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.