Salisbury Plain, Bike Routes and Exclamation Marks

I was taking a look at Salisbury Plain last week on a grey and overcast day when the would be stunning views across this 300 square miles of chalk downland were invisible. Nonetheless, this is an extraordinary area. Its the largest remaining tract of calcareous grassland in northwest Europe largely due to it being a military training ground since the mid 1800s - a fact one cannot escape with the everpresent Danger signs

Sill, I was intrigued as there is a Sustrans bike route that hugs the northern edge of the plain and then turns south across it to Larkhill. Once you've hauled yourself  up the steep slope onto the plateau, there is a wonderful hard surfaced road. No tanks, shells or bombs were to be heard or seen; just the odd horse rider and the sound of the wind in the occasional tree. As we rode west (on 2 wheels not 4 legs) following  the White Horse Trail it all seemed  too good to be true. And alas it was! As we turned south still following Route 45 we were abruptly halted by a barrier and guard and our route firmly verbotten.

It turns out that the military have well and truly sewn up the area and the route is never cyclable on weekdays until after 5pm and two days a week you will have to wait until midnight. Even weekends are a dodgy do as training takes place one weekend in every month. I'm surprised that Sustrans define this as a route. Their online map shows it with an exclamation mark but I'd have thought a skull and crossbones were more appropriate.
Verbotten weekends this summer are May 15/16, June 12/13, July 10/11, August 31/Sept 1 and Sept 4/5 although I was told these can be cancelled
For a headache free ride avoiding the Plain ask about our extended.Cotswolds and Bath Tour.
Photo copyright Rog Frost

Mistley

Spent some time this week exploring the Stour estuary, Harwich, Mistley and Woodbridge on the Essex/Suffolk border. I was hoping to cycle some of the 'European long distance route' which on my map is shown as projected to run to Harwich along the south side of the Stour estuary. I assumed it was the North Sea Cycle Route which runs through 7 countries for 6,000km bordering the North Sea.

Ha, ha it proved to be a non event. Not sure if it will be there one day or its direction has changed to the bike route that does exist and that follows the coast south from Harwich.

However, disappointment didn't last long when we came to Mistley, a little further inland along the estuary. Its full of surprises with its Robert Adam towers and swan basin (image) , the Mistley Quay workshops with some choice arts and crafts and a cafe never to be missed and to top it all Mistley Thorn restaurant with rooms where we had our best dinner for years.