither is the village officially. The two tarmac roads which are open: Warms – Gore Cross and Bratton – Heytesbury pass through Imber, but for “Transit Only”, not supposed to stop and nose around. The village not being open is a new thing, 4 years Tourist Info said, due to increased army activity. I imagine this is the thin end of a wedge and they will stop access entirely at some stage.

I know Imber sounds intriguing, but I would suggest that there are other routes on the plain which may be nicer, perhaps as per swamp boy suggestion. But I’ll go with the flow.

cinnamon_girl – Member

I have this idea that Imber will be “atmospheric” due to its past
It is. A little like Greenham Common, IMO

zy-legs – Member
crazy-legs – there was a TV programme on it a couple of years ago. I’m just being nosey!

Top Gear have filmed there a few times as well – one particular scene of Clarkson driving a convertible in/around/through the place while being shot at from the buildings springs to mind.

That wasn’t Imber, but the German and/or Iraqi villages up at Imber Ranges a little awy off.

Hi Anna. As I understand it, there are church services held during Easter, presumably for local folk. You really should be ashamed of yourself for only venturing onto the Plain twice 😉

Well, am definitely going up there with my binoculars, don’t care if not allowed to stop and have a nose around. Just to see it will be good. Also am very intrigued by the Great Bustard creature which has been reintroduced. Anyone seen one? Hard to miss surely!!

Bearing in mind the above, does anyone want to join me on a historical/wildlife-spotting picnic ride?

That wasn’t Imber, but the German and/or Iraqi villages up at Imber Ranges a little awy off.

Brings back memeories of FISH…

The good old days?!!

From what I recall the church at the village was fenced off as it was just behind the houses where the troops train. You can have a good nose around the training area though when it’s open

Also am very intrigued by the Great Bustard creature which has been reintroduced. Anyone seen one? Hard to miss surely!!

So big they named a beer after them!

They’re quite well hidden away on the Plain, though!

Cap’n – have you seen one then?

Yep. Mahoosive birds! Really very impressive.

http://www.greatbustard.com/visit.html

Location is, understandably, kept secret so I shall not disclose it here.

CG I’m up for a Plain trip and I imagine Rich too as per his reply up there. Will send a mail. Captain will you be gracing us with your presence? 😉

When are you riding? Have a pretty hectic (off bike) weekend lined up already! (Including taking cakes to a well known emporium on Saturday morning, so no need to take them any if you were going to!)

Monday. In the morning, but not too early….. (please, CG? ) CG is da laydee who knoze and has all the details and everything and will provide the info 🙂 Hmmm, if I was around Sat I might hide amongst the expensive road bikes until I saw someone handing over cakes and then step up and claim my squirrel!

Just a little update … annabananna, RichPenny and myself had a great ride yesterday. We criss-crossed Salisbury Plain, visited the deserted village of Imber and were really lucky to be able to look around the church. There were lots of interesting displays and documents, quite poignant. Sneaked in some singletrack in Erlestoke Woods too.

Note to those who scoffed at this: you missed an atmospheric day with wall-to-wall sunshine and excellent company.

Fingers crossed that a little pic may be posted 🙂

Ah, wish I’d seen this before:

Thank you! But those pics couldn’t have been taken yesterday cos the whole world and his dog were on Imber then 😀

There may be a little bike piccie being posted 8)

We walked there on Sunday. Hardly anyone there. Well worth a visit

Then we drove across the middle because we could

No scoffing here, was just already booked on Monday! Lovely day for it!

Hey CG, fashionably late as ever 😉 Here are some of the pics I took on Monday. It was a great day, I have post lovely weekend blues 🙁

I don’t know why they’ve come out so small… Your little horses are but dots on the horizon!

Such a shame about the horsey pic cos that was such a great sight to see.

It seems ages ago now doesn’t it?