Author Topic: Wiltshire tour - there is a plan! (Read 27890 times)

JBB · « **on:** 16 June, 2015, 10:19:01 pm »

I've just had another bimble around Wiltshire - mainly using bits of the Wiltshire cycleway and various bits of NCNs . Start south of Salisbury then Wilton towards Warminster, cut across through the Deverills to Longleat and an overnight camp at Mere. Home again via Semley Tisbury, Wilton and Broad Chalke. A lovely weekend out.

I thin this would make a really good long weekend tour if Day 1 went up toward Devizes , Day 2 to Mere then a return to Salisbury. Lovely countryside, good pubs and not to many hills. About 40 miles(ish) a day.

Does the team think this would be a goer for a group of us? (Good train links for Salisbury , Warminster and Tisbury)

The Final Plan – Friday 11th Sept to Sunday 13th Sept 2015

Anyone driving can safely leave a car near us Redlynch south of Salisbury; however the ride in to Salisbury is doable but not pleasant and adds 5 miles to the first and last day.
The whole route shadows the railway network so there is a back out option or the possibility of a train to Pewsey and joining for days 2 and 3.

Day 1 meet Salisbury Cathedral Close at 11:00, if damp Salisbury Station.

Proceed up the Avon Valley via Wilsford-Cum-Lake (of Audax fame) to Amesbury for lunch at The Friar Tuck (or a nice pub!)
Onward up the Avon Valley across tank country to our resting place for the night – The Barge Inn, Honey St. http://www.the-barge-inn.com/campsite.php. £7.50 pp
Eat at the pub or shop for food in Salisbury Amesbury or Pewsey on route (closest to the finish)
Route - http://cycle.travel/map/journey/13331 32 miles (but can be shortened to 28 with less climbing by using a bit of main road see http://cycle.travel/map/journey/13287)

Day 2 leave via NCN4 for Devizes for shops, brewery and Caen Hill flight of locks.
Route can be via towpath if weather has been good but is mapped via lanes apart from Caen Hill itself (downhill!)
Continue through Trowbridge (all the shops you might need) to camp at Brokerswood Country Park - £11 per emplacement for 2 people (special walkers and cyclists rate). I need to check as they don’t take huge group bookings – we could always be cunning and just turn up; anyway I’ll phone first and see what response I get.
Pub nearby at Rudge http://www.thefullmoon.co.uk/directions.html but I’ll probably buy a bottle of wine and do some gourmet camp cooking.
Route http://cycle.travel/map/journey/13521 28 miles

Day 3 – the longest Day 35 miles – all on decent roads.

Start the day with a route through the grounds at Longleat, a bit lumpy but worth the effort. Then an easy run skirting Warminster along the Wylye Valley, through Wilton and back to Salisbury.to disperse.
Route http://cycle.travel/map/journey/13523

I'd like to know who's planning to come as I will need to phone the campsite at Rudge if there's more than 4 of us!

Any more info required just post to the thread.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 June, 2015, 08:32:15 am »

Wiltshire is a county I always think I ought to explore more. My only sojourn has been the Solstice WARTIES we did from Castle Caru*>Glastonbury>Stonehenge>Pewsey. In principle I would like to take part, but this year is looking a little crowded.

*ffaux Welsh spelling.

JBB · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 June, 2015, 02:18:03 pm »

This year is pretty busy for me as well so it can wait a while. Just don't want to do all the planning if nobody is interested.

Robh · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 June, 2015, 02:26:33 pm »

I'd love to join you on this Julia, calendar permitting, if you decide to go ahead.

Rob

Kim · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 June, 2015, 02:30:35 pm »

Also interested. I think some more forum group touring would be an excellent thing.

Dibdib · « **Reply #5 on:** 17 June, 2015, 02:57:45 pm »

Also interested, calendar permitting. As I'm local, if anyone wants to use the facilities here they'd be more than welcome.

nikki · « **Reply #6 on:** 17 June, 2015, 05:47:10 pm »

*awaits maps and dates with interest*

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #7 on:** 17 June, 2015, 06:26:48 pm »

I look forward to some astounding new archaeological theories that Stonehenge and Avebury were actually built by the Scythians.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #8 on:** 17 June, 2015, 06:49:41 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 17 June, 2015, 06:26:48 pm

I look forward to some astounding new archaeological theories that Stonehenge and Avebury were actually built by the Scythians.

They were controls for early audaxers.

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #9 on:** 17 June, 2015, 06:54:09 pm »

That does fit with the 'prehistoric bus stop' theory!

contango · « **Reply #10 on:** 17 June, 2015, 07:31:18 pm »

Sounds like a lovely route. If you're willing to stray outside of Wiltshire into the depths of darkest Hampshire you could possibly borrow sections of John Ward's New Forest rides. I've done both his 100km routes and enjoyed them both. Unsurprisingly you get to take in sections of the New Forest on mostly quiet lanes and with a bit of variation you could probably link up to approach Salisbury from the south without having to do battle with the fast sections of the A36 or the A338.

I'm not sure if you can cut from Downton straight through to Alderbury on two wheels, I believe a road exists but whether it's public, totally private, or open to walkers and cyclists I have no idea.

I'd love to join you but geography presents something of a challenge these days.

JBB · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 June, 2015, 09:11:39 pm »

I've got some rotes on Cycle. Travel - just cant work out how to share them....

JenM · « **Reply #12 on:** 17 June, 2015, 09:30:26 pm »

I think you can open up the route on Cycle Travel and then copy / paste the URL link into a Yacf post. Then highlight the link and click on the hyperlink icon.

This sounds like a fun plan for a weekend away - I'll definitely be up for it dates permitting.

JBB · « **Reply #13 on:** 17 June, 2015, 09:45:31 pm »

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 17 June, 2015, 06:26:48 pm

I look forward to some astounding new archaeological theories that Stonehenge and Avebury were actually built by the Scythians.

I'm sure they'd be raking it in.....

JBB · « **Reply #14 on:** 17 June, 2015, 09:47:10 pm »

Quote from: JenM on 17 June, 2015, 09:30:26 pm

I think you can open up the route on Cycle Travel and then copy / paste the URL link into a Yacf post. Then highlight the link and click on the hyperlink icon.

This sounds like a fun plan for a weekend away - I'll definitely be up for it dates permitting.

I'll give it a try tomorrow. Few things to do tonight before crashing!

JBB · « **Reply #15 on:** 17 June, 2015, 10:12:30 pm »

Quote from: JBB on 17 June, 2015, 09:47:10 pm

Quote from: JenM on 17 June, 2015, 09:30:26 pm
I think you can open up the route on Cycle Travel and then copy / paste the URL link into a Yacf post. Then highlight the link and click on the hyperlink icon.

This sounds like a fun plan for a weekend away - I'll definitely be up for it dates permitting.

I'll give it a try tomorrow. Few things to do tonight before crashing!

Lets see if this works http://cycle.travel/map#/journey/13194 Can someone let me know if this works for them please?

Thanks
Julia

nikki · « **Reply #16 on:** 18 June, 2015, 08:08:12 am »

Not working for me, I'm afraid. (Although my laptop's chronically short of space, so that sometimes makes maps stuff go a bit squiffy.)

JenM · « **Reply #17 on:** 18 June, 2015, 08:45:04 am »

Ah no that bright idea doesn't seem to work - sorry about that!

JenM · « **Reply #18 on:** 18 June, 2015, 11:40:46 am »

Looked on Cycle Travel to see whether there is any better advice than I gave and this is what they suggested:

Quote

Once you've saved a route, you can just copy the web address in your browser - it'll be something like http://cycle.travel/map/journey/1234 - and send that to your friends.

Have you marked the route as 'private'?

Alternatively, you could page Richard Fairhurst who posts on this forum as it is his site.

nikki · « **Reply #19 on:** 18 June, 2015, 12:34:59 pm »

Ah! Taking the # out gives Salisbury - Devizes: http://cycle.travel/map/journey/13194

JBB · « **Reply #20 on:** 18 June, 2015, 02:15:48 pm »

Good oh!

Three routes to cover each day
Day 1 http://cycle.travel/map/journey/13194
Day 2 http://cycle.travel/map/journey/12937
Day 3 http://cycle.travel/map/journey/13195

I've kept day 3 short so people have time t get home. Day 1 stops at Seend where there is a pub with camping and a CC site. Day 2 stops at a simple farm camp site south of Mere about 3/4 mile from a pub. ( This is the campsite I used last weekend) Mere has a Coop and fish and chips.

Anyway have a look and see what you think.

Julia

Robh · « **Reply #21 on:** 18 June, 2015, 03:58:59 pm »

Looks good Julia. A good chance for me to try out my Thorn Raven, fully loaded.

Any preferences on dates? I'm good for any weekend up to the last week in August.

GruB · « **Reply #22 on:** 18 June, 2015, 05:22:32 pm »

I personally wouldn't want to ride a road bike down Caen Hill locks. The tow path is not that good plus depening upon when you do this, the thorns in some of the stretches are so good you will get punctures every 5 metres. Not sure when they cut the hedges along there.

JBB · « **Reply #23 on:** 18 June, 2015, 07:03:49 pm »

Quote from: GruB on 18 June, 2015, 05:22:32 pm

I personally wouldn't want to ride a road bike down Caen Hill locks. The tow path is not that good plus depening upon when you do this, the thorns in some of the stretches are so good you will get punctures every 5 metres. Not sure when they cut the hedges along there.

I'll have a look at alternatives then. The main problem then becomes avoiding busy roads. I would still like to do the bit by Caen hill, last time I was there it looked fine for a touring bike. I may need to do a proper recce of this section although I've done various bits of it on multiple occasions.

Kim · « **Reply #24 on:** 18 June, 2015, 07:16:44 pm »

Yeah, the path alongside the locks themselves is fine on a touring bike. You'll be riding at walking speed anyway because of all the pedestrians, so if it's really dodgy you can always push. The lock flight is worth seeing.

The path becomes a lot rougher (but reasonably solid) soon afterwards. I've done it on a rigid hybrid with 28mm tyres (had very numb hands by the time I got to Bath) and on a Streetmachine (no problems, once I'd found the sweet spot on the suspension pre-load adjustment).

All towpaths are worth avoiding in hedge-cutting season.