At half term in late October I’m riding from Lymington Ferry through the New Forest to Salisbury then on to Devizes. My aim is to get from Lymington to Devizes on Day 1 in daylight. I will be starting at sunrise around 7am, finishing sunset around 4.50pm, so that’s up to 10 hours of daylight (with lights just in case). I don’t know the area at all, but looking at OS maps there are loads of bridleways/byways in the New Forest and Salisbury Plain. I understand there are Military Zone limits on Salisbury Plain, but can anyone recommend a decent route (or how to deal with the New Forest, or Salisbury Plain) with plenty of offroad?

Not sure about the bit before Salisbury, but once you get there…

Head up to Old Sarum, take the BW that runs N towards Netton. Cross the river in to Upper Woodford, then follow river N towards Lake. Take the BOAT that runs W then N towards Stonehenge. Stop and gawp at it for a while, then cross the road, and take the BOAT to the W of the stones that runs N to Larkhill. Head towards Durrington, then turn N on the BOAT that runs between D and u on the OS!

Follow this BOAT all the way around the edge of the Larkhill danger area, up above Wexland Farm and Nethers (Stop in and see Stig at Stonehenge Ales if you have time and need refreshment). On past Enford (The Swan, marvellous spot if further refreshment is needed), towards Casterley Camp, then follow it as it turns towards the West past the wonderfully named Marden Cowbag and Chirton Maggot. Drop down between Eastcott and Easterton, then link up some BW to the East of Potterne and there you are in Devizes.

The BOAT around the edge of the trail is on the correct side of the red flags. If they’re flying, they mean it. The Range Wardens are The Law up there, so respect them in full.

Oh, and tanks have right of way. They just do.

That’s really helpful, thanks. Can anyone offer anything through the New Forest?

There are lots of options through the forest, but you may find yourself struggling a bit to navigate them all as the Fc and NFDC try to keep cycling to set paths and telling one fire road junction from another can be time consuming

One option would be to try and use the old Railway line that finishes near Burley. It is just under 10 miles in total and is easy to follow. Unfortunately it may not go North enough for you

Just remembered that the bike hire place has some routes from Brockenhurst that might help

Look on strava for “Breamore Road Up”

That trail goes up past the front door of the main house and then keeps going up over the hill and then down a nice decent (lots of nettles at the wrong time of year). This then meets one of the old Crofters droves so if you then turn right I think you are heading straight towards Salisbury.

Thanks for the help, everyone.
I’ve got the chance of an overnight in Wooton Rivers, a small village southwest of Savernake Forest, instead of Devizes, so I’m looking at how to get there from Stonehenge (which I’d like to see). I can see that the east third of Salisbury Plain has lots of Restricted Access but there’s a Byway called The Old Marlborough Road running north from Bulford Camp to Everleigh which looks perfect. This MoD link https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/salisbury-plain-training-area-spta-newsletter/salisbury-plain-training-area-spta-newsletter-october-2019 shows firing at Bulford Camp fixed ranges on my day Mon 28/10, but the Old Marlborough Road is away from that. If going across the Plain is not an option, then it looks like the main A345 road from Durrington up to Pewsey, which seems a shame to miss out the Plain. Do you have any thoughts?

main A345 road from Durrington up to Pewsey, which seems a shame to miss out the Plain. Do you have any thoughts

I use the A345 Regularly and it’s not a road I’d recommend cycling down. Its a windy A road and a fast one. There’s a parallel road that takes you thru Figheldean to Upavon, which is less of a rat run and from there a multiple of Byways that can take you towards Savernake or Devizes.

I can see that the east third of Salisbury Plain has lots of Restricted Access but there’s a Byway called The Old Marlborough Road running north from Bulford Camp to Everleigh which looks perfect. This MoD link

My experience was that the published firing times at the Bulford ranges were inaccurate at weekends and I tried several times. You could use the minor road from Bulford Camp and turn left onto the byway, grid ref SU21767 46231 and go along Dunch Hill. This will join up with the Old Marlborough Road. A pleasant route.

Not sure where you’re going after here? Devizes? Regardless, the Plain is well worth seeing imo as it’s an extraordinary landscape with a very remote feel.

Definitely keep away from A roads but, as per mikertroid’s post, there is a minor road parallel to the A345 which is very pleasant. There’s a convenience store in Netheravon if you’re needing supplies.

That’s a long way in one day OP. New Forest, I live here, but it’s a bit disjointed in terms of linking up tracks without the need to go on sometimes busy roads. Try the people at https://www.newforce.org.uk who probably have suggestions, some post on here too.

Alternative is to head West from Stonehenge and head for Tilshead where you can pick up the Imber Range Perimeter Path (runs parallel to the A360) that leads to the Northern edge of the Plain. However it looks rather disjointed from there to reach Devizes, obviously avoiding A roads.

I ride those areas regularly. Did CFH’s route from old sarum (albeit in reverse anx parr of a big loop) a while back. That’s your best bet for the north bit.

I live in the forest (and secretary of Newforce), the bit from lymington to brock is a bit of a pain but after is easier. Basically:
From ferry
Undershore lane
Vicars hill
Boldre
Sandy down
BW to brock
Bolderford bridge
Gravel to Bank
Emery down
Gravel to mogshade
Underpass to ocknell
Cut across to fritham
BW to bramshaw
Redlynch
BW to pepperbox
East grimstead
Farley
Picton
Monarchs way west
Old serum
Then flashies bit

Well, this one is easy! Much of my old stomping ground, used to live in Netheravon. I think the range notices have been updated, as I didn’t see anything about the 28th. However, this route skirts the red flags. I know all of this by memory, so will try and illustrate using reference points on the OS for you.

From Stonehenge, follow my earlier directions to Larkhill, then turn East down the BW towards Hackthorn. Cross the A345, then follow the road towards Durrington College. Past the college, then head towards Silk Hill on the range road. Once you’re on that side of the road, as long as you can see Sidbury Hill (NW of North Tidworth on the map), you’re fine. Head towards Sidbury using the following as a guideline;

Brigmerston towards Brigmerston Field (Spot height 138), turn left passing the trig point at Silk Hill then right between The Wig (copse) and the other copse (Spot height 144) follow this to Bourne Bottom (Spot height 98) and then pick up the Old Marlborough Road.

Take this all the way to the road junction due South of Everleigh, cross the road and head NW towards Baden’s Clump. North through Lower Everleigh towards Down Farm. Bridleway down in to Easton Royal, then follow the B road in to Wooton Rivers.

The Royal Oak is a fine spot. Should have some good, fresh 6X straight from the cask. Get on it.

cfh, fantastic! thank you. talk about the Eye of the Needle! how are ground conditions on the dirt/gravel bits after a day of rain? a week of rain?

40mpg, great stuff! thank you as well. again, how are ground conditions on the non-tarmac bits after a day of rain? a week of rain?

The Plain is a bit binary. The bits that drain well, erm, drain well. So, the hardpack bits like the Old Marlborough Road are year round gravel bike friendly. The bits that don’t drain well can be claggy, chalky clogfests! Most of that route is good for all year riding though.

Oh, and a top tip on The Plain – Don’t ride through puddles at speed. You have no way of knowing how deep they are, let alone what lurks in the depths. (Obvious advice of ‘if you don’t know what it is, don’t touch, it might go boom’ applies)

New forest gravel tracks get puddley and you’ll get an orange arse stripe. But still roll well enough, shouldn’t be much proper mud on that route.

That’s a bloody long day ride this time of year though! Good luck 😁

It’s about 4 months since my 14yo son and I did this ride but it was a great 3 day 300k trip and I’m lucky to have spent the time with him, trying to show him just how deep he can dig if he really has to. We normally ride 2hrs of fun trails in our local forest, so this trip pushed him harder than ever before. Thanks to those who contributed route ideas for our first day, your tips helped a lot, esp 40mpg and CaptainFlashheart. We rode mtbs with tyres pumped up harder than usual, the route was probably 80% tarmac, 20% gravel lanes, and each had a small bar bag with light change of clothes for the evening pub meal, Camelbaks for food and chargers, and top tube bags for snacks, phone, and power pack for GPS unit. We had proper night lights just in case. We pre-booked a Devizes B&B and a Birdlip pub/hotel – proper beds, a bath and hot food was great for us and allowed good recovery.
The Saturday before we started was a massive rainstorm and our train journey from home in Ludlow to Southampton for the IOW ferry was nearly cancelled. We were lucky to make it. We sat on the train for hours and just ate and ate and ate.

Day 1 Lymington to Devizes was the longest of the three at 114k, 1300m, 8h riding, 11h45m total. We caught the 630am ferry from the IOW with commuters at 0c. Our fingers nearly exploded with the pain for the first 2hrs as we rode the flatlands in to the frosty New Forest. Nav was easy and the gravel tracks were superb, with friendly ponies but unfriendly local people who never really smiled, said Hello! or even looked at us. After the singletrack from Pepperbox Hill we dropped into the north side of Salisbury for supplies at a Co-op. Up the well-to-do River Avon valley then hooked west on byway at Lake to see Stonehenge and all the converted vans parked on the lane next to it ‘Who gives a s**t about a bunch of pi**ing stones anyway’. On north to Larkhill camp, no people around but busy with traffic and soldiers’ homes. The new housing estate on the north side blocked our access on to the Plain, but a visiting Fijian officer who was enormous put us right down his favourite running track. The red flags were flying ‘STOP DO NOT ENTER’ and I decided we should pull off on to the roads, so we dropped east off the Plain to the commuter-busy A345 with our big lights and Rowan up front, absolutely gunning it. Cosy, friendly B&B at Devizes next to the castle with pizza for tea in the town. An incredible day with great laughs, exploring new areas and passing along so many well-kept old green lanes.

Day 2 Devizes to Birdlip via Tetbury 80k, 800m, 5h40m riding, 8h40m total.
A very tired, late start after brekkie with an Indian doctor from Ealing who loved pepper all over his 2 fried eggs. Stocked up supplies for the morning at Sainsbury’s in the town then dropped west alongside the Kennet and Avon canal at Caen Hill locks. Great explanation from some Canal Trust volunteers and demo from a canal boat family. North on Broad Lane mud hell past a hidden solar megafarm, and back on lanes on to the Cotswolds plain. Thanks to the Romans for Fosse Way – straight line, wide, well-kept. Horse-trodden mudbath-rootfest-singletrack bridleway towards Highgrove, but bailed as the stream-crossing was now 10m wide and 1m deep, flowing very fast. In to Tetbury for more supplies from Co-op again and rolling in to darkness down Bull Banks with a scared deer alongside. Along the tops with crazy car commuters to very busy Birdlip and the Royal George Hotel for tea and bed, parking our filthy bikes in the smart Conference Room with lovely carpet. A very tough day, with cold headwinds most of the day and mental challenges to keep ploughing on despite the increasing tiredness and aching bodies.

Day 3 Birdlip to home in Ludlow via Ledbury and Bromyard 101k, 1100m, 6h moving, 8h30m total.
A final day on roads and lanes, flat to Ledbury and rolling beyond Bromyard. Mega breakfast then stunning sunshine descent in orange trees off the escarpment down to the Severn flood plain and straight in to down-at-heel Gloucester for supplies at Sainsbury’s near the Cathedral. North out of the city past traffic jams and floods. Met New Age traveller living in a gypsy caravan with two giant white horses, all her belongings out and about beside the small rural lane, and her son living in a tent with a wood burner. A very different life from mine. Hot food and drink stop at Ledbury, then Rowan did the most powerful turn at the front for one hour, big gears on the main road sweeping us towards home. Took beautiful Frome Valley north to Bromyard, kicking up and down past apple orchards and busy farmers in the golden sunshine. On to Ledbury on increasingly rolling roads, very tired legs and bodies but minds thinking about home comforts and all of a sudden in Tenbury. A simple bit of lanes and then sight of our Mortimer Forest and Titterstone Clee to help guide us back to base. What an incredible adventure with my inspiring son. We separately rode through the emotional spectrum many times over, but to be with him on this journey was a special privilege.

Sounds awesome!!

Book marked for future planning

Will read the full route report later….

Great sounding ride and nice write up of it! Thank you. Did something similar with my son, riding to the ferry to Cherbourg and then all the D Day beaches when 12 and then across Britainny and down the Atlantic coast when 14. First day was 86 miles, he was fine, I could hardly sit down but bedded/worn in over the next week.
He’s quite a bit older now and we are hoping to do the South Downs plus A bit this year.

Wow, what an adventure!