Salisbury Plain byway query

Does anybody hear have any experience of the bridleway/byway that
links the A342 near Lydeway/Urchfont (near devizes) and "The packway"
near Durrington/Amesbury, that then links to the A360 at its juntion
with the B3086 and A360 (where it adjoins the A3444 near Stonehenge).

I was thinking about cycling down to Salisbury from Devizes on
Saturday and
this route looks interesting (more interesting than the A345 anyway!)
- but
I have no idea whether it

1) is MOD land and may be closed
2) is metalled or "dirt track" (cos that will define which bike I
use!)
3) is even passable on a bike.

the arial photographs on maps.google seem to show a narrow but
metalled
route ... but I don't want to guess! The OS map shows a metalled road
from lydeway/urchfont to the White Horse trail "crossroads" and a
bridlepath/byway therafter... but there are big read letters "DANGER
AREA"
across areas of this path...

Would anyone have any ideas about this route?

cheers

didds

didds wrote:
> Does anybody hear have any experience of the bridleway/byway that
> links the A342 near Lydeway/Urchfont (near devizes) and "The packway"
> near Durrington/Amesbury, that then links to the A360 at its juntion
> with the B3086 and A360 (where it adjoins the A3444 near Stonehenge).


Try the Public Rights Of way people at ??? County Council.

--
Peter (Prof) Fox
Multitude of things for beer, cycling, Morris and curiosities at
<http://vulpeculox.net>

On Jun 26, 9:02*am, Peter Fox <unet0...@PeterFox.ukfsn.org> wrote:
> didds wrote:
> > Does anybody hear have any experience of the bridleway/byway that
> > links the A342 near Lydeway/Urchfont (near devizes) and "The packway"
> > near Durrington/Amesbury, that then links to the A360 at its juntion
> > with the B3086 and A360 (where it adjoins the A3444 near Stonehenge).
>
> Try the Public Rights Of way people at ??? County Council.
>
> --
> Peter (Prof) Fox
> Multitude of things for beer, cycling, Morris and curiosities at
> <http://vulpeculox.net>

excellent idea - cheers peter!

Meanwhile if anybody has any direct expereince I;'d still be
interested to hear ... could be the council have the "theory" buit no
actual practical expereinec :-)

cheers

didds

"didds" <didds2@excite.com> a écrit:

> I was thinking about cycling down to Salisbury from Devizes on
> Saturday and this route looks interesting (more interesting than
> the A345 anyway!)

> - but
> I have no idea whether it

> 1) is MOD land and may be closed
> 2) is metalled or "dirt track" (cos that will define which bike I use!)
> 3) is even passable on a bike.

I've ridden it once, probably seven or eight years ago now. My recollection
is that it's metalled right across - nothing fancy, just a single narrow
lane of rough tarmac. Certainly, I would have been on touring tyres - 28mm
or so. I rode from the southern end, and there was an unmanned sentry box
and barrier at the entry to the "danger area", so presumably access can be
restricted at times.

James Thomson

On Jun 26, 9:39*am, "James Thomson" <yosnap...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> "didds" <did...@excite.com> a écrit:
>
> > I was thinking about cycling down to Salisbury from Devizes on
> > Saturday and this route looks interesting (more interesting than
> > the A345 anyway!)
> > - but
> > I have no idea whether it
> > 1) is MOD land and may be closed
> > 2) is metalled or "dirt track" (cos that will define which bike I use!)
> > 3) is even passable on a bike.
>
> I've ridden it once, probably seven or eight years ago now. My recollection
> is that it's metalled right across - nothing fancy, just a single narrow
> lane of rough tarmac. Certainly, I would have been on touring tyres - 28mm
> or so. I rode from the southern end, and there was an unmanned sentry box
> and barrier at the entry to the "danger area", so presumably access can be
> restricted at times.
>
> James Thomson

thanks james - your feedback is appreciated :-)

cheers

ian

"didds" <didds2@excite.com> a écrit:

> Does anybody hear have any experience of the bridleway/byway
> that links the A342 near Lydeway/Urchfont (near devizes) and
> "The packway" near Durrington/Amesbury, that then links to the
> A360 at its juntion with the B3086 and A360 (where it adjoins
> the A3444 near Stonehenge).

For ease of reference, you mean the byway that runs NNW from the Bustard Inn
here?:

http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.sr...=newsearch.srf
http://tinyurl.com/57rlxw

James Thomson

didds wrote:

>Does anybody hear have any experience of the bridleway/byway that
>links the A342 near Lydeway/Urchfont (near devizes) and "The packway"
>near Durrington/Amesbury, that then links to the A360 at its juntion
>with the B3086 and A360 (where it adjoins the A3444 near Stonehenge).
>
>I was thinking about cycling down to Salisbury from Devizes on
>Saturday and
>this route looks interesting (more interesting than the A345 anyway!)
>- but
>I have no idea whether it
>
>1) is MOD land and may be closed
>2) is metalled or "dirt track" (cos that will define which bike I
>use!)
>3) is even passable on a bike.
>
>the arial photographs on maps.google seem to show a narrow but
>metalled
>route ... but I don't want to guess! The OS map shows a metalled road
>from lydeway/urchfont to the White Horse trail "crossroads" and a
>bridlepath/byway therafter... but there are big read letters "DANGER
>AREA"
>across areas of this path...
>
>Would anyone have any ideas about this route?

There is information from the MOD about firing days out there on the
web. But you have to dig for it, I couldn't find it on the MOD site.

http://www.collingbourne-ducis.com/SPTA/SPTE.html

--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

On Jun 26, 9:59*am, "James Thomson" <yosnap...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> For ease of reference, you mean the byway that runs NNW from the Bustard Inn
> here?:
>
> http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.sr...url.com/57rlxw
>
> James Thomson

spot on james

didds

"didds" <didds2@excite.com> wrote in message
news:a36024dc-af5a-4304-93bb-ad512b1d7318@25g2000hsx.googlegroups.com...
> Does anybody hear have any experience of the bridleway/byway that
> links the A342 near Lydeway/Urchfont (near devizes) and "The packway"
> near Durrington/Amesbury, that then links to the A360 at its juntion
> with the B3086 and A360 (where it adjoins the A3444 near Stonehenge).
>
> I was thinking about cycling down to Salisbury from Devizes on
> Saturday and
> this route looks interesting (more interesting than the A345 anyway!)
> - but
> I have no idea whether it
>
> 1) is MOD land and may be closed
> 2) is metalled or "dirt track" (cos that will define which bike I
> use!)
> 3) is even passable on a bike.
>
> the arial photographs on maps.google seem to show a narrow but
> metalled
> route ... but I don't want to guess! The OS map shows a metalled road
> from lydeway/urchfont to the White Horse trail "crossroads" and a
> bridlepath/byway therafter... but there are big read letters "DANGER
> AREA"
> across areas of this path...
>
> Would anyone have any ideas about this route?
>
> cheers
>
> didds
>

I drove it in my car about 12 months ago. It is not metalled all the way
but it is very easy going.

If it is closed then there will definitely be a flag flying to say so.

It's actually quite a nice track to drive as it gives a perspective of the
plain that is difficult to see from any 'proper' road.

You also get to see some of the old tank targets that I used to play on as a
boy. Happy days!

Matt

On 26 Jun, 19:49, "Matt" <m...@email.com> wrote:

> I drove it in my car about 12 months ago. It is not metalled all the way
> but it is very easy going.

would a road bike be OK on the non metalled bits Matt?

cheers

didds

didds <didds2@excite.com> wrote:

> On 26 Jun, 19:49, "Matt" <m...@email.com> wrote:
>
> > I drove it in my car about 12 months ago. It is not metalled all the way
> > but it is very easy going.
>
> would a road bike be OK on the non metalled bits Matt?
>
i've not had a problem in my ooh few months of road bike with unmetalled
tracks from rolling around the off road paths in richmound park to the
odd intresting track in the downs. i take it carefully and light but
there has been no issues to date.

> cheers
>
> didds

roger
--
www.rogermerriman.com

FTR....

having cycled it today the surface is fundamentally "metalled" but is
very poor in almost all parts between the btwo sentry posts and the
southern and northern ends. In some places its just the top surface
that is broken with "strands" of bitumen left, and in others there is
no tarmac residue left at all and the surface is basically compacted
earth with largish stones. Potholed along the entire length between
the two sentry posts. Lots of signs warning about leaving the road
and touching any "objects that may explode and kill you".

I did make it through by road bike - but today was a dry day in
summer. I wouldn't repeat taking a road bike on this - but I will
definitely return with my mountain bike :-)

Its a lovely ride - very remote feeling, some great views, very
peaceful. I did pass some soldiers doing whatever soldiers do at
Rollestone Camp at the southern end, but more interestingly (aside
from the flora and fauna anyway) one large armoured vehicle parked off
to one side with someone asleep on top of it :-)

MUCH nicer than the A345 :-)

didds