Last year whilst staying at Charlton St Peter I did an interesting walk on the Larkhill and West Down Ministry of Defence ranges on Salisbury Plain. These ranges are used by the military for training and live firing exercises which take place most days of the week. However, there are days when the public are allowed access to the ranges to explore the network of footpaths.
As it is Easter Monday the paths on the ranges are open so it is a good opportunity to head to an area not usually accessible. I am out today with my walking buddy Mandy and we know it is essential to keep to the public rights of way and to heed the warnings not to stray off the path and not to pick up any discarded ordnance.
The starting point for our walk is a parking area (Grid Ref: SU112536) which is at the end of a dead end road leading from the A345 to the west of Upavon. From the A345 the road is signposted to Widdington and to a Shooting Club. The car park is close to Casterley Camp hill fort.
After weeks of sunshine we have chosen an overcast day and as we set off south along the perimeter track of the firing ranges it looks like it won’t be too long before we are searching for our waterproofs.
This part of the route is very easy to follow as we are going to stay on this undulating track heading south for the best part of two miles.
Despite the overcast conditions there are still excellent views.
As we pass through Water Dean Bottom we spot a Great Bustard in the field to our right and then a bit further on we bump into a ranger with the Great Bustard Group who has a Land Rover full of visitors on a tour to spot these impressive wild birds. Unfortunately they are too far away to get a reasonable photograph but they are visible on the horizon.
The Great Bustard thrives on large open landscapes and their decline and eventual disappearance coincided with the enclosure of fields with hedgerows and their being hunted to extinction. The last breeding pair was recorded in Suffolk in 1832. In 2003 the Great Bustard Group were granted a licence to release birds in the wild, since that time they have released over 100 birds and there is now evidence that they are breeding successfully and the numbers are increasing.
After an interesting chat with the ranger we continue our walk to reach a junction of tracks to the west of Enford Farm. At this point we leave the perimeter path and venture onto the ranges and take a track leading to Enford Down.
At a junction of tracks we spot the Enford Tower Ordnance Survey trig pillar, which has sunk slightly since it was first installed.
We now pass a shelter and continue heading south along the track.
The War Office first purchased land on Salisbury Plain in 1897. The main acquisition programme was finished in 1920, and the major garrisons were constructed over the next 30 years. At over 94,000 acres Salisbury Plain Training Area is the UK’s largest Ministry of Defence training area. It is used for live firing and has other facilities for armoured vehicles, artillery, engineers, infantry and aircraft. As we proceed along the track we pass the Machine Gun Range observation tower.
Soon we reach a junction of tracks at the edge of Lavington Folly and decide to keep going straight on and soon start heading downhill.
At a junction of tracks we turn right and follow a track through the bottom of a valley passing woodland.
At a fork in the track to the south of Newfoundland Farm Wood we go right and head uphill to pass the wood and then at a junction of tracks turn left to follow a grassy track heading west.
The cloud has now lifted and we are treated to some fine views across the plain.
Besides the track we spot what looks like a training grenade and decide to give it a wide berth just in case.
At the edge of Shrewton Folly we are beside the route of a disused railway. This was a tank practice railway which opened in 1916, this carried an unmanned ‘locomotive’ consisting of an engine and a trolley carrying a tank-shaped screen at which artillery fired.
Heading along the track we are treated to a spell of sunshine, but we know the forecast is for showers later.
At a junction of paths I spot an Ordnance Survey trig pillar, this slightly confuses me because it is not marked on the map and despite being pretty obvious I missed it the last time I walked around here. A bit or research later confirms it is a genuine trig pillar, but for some reason has been left off the OS map. This is the 484th trig I have bagged.
At a junction of tracks just to the east of Prospect Clump we fork right and pass an observation tower.
Out to our right are discarded tanks which are used for training purposes.
We then reach an old roadside fingerpost, we take the track that heads north toward Devizes.
At regular intervals as we travel along the track there are warnings not to leave the carriageway.
As if to emphasise the point we spot a discarded shell not far off the track to our right.
After passing Ell Barrow we keep heading north along the track to reach the edge of the military zone. We now turn right along the perimeter track heading east.
The route is now easy to follow, we will be on this track for just over three and a half miles. Soon we spot Charlton Clumps in the distance.
The cloud has now lifted and we have far reaching views as we walk along in the afternoon sunshine.
It is surprisingly quiet for a bank holiday, we have hardly encountered anyone on the whole walk and returning to our start point the parking area is virtually empty.
It has been an interesting 16 mile walk, made more special by my first ever sighting of a Great Bustard and the bagging of an unexpected trig pillar.
To follow my walk, you will need Ordnance Survey Maps: OS Explorer Active Map OL130 – Salisbury and Stonehenge
You can view this 16 mile walk and download the GPX File on OS Maps (OS Maps subscription required)
21st April 2025
© Two Dogs and an Awning (2025)
All information on this site is provided free of charge and in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of damage, loss or injury which might result from it. To the best of my knowledge the routes are entirely on public rights of way or within areas that are open for public access.
Walking can be hazardous and is done entirely at your own risk. It is your responsibility to check your route and navigate using a map and compass.