Chitterne Walking Guides
A series of walks created by Dave Robinson during his walking recovery from a busted pelvis. Each walk can be walked in either direction.
This is a project in progress. If anyone would be willing to check these routes over, any suggestions or corrections would be appreciated.
Click on the links below to view the walk guides:
Walk 1 - 8 miles / 3 hours 30 mins
Walk 2 - 5 miles / 2 hours
Walk 3 - 2 miles; 45 mins
Walk 4 - 2.5 miles / 1 hour
Walk 5 - 6 miles / 2 hours 30 mins
Walk 6 - 5.5 miles / 2 hours
Walk 7 - 16 miles / 6 hours 30 mins
Walk 8 - 4 miles / 1 hours 30 mins
Walk 9 - 4 miles / 1 hours 30 mins
Walk 10 - 1.5 miles / 30 mins
Maps Showing Rights of Way
Two maps showing rights of way in and around Chitterne for those who would like to plan their own walks. The maps are best printed at A3 size, but readable at A4:
Chitterne Village - Walking Map
Chitterne Parish - Walking Map
Using the Military Lands around Chitterne for Walking with or without Dogs
There are two distinct categories of MOD range land near Chitterne - Imber Ranges (less than 1 mile north of the village) and the general Salisbury Plain Military Land (west and east of the village).
There is no access at any time to the Imber Ranges area near Chitterne - keep out!
The byelaws (Salisbury Plain Military Lands Byelaws 1981) say the public may use the general Salisbury Plain land for recreational use when they are not being used for military purposes. The main prohibitions are common sense ones concerning doing no damage, no hunting or picking wild flowers, keep out of plantations and cultivated land. Obey notices about restricted buildings and enclosures, keep dogs under control etc.
Read the large white notice signs for the byelaws that govern range use
This Salisbury Plain Military Land range near Chitterne is 'dry' in military terms. Meaning that no live firing takes place (in this area) and hence no red flags are flown (used to show firing days).
Public rights of way (found on OS maps & others) are always open to walkers in this Salisbury Plain Military Land range area and although not always well marked (often very confusing with all the tank tracks) can be used even when troop exercises are taking place - if you wish to do so.
Schedule 1 land - (signs "SCHED 1" seen against fencing). This refers to MOD owned land that is let farm land near to the village and is generally out of bounds to troops and, when cultivated, closed to walkers.
Fenced enclosures - ('PENNING' sign on fencing). These are fenced off grazing areas of rented MOD land for livestock. Keep out of the permanent pennings; however temporary pennings (with no signs) can sometimes be found across your intended path. Use common sense and try and find a way around. Please don't destroy any fencing or leave gates open.
The new southern range road is permanently closed to the public. There are a couple of places where rights of way go across this road, but otherwise please avoid.
The large village complex seen on Copehill Down (1 mile north east of Chitterne), is used for troop training and is closed to the public. Several rights of way surround this village, some quite nearby. Take care with route finding otherwise you may get 'warned off'.
So keep off Imber Range, keep out of the 'Training village' near Copehill Down, avoid cultivated farmland and pennings and stay away when troops are on exercise. Apart from that you may walk with your dog (under control) where you like.
There are local (Wiltshire) byelaws against leaving dog litter on public rights of way and two dog litter bins are situated in the village for this use. The army have no such laws concerning this (as far as I am aware) but have recently (December 2010) closed an area near Warminster due to excessive dog litter, so please pick up if you can.