Salisbury Plain - Off the ranges

Due to some rather complex diary arrangements, the only date that we can manage for a trip that i've long been promising a friend down to the plains is whilst the ranges are in use.

Obviously that rules out many of the best bits, particularly the byways across the Bulford and Larkhill ranges. We normally use the middle of bulford range danger area when its open to the public as theres some decent byways on there. However, I know theres plenty of good stuff around the outside.

However, its been a while since i've done a lot of it. So... anyone got any ideas of what is good and what is either just a gravel track not worth doing, or too hard to use for training a newbie!

My criteria are that we're looking for a good day out, that I can teach her how to use a 4x4 properly, and (as a responsible user of byways) that we're not using byways that are going to be damaged by being driven in November, or that are going to damage the car.

The bits i've already got in mind as worth doing are:

- The byway from Larkhall down to Stonehenge (not particularly exciting driving but usually a bit of water and an incredible view at the southern end)
- The wessex ridgeway route from Lavington along towards upavon around the outside of the larkhall range (including a reasonable bit where the byway actually runs on the grass about 100m to the north of the gravel track with a underused grassy hills and some ruts) and routes down the hill to the north.
- Byways to the north of bulford ranges
- A bit further north the byways out of Devizes up past the white horse and around that area

If anyone knows any other suitable byways up there it would be interesting to hear comments

There is a byway leaving Chitterne and heading West towards the STR, tree roots will cause the vehicles to lean quite dramatically left and right, caution must be exercised. The only problem is that I doesn't go anywhere so you have to turn around and come back down.

Pillar said:

There is a byway leaving Chitterne and heading West towards the STR, tree roots will cause the vehicles to lean quite dramatically left and right, caution must be exercised. The only problem is that I doesn't go anywhere so you have to turn around and come back down.

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Thanks I think I know the one you mean (goes up to the Imber Permiter Walk?)

I'm fairly sure i've done SOME of the byways coming up from the Wylve Valley onto the plain (and probably the byway past Yarnbury Castle) but it would have been about 3 years ago so I cant remember them that well!

The other side of the valley i'm fairly sure the byway linking the A350 to Tytherington is worth a drive but again not 100% sure .

Yes that's the one, it's the stretch 400m S of the PP that is worth driving.

There is also a series of BOATs 2km NW of Codford St Peter in a H configuration. not on the plain but still worth driving. Northern aspect of the Eastern Track is reasonably good.

Bit of an update to this. Went out yesterday.

Started at the usual place on the Wessex Ridgeway at Lavington. A good opportunity for my "student"* to get used to driving the disco on a gravel track before doing too much difficult stuff, but past Redhorn Hill there's a good point where the byway actually runs across the grass about 100m to the north of the gravel, great to practise driving in ruts, climbing and descending hills, etc all without leaving the legal route.

Then down past the farm towards Upavon - an opportunity to learn about water and steep hill descents.

From there it was a long road section to just past Netheravon Airfield. For my student this was her first time driving my disco on the road. For me it was very strange sitting in the passenger seat of my own car with someone other than my wife driving it! Once past Netheravon it was down onto the Old Marlborough Road - a well maintained gravel track (ie boring) leading onto the back of the Bulford Ranges.

At this point it was a pleasant surprise to find that the bulford range flags weren't flying and the gates were open, so we were able to partake of some of the more interesting byways branching off from the Old Marlborough Road, eventually heading back out of the range area and up towards Netheravon. This byway has obviously seen a lot of military use in the last fortnight and the surface was quite badly ploughed, but with good stone underneath

With the sun getting fairly low in the sky, and no wishes to turn it into a night-laning session, we headed south to Countess Services for a quick coffee, then cut across through Larkhill to the final lane of the day. This one isn't particularly challenging (a ford fiesta could do it) but runs south from Larkhill. The lack of challenge is made up for by the spectacular (and to my student unexpected) view of Stonehenge silhouetted against the sky. Whilst the tourists now have to park some distance from stonehenge, using the byway it is possible to drive within 100m of the stones and park up to take photos of the evening sunlight reflected off them.

At this point I took over driving briefly as I knew we were going to be heading out of a particularly nasty junction onto the A303. The plan had been to turn left then right and go down a byway to "Lake". As I slowed to find the byway a lorry decided to get right on my tail and start beeping so I aborted that attempt and drove on to Countess to turn round at the roundabout and try again. We found the byway but also found a notice of voluntary restraint, so instead took the next byway which heads down to the A360 at Druids Lodge. The sun dropped below the horizon as we turned South West off the A303 and a spectacular sunset, and close up views of the animals in the fields (including a pair of deer), made for a pleasant end to the day.

By this point my "student" had fallen in love with the Disco, so I let her drive the 50 miles back to the pub we were heading to for dinner (very off topic but can very much recommend The Dog at Old Sodbury, just off M4 J18)

*The student in question is my business partner. Her birthday present this year was a days insurance on my discovery and a trip down to Salisbury Plain. She's now looking forward to next June when it will become more affordable to add her permanently to my insurance.

Anyway, the purpose of my long post is this... there is plenty that you can do around the plains even when the flags are flying. Ok we spent an hour or two on the bulford ranges, but had these been closed we would still have found plenty to fill the day.

The next planned trip is in December between Christmas and New Year. It will include a visit to Imber as the roads across Imber Range are open then. As usual it will be a fairly "gentle" day out (we're not into wrecking byways, upsetting farmers or practising recovery techniques) and both myself and the friend i'm heading over there with have several years experience of training 4x4 drivers so if there's any newbies that want to come along we're happy to answer any questions or help with any techniques. PM me if interested.

I haven't been out on the plains in a while so if you get a date let me know and I might tag a long!

Suitable for a newbie in a Freelander?

Would be interested in tagging along with a friend who is new to green landing and would like a day out!!! When are you thinking??

Looks like the december trip might now not be happening (various reasons) but looking to put something on on a weekend in January.

rob_bell said:

Suitable for a newbie in a Freelander?

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Mostly yes... theres a few bits where you might need to be a bit more careful about which sets of ruts you drive in with lower ground clearance, but as long as everythings working properly you should be fine!

I'm assuming from your photo that its a "Old style" freelander rather than the newer model - no idea how they compare off road but we've taken a current model freelander along without any issues!

Great news, thanks! Yes, it's a mk1 which I bought off the bat of fleas as a project. I've rebuilt the engine and sorted a load of niggles. It's nearly there, but need to work out why the Hill decent ECU keeps throwing up intermittent warning light: probably just a wheel speed sensor

I have an aquaintance who runs a showground... he uses a mk1 freelander to drive around the site in all weathers and swears by it.

I'll keep you up to date with a planned date... just waiting for a couple of other (more "compulsary") things to fall into place in January...

I dont particularly want to publish the details of where and when to meet in the open forum, but i'll drop a Private Message out to those who have said they're interested... obviously want to keep numbers down - 4 is ideal, 6 is fine on the MOD ranges but is starting to get antisocial on the other byways.

Perfect, thanks!

Look forward to hearing the plans!!! Have a great Christmas!

So... with the december plans not quite going ahead, there's a new provisional date in mid January.

seems theres a bit of interest - I know @rob_bell, @ShaunPDisco, @gstuart and @JNEC have all expressed an interest.

As I said above I dont really want to organise this in full public view on the forum but if people are interested drop me a private message and i'll let you know the date time and place that we're planning to meet. This isn't intended to be a hardcore off road day (if thats what you're after, thats what pay+play sites are for) but more a chance to enjoy some of the routes and byways that the Salisbury Plain area has to offer - hopefully without damaging either the vehicles or the byways! Everything should be suitable for any fully working factory spec landrover

Thanks for the update!

Dear Dan - thank you again for organising a brilliant day's off roading!

Great to meet some fellow Landy Zoners too who made me feel very much welcome - thanks Neil and Shaun!

Here's Neil in a big puddle!



I think Dan's got more pictures

No problem Rob... likewise was great to meet yourself, @neilly and @ShaunPDisco , and a shame @gstuart and @Saltlick weren't able to make it in the end.

I'm sorry to report that Rob's freelander only got stuck once, and that he was able to self recover by going back and trying again with a bit more power (although I can't help suspecting that might have been one of the causes in losing your undertray!)

Have photos and video, and I think we all have a to do list of jobs before the next trip.

Will probably look to sort something out around April time as Feb and March are already fully booked! If it looks like we're going to get larger numbers we might need to split into smaller groups, particularly if we head off the ranges themselves and into some of the more agricultural areas.

private penguin said:

No problem Rob... likewise was great to meet yourself, @neilly and @ShaunPDisco , and a shame @gstuart and @Saltlick weren't able to make it in the end.

I'm sorry to report that Rob's freelander only got stuck once, and that he was able to self recover by going back and trying again with a bit more power (although I can't help suspecting that might have been one of the causes in losing your undertray!)

Have photos and video, and I think we all have a to do list of jobs before the next trip.

Will probably look to sort something out around April time as Feb and March are already fully booked! If it looks like we're going to get larger numbers we might need to split into smaller groups, particularly if we head off the ranges themselves and into some of the more agricultural areas.

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glad u had a great day , sorry i missed this trip , once i've finished all the work on mine will be good to put the disco through its paces

now i wonder if i should invest in a snorkel, lol

also will be a learning curve for me to see how the different systems react , work etc

good to get myself stuck , so can then see what the limits are etc

got these coopers at3 fitted so hopefully they will be ok

next time will be good , as fingers crossed we can stop off, having a night over camping , few beers along the way

know my dogs will enjoy it , lol