Places to go

[Naylor]

Can anyone tell me of some good places to go around the tidworth area and is there any pay and play sites close by?

Thanks

[Jordi]

Approx 300 miles of green lane around Salisbury plain, Wiltshire area.

Follow the tracks onto the plain and follow the "Byway open to all traffic" signs.

[dan_2k_uk]

If you mean greenlaning then Salisbury plain is covered in byways that can take you all the way up to the ridgeway and beyond.

I dont know of any pay and plays in the area.

If you are new to greenlaning and want to meet us on the plain one weekend to get an idea of what's about and where you can and can't drive some of us Wiltshire guys could sort that out for you.

As Jordi says its quite easy to follow signs. Just.make sure you know where you are and stick to legal rights of way as the rangers are quite hot on any off piste driving. Also watch for and obey any red flags, signs, and lights if the MOD are using the range at the time.

[ScottieJ]

Pretty much what dan says. But buy yourself and ordnance survey map of the area so that you can find the byways. They are a lot better sign posted nowadays so it's harder to get lost. We go out quit often so we can always show you where you can go.

Also watch out some of the "puddles" on the byways are deeper than you might think so I would not risk any if you are on your own unless you have properly checked the depth.

Only quite local pay and at site is foxham4x4 but it's about an hour drive from tidworth over our way.

[Naylor]

Cheers tbh I spend most my time on the plain (in a tank) so can't believe I didn't think about that but only been down this end for a couple of months so don't really know the best places to go but deffo up for meeting up 1 weekend that's when I'm not away lol I live right next to carter barracks bulford (if u know where that is) so was thinking of going up there but only really seen gravel tracks

[dan_2k_uk]

Generally speaking the tank tracks are separated from any public rights of way so that might explain why you haven't seen too much.

The most fun way of doing it is to go out with someone who knows their way around and then you have the safety of a tow vehicle too.

I would rather not give details of any specific areas on a public forum as it just leads to the type people who just go out to use green lanes like pay and play areas all turning up there.

Happy to meet you and show you around though.

[Naylor]

Yea no problem I get that last thing u want is people messing things up for other people

Well I pick my vitara up this Saturday only thing is I have to fit this around work but if any of u r out and about around the plain at any time let me know and I'll see if I can make it

Cheers

[donkeychomp]

Yep, stay on the right tracks...almost got my SJ impounded by some very large gentleman in Lawn Mowers for straying off a bit...well quite a lot really. In my own defence I didn't see any signs about unexploded ordinance until way too late.

[Naylor]

Yep, stay on the right tracks...almost got my SJ impounded by some very large gentleman in Lawn Mowers for straying off a bit...well quite a lot really. In my own defence I didn't see any signs about unexploded ordinance until way too late.

Not that I'm going to go out and stray from the byways but what can they do if they catch u ?

[twiss]

If you are on MOD land they can seriously screw you over!
Trespassing on government owned land is known as criminal trespass and can land you with a £5000 fine and 6 months in prison.
(Im sure you would get less if you convinced a court you were there by accident)

I'm by no means saying you SHOULD be on a right of way other than a byway, but IF you accidentally end up on another type of right of way, they usually do you for "Driving Elsewhere Than a Road" which is pretty much the same as driving over some pavement and will incur about a £20-30 fine.
It is not a driving license points offence!

I ended up off a byway in a blizzard once (about 1.5 foot of snow, unable to see track or signs), thus the voice of experience.

If you are not on a right of way of any kind it is a different story. As its not public access you can then be done for trespassing as well as the previously mentioned offence. However, trespassing on non-government land isn't really a proper offence, and you are unlikely to be prosecuted by the CPS.

Worst they can really do is have the landowner take you to a civil court for any damages, which isn't too bad