VeloViewer Explorer Score and Max Square

[Zed43]

What about military ranges and other areas that are truly inaccessible within this square?

[psyclist]

Is this the ultimate UK Max Square to aim for before I am simply too old to pedal any more?

It looks like you've got RAF Lakenheath within there, which is a square that is somewhat difficult to acquire, unless you have connections within the forces.

[Jack_P]

Is this the ultimate UK Max Square to aim for before I am simply too old to pedal any more?:

It looks to be 150+ and the biggest square you can fit into the UK?? Is anyone close to completion, perhaps??

I have 80 X 80 right now with the wash the top limit, I might be able to get 1 more line with a canoe in 1 square needed. The box is my 100 x 100 target which I need about 600 squares to finish.
As for biggest possible, you can add a few lines on top of your theoretical box; Personally looks around 130 from my prospective going South and West, I have little desire to go East into the Fens any more, It is a bitch, so much trespassing required 

[PeteBart]

Is this the ultimate UK Max Square to aim for before I am simply too old to pedal any more?

It looks like you've got RAF Lakenheath within there, which is a square that is somewhat difficult to acquire, unless you have connections within the forces.

To get that square, you've somehow got to get Lakenheath (one difficult tile), Porton Down (up to 4 difficult tiles) and the harder parts of the Salisbury Plain Training Area (up to 6 difficult tiles). Otherwise it's easy

[Bilfred]

Is this the ultimate UK Max Square to aim for before I am simply too old to pedal any more?

It looks like you've got RAF Lakenheath within there, which is a square that is somewhat difficult to acquire, unless you have connections within the forces.

To get that square, you've somehow got to get Lakenheath (one difficult tile), Porton Down (up to 4 difficult tiles) and the harder parts of the Salisbury Plain Training Area (up to 6 difficult tiles). Otherwise it's easy

Ha, wish me luck over the next few decades!

[Bilfred]

Is this the ultimate UK Max Square to aim for before I am simply too old to pedal any more?:

It looks to be 150+ and the biggest square you can fit into the UK?? Is anyone close to completion, perhaps??

I have 80 X 80 right now with the wash the top limit, I might be able to get 1 more line with a canoe in 1 square needed. The box is my 100 x 100 target which I need about 600 squares to finish.
As for biggest possible, you can add a few lines on top of your theoretical box; Personally looks around 130 from my prospective going South and West, I have little desire to go East into the Fens any more, It is a bitch, so much trespassing required 

That’s so very impressive! Chapeau

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Some folk might be able to walk around their vehicle during a tour through RAF Lakenfield. It might be rare and restricted to certain personnel though.
https://www.lakenheath.af.mil/Portals/8/documents/Tour%20Request%20Form.pdf?ver=2017-02-07-085942-403

[Solocle]

Is this the ultimate UK Max Square to aim for before I am simply too old to pedal any more?

It looks like you've got RAF Lakenheath within there, which is a square that is somewhat difficult to acquire, unless you have connections within the forces.

To get that square, you've somehow got to get Lakenheath (one difficult tile), Porton Down (up to 4 difficult tiles) and the harder parts of the Salisbury Plain Training Area (up to 6 difficult tiles). Otherwise it's easy

Yeah, I wouldn't call Porton Down "difficult", but 4 nearly impossible tiles!

[Bilfred]

I take it these are the four tiles in question?

[JonBuoy]

Yep  -  according to this:  https://rideeverytile.com/heatmap

[PeteBart]

I take it these are the four tiles in question?

They are indeed. All four are completely within the Porton Down/MOD site. If you research it carefully, I think some of the four may actually more difficult than others, but none are easy. The Wiltshire Definitive Map shows a dead-end footpath going into the site -- but it seems that the MOD red flags fly permanently there.

[Solocle]

I take it these are the four tiles in question?

They are indeed. All four are completely within the Porton Down/MOD site. If you research it carefully, I think some of the four may actually more difficult than others, but none are easy. The Wiltshire Definitive Map shows a dead-end footpath going into the site -- but it seems that the MOD red flags fly permanently there.

Looking at OS with my tiles:

The north boundary is easily covered by the Roman Portway beside the railway. South side A343.

The information here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-access-to-military-areas#salisbury-plain says about Salisbury Plain (and there's no seperate Porton Down entry) "The numerous Public Rights of Way remain open during military training, even when tanks are manoeuvring. The public should not leave the route of these Public Rights of Way."

Not sure I'd want to walk around a chemical weapons testing ground, though.

[PeteBart]

I take it these are the four tiles in question?

They are indeed. All four are completely within the Porton Down/MOD site. If you research it carefully, I think some of the four may actually more difficult than others, but none are easy. The Wiltshire Definitive Map shows a dead-end footpath going into the site -- but it seems that the MOD red flags fly permanently there.

Looking at OS with my tiles:

The north boundary is easily covered by the Roman Portway beside the railway. South side A343.

The information here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-access-to-military-areas#salisbury-plain says about Salisbury Plain (and there's no seperate Porton Down entry) "The numerous Public Rights of Way remain open during military training, even when tanks are manoeuvring. The public should not leave the route of these Public Rights of Way."

Not sure I'd want to walk around a chemical weapons testing ground, though.

I take it these are the four tiles in question?

They are indeed. All four are completely within the Porton Down/MOD site. If you research it carefully, I think some of the four may actually more difficult than others, but none are easy. The Wiltshire Definitive Map shows a dead-end footpath going into the site -- but it seems that the MOD red flags fly permanently there.

Looking at OS with my tiles:

The north boundary is easily covered by the Roman Portway beside the railway. South side A343.

The information here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-access-to-military-areas#salisbury-plain says about Salisbury Plain (and there's no seperate Porton Down entry) "The numerous Public Rights of Way remain open during military training, even when tanks are manoeuvring. The public should not leave the route of these Public Rights of Way."

Not sure I'd want to walk around a chemical weapons testing ground, though.

I can’t quite tell if you saying any of the four are accessible or not… anything on the north side of the railway and the A343 itself do not touch the problematic four. Here is the OS map overlaid with rights of way info (using rowmaps.com). The dead end blue lines are byways (not footpaths as I said previously, sorry), but I’m not sure if they can be used or not as red flags are always up. As you say, there is MOD info on Salisbury Plain but not Porton Down.

Oh and, by the way, even if you use all the public rights of way on Salisbury Plain, there still looks to be six tiles that are inaccessible there too :-/ the tank training ground is a big area.

[Rod Marton]

Once, many years ago, I visited the Porton ranges (work visit, I hasten to add), so I may technically have bagged a tile there. Though as it was long before Veloviewer (or even GPS) I'm sure it doesn't count.

Security has tightened since then. and on visiting Porton Down a couple of years ago I was shadowed so closely that there was no chance of any surreptitious tile-bagging whatsoever.

[Solocle]

I take it these are the four tiles in question?

They are indeed. All four are completely within the Porton Down/MOD site. If you research it carefully, I think some of the four may actually more difficult than others, but none are easy. The Wiltshire Definitive Map shows a dead-end footpath going into the site -- but it seems that the MOD red flags fly permanently there.

Looking at OS with my tiles:

The north boundary is easily covered by the Roman Portway beside the railway. South side A343.

The information here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/public-access-to-military-areas#salisbury-plain says about Salisbury Plain (and there's no seperate Porton Down entry) "The numerous Public Rights of Way remain open during military training, even when tanks are manoeuvring. The public should not leave the route of these Public Rights of Way."

Not sure I'd want to walk around a chemical weapons testing ground, though.

I can’t quite tell if you saying any of the four are accessible or not… anything on the north side of the railway and the A343 itself do not touch the problematic four. Here is the OS map overlaid with rights of way info (using rowmaps.com). The dead end blue lines are byways (not footpaths as I said previously, sorry), but I’m not sure if they can be used or not as red flags are always up. As you say, there is MOD info on Salisbury Plain but not Porton Down.

Oh and, by the way, even if you use all the public rights of way on Salisbury Plain, there still looks to be six tiles that are inaccessible there too :-/ the tank training ground is a big area.

WSLO107 Byway. If it were accessible it would allow this:

None of the others are of any real interest, as they don't reach tiles.

Interestingly the two down there dead end at the Hampshire border.

[JonBuoy]

I can't read the small print but the signage at the entrance to that byway isn't exactly welcoming:  https://goo.gl/maps/ph3AT4Fsbfsu5kbf8

The northeast tile looks easier - it is about 150m along the edge of a field once you hop over the fence at the side of the byway.  A somewhat dated photo is here:  https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2356485

NB  I am not suggesting that this is a sensible idea!

[Bilfred]

I can't read the small print but the signage at the entrance to that byway isn't exactly welcoming:  https://goo.gl/maps/ph3AT4Fsbfsu5kbf8

The northeast tile looks easier - it is about 150m along the edge of a field once you hop over the fence at the side of the byway.  A somewhat dated photo is here:  https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2356485

NB  I am not suggesting that this is a sensible idea!

If anyone were to take the risk, would it be sportsmanlike to share the .gpx file, so that others don’t have to?

[JonBuoy]

I can't read the small print but the signage at the entrance to that byway isn't exactly welcoming:  https://goo.gl/maps/ph3AT4Fsbfsu5kbf8

The northeast tile looks easier - it is about 150m along the edge of a field once you hop over the fence at the side of the byway.  A somewhat dated photo is here:  https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2356485

NB  I am not suggesting that this is a sensible idea!

If anyone were to take the risk, would it be sportsmanlike to share the .gpx file, so that others don’t have to?

NO!

[tom_e]

Personal choice what rules you're playing by.  But to my mind you need to visit the square yourself.  Anybody half-decent on a computer can probably fake a .gpx file, but it isn't the game we're playing.

Of course that still leaves the question of how you're allowed to visit.  Bike is fine, on foot or kayak generally seems deemed fine.  Flying over the top in a light aircraft?  Is the rule human-powered ?

[paddyirish]

Is the rule human-powered ?

That's my rule... Kayak, Bike, walk, swim all valid.

[FifeingEejit]

Drummy Wood on the Langdyke Road, you can see the other pic of the mud at the other end if I post the image.

Doh forgot I'd asked, it had been closed since the storm at the start of December so was a bit surprized it's was still shut mid January, I've stuck to using Kettle Hill so not been to check

Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk

[Solocle]

Personal choice what rules you're playing by.  But to my mind you need to visit the square yourself.  Anybody half-decent on a computer can probably fake a .gpx file, but it isn't the game we're playing.

Of course that still leaves the question of how you're allowed to visit.  Bike is fine, on foot or kayak generally seems deemed fine.  Flying over the top in a light aircraft?  Is the rule human-powered ?

On foot is fine of course. It's a useful option, but generally bike is best.

For Porton Down you'd need a human powered aircraft. They do exist! There might also be some flight restrictions up to a certain altitude... Perhaps a glider, although that's pushing "human powered", it's not motorised.

[salar55]

Personal choice what rules you're playing by.  But to my mind you need to visit the square yourself.  Anybody half-decent on a computer can probably fake a .gpx file, but it isn't the game we're playing.

Of course that still leaves the question of how you're allowed to visit.  Bike is fine, on foot or kayak generally seems deemed fine.  Flying over the top in a light aircraft?  Is the rule human-powered ?

How about a glider?  After all a bike can be pushed along by the wind or down a hill by gravity, a kayak going along with the tide and wind ,to be fair foot or swim must be the only way

[JonBuoy]

Personal choice what rules you're playing by.  But to my mind you need to visit the square yourself.  Anybody half-decent on a computer can probably fake a .gpx file, but it isn't the game we're playing.

Of course that still leaves the question of how you're allowed to visit.  Bike is fine, on foot or kayak generally seems deemed fine.  Flying over the top in a light aircraft?  Is the rule human-powered ?

How about a glider?  After all a bike can be pushed along by the wind or down a hill by gravity, a kayak going along with the tide and wind ,to be fair foot or swim must be the only way

I've already suggested that:  https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=108374.msg2497728#msg2497728

[citoyen]

@citoyen  I thought this was my last Kentish tile, but have now discovered another 2, so another trip is needed, but I am almost there.  Then there are two that will involve a night time trespass, one of which is on an explosives range!

You're a lot more adventurous than me!

Fortunately, I have quite a few more accessible tiles to worry about before I need to think about those ones.