Firing days on the plains

[er-minio]

I wanted to spend a day on the Salisbury plains, either on the GS or take the DRZ if I can find a rental van cheap enough.
I've been multiple times before of course, but always went without checking firing times and just looked at the flags.

I was planning for tomorrow, but weather seems shit, so might do next weekend (24/25th). My question is regarding the firing times on the PDF online.

It says:

There is no firing planned for:

• Areas 6, 7, 8 (Chitterne)
• Salisbury Plain (East) (Tidworth)

for the entire month, and then Bulford and Warminster ranges are down for being used (tomorrow) during the day and just Warminster on the next weekend.
Where exactly are those? Are those two ranges separate from the main roaming areas?

Apologies, my geographical knowledge of the plains is still pretty sketchy. Basically trying to understand how not to ride into military training


Also, one of the times I went there with the GS and did most of the byways, I spent some time on a very wide chalky area with some ramps (probably tanks and other vehicles went up and down).
I used it to learn riding the GS up and down at slow speeds/etc. for quite a while.

A friend told me that bit is technically not part of the byways and you're not allowed to be on it. Is that correct?

cheers

 

[Loiq]

bakerman of these parts is the font of all knowledge....

 

[Guru Gora]

If you PM me Ill send you detailed maps of exactly where the ranges are

 

[cookie]

Also, one of the times I went there with the GS and did most of the byways, I spent some time on a very wide chalky area with some ramps (probably tanks and other vehicles went up and down).
I used it to learn riding the GS up and down at slow speeds/etc. for quite a while.

A friend told me that bit is technically not part of the byways and you're not allowed to be on it. Is that correct?

cheers

I know the area you mean, and you are not allowed on it.

 

[er-minio]

I know the area you mean, and you are not allowed on it.

Yeah. It's this:





I think I saw vehicles passing by and they said nothing. I've been told they tend to be lenient for motorbikes (especially if you are not behaving like a total dick) but I'd rather not push my luck too much


I do have the byways on my maps.
Looking at it today (those tracks are from a couple of years ago at least) I didn't diverge too much

 

[cookie]

I was thinking of the fatter chalk tracks to the left of your circled area. I don't know about the circled area, but if it's not a byway, you're not supposed to be on it and the MOD tend to take a dim view these days if caught from what i hear. They even use drones to track violators. I've been lucky and not been nicked riding out of bounds. I've short cut though the woods a couple of times and basically found myself riding though a dug in group of squaddies with rifles. Embarrassing, and I did get a stern talking to from an RSM the second time

I'd offer to guide you around If it was really my area and I had greater knowledge, but I don't go there much.


Might be worth joining this FB group who seem very active and knowledgeable.

Salisbury Plain Trials Enduro Adventure Bike Group. | Facebook

Promoting legal trail riding on the byways of Salisbury Plain. The area is NOT a play area, and is used for military training. Please keep to legal tracks. Land warden’s, Military Police and...

www.facebook.com

 

[er-minio]

I’ll go again next weekend. I’ll stick to the boats this time. As you can see they are marked (purple/mauve dashed lines) in the map.

I’m looking for a flat-ish area reasonably near London where to practice cornering (8 figure) offroad with the DRZ. Something like that would, even way smaller, would be awesome.

 

[stonehenge]

Some training events on the Plain are not announced (for obvious reasons) and therefore, you can't, with utmost certainty, predict red flags or not. That said, the training area is large and riding to another area might find you a free ride. The Tidworth and Larkhill vehicle technical areas are mostly within Garrison and the large chalk area is free to have a go on if no Red Flags. I used to drive up and down them in my old Kia Sorento quite often. Some of the Plain has been fenced off now anyway, such as the back of the Tidworth Golf Club that used to be open and had the Deer hides that you can't access now, shame.
Obviously any impact area and sites with broken Tanks are off limits anyway and are fenced off accordingly. As is Imber (most days).
If I was coming a fair way, I would be prepared to ride around the usual entry points of Chittern, Tilshead, Tidworth, Netheravon, Upavon, Urchfont, Everleigh etc and you should find one or two with no flags flying. Or just ride around on the surrounding roads / ridgeways. I like the ridgeway entry at Market Lavington / Urchfont area and Erlestoke, just past the Prison going west.

 

[Guru Gora]

The ranges ….

Bulford and Warminster.

Zoomed on Warminster …

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[er-minio]

and the large chalk area is free to have a go on if no Red Flags

NOICE


Anwyway, I should be in the area either Saturday or Sunday (have to understand what happens with work).
If anyone is around, gimme a shout.


Last question is: where is the best areas where to park a van (for the times I wanna bring over the DRZ or both the bikes...)?
My understanding is that the parking areas dotted around are free, right?

 

[Guru Gora]

Most of the tank crossing sites have wide areas you can park on. You’ll see dog walkers cars there.

 

[Nice 'n' Fat]

I know the area you mean, and you are not allowed on it.

Yes that's the Tank Training Grounds at Tidworth

 

[er-minio]

Went yesterday.
Glorious day. Had some cautious (I was alone) fun. Flipped just a couple of times

There is a sign that prohibits non military vehicles to go on those ramps now. Didn't see that a couple of years ago.
The bigger ramp on the left is part of the byway. Comes in two flavours: simple and rutty

I was expecting it to be bone dry, but was wrong:

Thanks all for the suggestions and tips.