Salisbury Plain Training Area

[trundle]

There are loads of beautiful lanes (metal and gravel) across the Salisbury Plan Training Area, but I don't have a lot of local knowledge.

If it is marked as not firing in here, is there still a high chance I'll find lanes closed?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/salisbury-plain-training-area-spta-firing-times/salisbury-plain-training-area-spta-firing-times-october-2022

I want to explore, and if I can find reliable routes, include it on DIY 200 audax's.

So would love to know some local knowledge. Are some lanes almost never closed? Some almost always?

[matthew]

I suggest contacting Iddu and searching the Audax section for the Old Roads and Drove Roads 200km which he organises.

[Hot Flatus]

I would have thought an Ordnance Survey map with marked rights of way, in conjunction with the firing times would give a good idea.  Next weekend no firing at all. Fill your boots 

[trundle]

I would have though an Ordnance Survey map with marked rights of way, in conjunction with the firing times would give a good idea.  Next weekend no firing at all. Fill your boots 

Exactly - I'm planning on cycle.travel (which you can have OS overlay for £2/month). But I wanted to confirm "no firing" might still mean the odd, or many red flags may still fly based on other folks exploring this area.

[Hot Flatus]

I have ridden on Salisbury Plain on Iddu's 200k through Imber. Worth a go for the gravel tracks and undisturbed nature.

My experience of gunnery ranges elsewhere is that red flags don't really mean much as they often leave them up regardless.

[trundle]

Yeah - I would love to do Iddu's Imber ride: But alas - he can't run it: On the days it is open, they ship people in on the buses - which means no bicycles. Which is a shame - the views look amazing.

[andyoxon]

I did the Old Roads & Drove Roads 200 in Aug 2014, and have also been at Easter time.  Looking at the April 2022 newsletter it had this:

Public access to Imber Village - Easter 2022

Imber Village and the routes running through it, will be open to the public between: 6pm Thursday 14 April 2022 and 6pm Sunday 17 April 2022 inclusive.

The public are reminded that they are to obey all safety signs. They are not permitted into any buildings in Imber Village except the Church when it is open and they are not to leave the carriageway either on foot or in their vehicle.

  https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/salisbury-plain-training-area-spta-newsletter/salisbury-plain-training-area-spta-newsletter-april-2022

Are buses used in August now?  The above seems to imply imber range is generally open at Easter time.

The ORDR 200 also went through Redhorn gate across Westdown/Larkhill range, but I can't find any info about public access here.

Apart from:

SPTA West

A reminder that the public are not allowed to enter past the red line in SPTA West. There has been an increase in the public being found inside the red line, but they have no authority to be there, whether the flags are flying or not. On the ground, that red line is denoted by signs informing the public of the danger and to keep out.

[trundle]

Are buses used in August now?  The above seems to imply imber range is generally open at Easter time.

You are quite right - when the buses run, nobody else can use the road: But that is just August.

Easter is open.

https://www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/whats-on/imber-open-days-p2531933

[Wowbagger]

Some years ago I organised a couple of summer solstice overnight rides from Glastonbury Tor to Stonehenge, returning to Pewsey station via the Larkhill ranges. On one occasion they were not firing, but tanks were trundling around at high speed. I was quite relieved when we emerged unscathed.

[iddu]

You are quite right - when the buses run, nobody else can use the road: But that is just August.
::

Yeah - I would love to do Iddu's Imber ride: But alas - he can't run it: On the days it is open, they ship people in on the buses - which means no bicycles. Which is a shame - the views look amazing.

Imber: Well, AFICR they were irritating in that they reduced the August open day(s) to one, such that ONLY the ImberBus day ran, blocking everybody else and then Pandemic...waiting to see what dates 2023 brings; I could go and run around New Year accessibility period, but that's hardcore nutter territory - Could be (/has been) anything from crisp & cold thru driving wet gales to deep snow...

SPTA: Unless there's Squadiies on the Verdette saying "NO", generally you're OK on the Bridlleways/RUPP's , but make sure you follow the correct line, by GPS or dead reckoning - not every track branching off is public usage...

[Regulator]

Worth contacting Salisbury Road & Mountain Cycling Club.  They've got various rides in and around the Plain and have links with the MoD.

https://sramcc.com/contact/

[Cudzoziemiec]

I have definitely been at Imber by bike on a Bus Day. It was pre-pandemic and it wasn't an audax. Think it was August rather than Easter.

[GdS]

I've driven in to Imber for their Carol Festival* at the church in 2014**, there were a few buses and a few cyclists there. Not sure if they changed it now that you can only go in by bus.

They also escort vehicles in on Remembrance Sunday AFAIK

* it's not a service as the church is not conscecrated any more

** inspired by Ms GdS having done ORADR200 that year

is the group on Geoff's video an AUK group?

[trundle]

I have definitely been at Imber by bike on a Bus Day. It was pre-pandemic and it wasn't an audax. Think it was August rather than Easter.

Indeed - the restriction to just buses is recent and a bit strange.

https://imberbus.org/imberbus-2022/

[trundle]

SPTA: Unless there's Squadiies on the Verdette saying "NO", generally you're OK on the Bridlleways/RUPP's , but make sure you follow the correct line, by GPS or dead reckoning - not every track branching off is public usage...

Excellent - thanks Iddu. I shall go forth and explore!

[orienteer]

I have definitely been at Imber by bike on a Bus Day. It was pre-pandemic and it wasn't an audax. Think it was August rather than Easter.

Indeed - the restriction to just buses is recent and a bit strange.

https://imberbus.org/imberbus-2022/

The Imberbus event is once a year, it has been running for several years. So the exclusion of cycles and all other vehicles applies just on that one day in August.

[Cudzoziemiec]

Point is not every Imber Bus Day has excluded other vehicles. Also, cycles and all other vehicles, including buses, are excluded every day bar the few the MoD choose to open the road.

[GdS]

I think times have changed. I have a school friend who lives nearby and he says there is a lot more activity by the military recently;

This is an MOD restricted area with potentially live ordnance anywhere, it's not freely accessible to anyone outside of the agreed closure periods end of. And if you watch the video you will see that instructions are given to those on the bus about straying from the bounds of where the buses stop, they cannot 100% control where walkers or cyclists go during these days

seriously, if you want to visit by bike soon do so over the Christmas / New Year period, it's well worth it

[Cudzoziemiec]

seriously, if you want to visit by bike soon do so over the Christmas / New Year period, it's well worth it

Seconded, visiting a few days before Christmas to find the village swathed in fog, while carols could be heard from the church just visible on top of the hill, was quite an ethereal experience. The fact that a small group of squaddies were doing urban warfare exercises at the same time among the block constructions at the bottom of the hill just added to the weirdness.

[tonyh]

Yes, the area is well worth visiting whenever possible.

By the way, it's tarmac all the way via Imber from Warminster to Gore Cross (near West Lavington). The two other approaches, from Heytesbury and Bratton, each have a mile or so of gravel.
The lane from Tilshead to Rollestone is tarmac (a few potholes) and is open more often than other parts.

Some sections of the Imber Perimeter Footpath are quite easily rideable.

Especially with the increased military training, the authorities might be looking for excuses/reasons (eg people ignoring the "Do Not Leave the Carriageway" notices) to further reduce public access.

[andyoxon]

Just a heads up... SPTA provisionally open this easter.

Opening Times
Easter - Provisional Dates - TBC (7 Apr 2023 - 10 Apr 2023)
Imber Bus Day (19 Aug 2023)
Imber Bus Day. Details later BUT for this day only access to SPTA and Imber will be by the timetabled buses only. No cars, bicycles or pedestrians. This rule will be rigorously enforced

https://www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/whats-on/imber-open-days-p2531933

SPTA April newsletter (for confirmation) doesn't seem to be published yet (for some reason)...
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/salisbury-plain-training-area-spta-newsletter

Hoping to get there this year if poss...

Larkhill-West Down by ao, on Flickr

[trundle]

Well spotted Andy 

[andyoxon]

Imber Church has events at Easter planned on their website - which seems a good sign, that the Easter Imber open days may be confirmed in the SPTA Newsletter...  Whether this will include WestDown/Larkhill range, remains to be seen I guess.

Easter Classical Concert

There will be a concert of classical music in St Giles on Easter Monday at 1800hrs (6.00pm).  The concert will be performed by Music for Awhile under the leadership of Margaret Faultless.
The concert is entitiled "The Genius of Bach" and will include Suites, Sonatas and Solos.  Tickets are priced at £20.  For full details of the event and how to apply for tickets, GO HERE

Easter 2023 Open Days

St Giles Church will open to visitors from Good Friday 7th April to Easter Sunday 9th April, inclusive, between 1100 hours - 1600 hours (11am to 4pm). On Easter Monday 10th April the church will open at 1000 hours (10am) and will close at 1500 hours (3pm) (prompt) in order to prepare the church for a concert at 1800 hours.

https://www.imberchurch.org.uk/services.html#further

[Peat]

I find the access permissions/firing times etc all quite confusing.

Are the 'Warminster Ranges' the same as 'Imber Ranges'? I can see in various places that Imber has 'provisional' access for the Easter weekend, however on the April firing times, Warminster is block booked (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/salisbury-plain-training-area-spta-firing-times/salisbury-plain-training-area-spta-firing-times-february-2023)

[Peat]

Imber Church has events at Easter planned on their website - which seems a good sign, that the Easter Imber open days may be confirmed in the SPTA Newsletter...

From SPTA Newsletter dated 28th March

Please note that the first public access this year through the village, and entry into the church, will be over the Easter period from 1800hrs on Thursday 06th  to 0800hrs on Tuesday 11th April 2023.