Salisbury Plain

Salisbury Plain

One of the best places in the UK to learn how your vehicle works and handles is on a large variety of terrain called salisbury plain, located in Wiltshire. Salisbury Plain is 12 miles (19.2km) north of the city of Salisbury.
The total area of the current estate available to drive is just over 38,000 hectares. The Training Area used by the MOD measures 25 miles by 10 miles (40 km by 16 km).

From Mud to water crossings, side slopes and hills, Clay to chalky ground conditions it has it all. I learnt how to drive my current vehicle safely and effectively on these grounds. I started off with a completely standard Hyundai Terracan on road tyres and by choosing which routes I took I spent many hours having fun on standard summer road tyres.

The Best thing about Salisbury Plain is that it is 100% completely FREE. There are many local camp sites and PUBS local to the vast plain. It is easily accessible and has many routes and paths to chose from.

The ARMY often uses the plain for their manoeuvres training and live firing. On days that the British MOD are out a RED flag will be shown indicating that these area's are closed to the civilian population. These flags are easy to see, and numerous.


If at any time you do get lost, stuck or brake down with no second vehicle available to help there are usually other off Roaders out and about.
If you have a CB radio flicking through the channels you will soon be able to contact some of the many MOD vehicles out for orientation that should and usually are happy to help and assist. Failing this using your mobile phone 118118 ask for Wiltshire county council, the County council operate in the area and are at times available to offer assistance.
Other serious issues, injury, vehicle or item fires then contact the necessary emergency service for help (999).

Map Reference:

OS Landranger Sheets 183 & 184 (1:50,000)
OS Explorer Sheets 130 & 143 (1:25,000)

Contact:

MOD Wiltshire: 01980 674763

Get out there and enjoy!

Jason

"One of the best places in the UK to learn how your vehicle works and handles is on a large variety of terrain called salisbury plain, located in Wiltshire."

I second that statement. Long may it continue, but the rate at which our byways are disappearing due to govenment legislation (not to mention 'other users of the countryside' who think it's their God-given right to have public spaces exclusively for themselves) you'd better get out there fast, 'cause it may not be there for very much longer!

Hey Friends are there any more pictures of the water crossings and hills in Salisbury Plain? Can you recommend reasonable places to spend the night or you suggest its more fun camping out there with friends?

I have spent quite a few happy days on the plain with fourwheeldriveclub.....here are a few pics.....

https://s1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa375/maadmaan10/Salisbury%20281110/


And this was on my first outing to the plains. taken by my daughter who was about 11 at the time and her first go with a proper camera too!

The 'plain is pretty much my second home, I'm always out there laning or walking or running. (luckily it's only about half hour from Swindon, or a nice gentle bimble on byways to get there). spent plenty of exercises out there too.

Jaz pretty much summed it up there, I'd just like to add a few things.

As he said, if the red flags are flying then the ranges are OOB (out of bounds). If you go to the Collingbourne Ducis SPTA newsletter page you can download the monthly newsletter (or ping them an email and they'll auto forward it on to you) showing dates that the ranges are active, plus any other news.
You can get a similar thing direct from HQ SPTA DTE at westdown camp (sorry, Head Quarters Salisbury Plain Training Area Defence Training Establishments)

There is currently an ongoing scheme to fix in new byway signs around the areas, done partly by Wilts CC and Tread lightly and a local off road group. Trouble is, the chavvy off road types like to pull these out then claim "they didn't know" that whatever particular track wasn't a PRoW... no excuse! read a map!

There is also, about to start, project Ubique, which is aiming to tidy up some of the dead end byways that are out on the areas in the impact area of the ranges. They say that for every byway closed another similar length of track will be opened for public use, which is good. unforunataly a couple of really nice byways will be closed (Honeydown Bottom is one of my favourites) but there is plenty more out there to enjoy.

Read about Project Ubique here

(Ubique is the latin for Everywhere.... motto of the RE)


Also, i'd like to mention the cat1 tracks that litter the training area; these are graded flat (ish) tracks, ones you could easily take a car down. any track like this that had clearly been graded flat you are allowed as a member of the public to drive on (courtesy of the MoD)... this doesn't mean it's a PRoW though, only that the MoD allow you to be there... and as a result they can be closed at any given moments notice.

Like I say, I'm quite often out there, so if you want to meet up then drop me a PM (quite a few chaps from the Defender2 forum are fairly local too and regularly pop out).... look for my caged up 110 SW or my soft top 90 when it's done!


Last thing, Plainwatch, is a scheme set up by HQ SPTA for members of the public to report anything suspicious out there. anyting at all, badger baiting, dodgey pikey looking folk (usually badger baiting or harecoursing), illegal off road activities etc. the phone is manned 24/7, and is 01980 674700, or the MOD Police post at Netheravon 01980 674808
Handy numbers to keep stored in your mobiles.

enjoy

Great info Jim, many thanks

I second that, good info indeed. Had never heard of Project Ubique for instance, nice one Jim.

Ubique is fairly new, a few months old for the main part of the byway restructure (although the sinage has been ongoing for a year or 2 now)


As you probably can tell, I love the plain. I quite often just go there for a chill out, bimble around, flask of coffee (or pick up a Costa in Marlborough or Devizes) and some scoff. happy days!

Lucky b er!!! All that on your doorstep, but at least you know what's out there waiting to be explored, so many don't. Just as well really, otherwise the place would be swamped. Long may it continue to be a little piece of wilderness in amongst the hustle & bustle of modern life.

Iv'e taken the Fronty on the plain 3 or 4 times with Rich from Bourne Valley off road as a tag along tour, fantastic fun not having to concentrate on a map or sat nav.

Went to the plains for our first visit a few weeks ago as my son is now based there..

WOW what a great place, loved it, spent 6 hours being led around and thoroughly enjoyed it.


will be returning next year sometime for more than 1 day i can tell ya!!

What did you go in 'cause I know you haven't got the Pajero any more?

The Daiscovery m8.... 200tdi disco

Daiscovery??? More "creative writing".

Good photo, see you found the tank-wash then.