Accesing Imber
Discussion
Got chatting to a mate recently about the abandoned village of Imber, up on Salisbury Plains.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imber
He has subsequently become obsessed, and is really keen to go and visit it. He doesn't drive, so I said I wouldn't mind taking him up there. I've been to it a few times when off-roading, but don't have access to an off-roader this time around. From memory it is accessible by quite smooth gravel tracks, so my question is twofold.
Firstly, can anyone confirm how accessible the area surrounding Imber is, and secondly, what are the legal implications of going up there in the evening/at night. I don't want some MOD police assuming that the two blokes in the MX5 are dogging in the middle of Salisbury Plains.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imber
He has subsequently become obsessed, and is really keen to go and visit it. He doesn't drive, so I said I wouldn't mind taking him up there. I've been to it a few times when off-roading, but don't have access to an off-roader this time around. From memory it is accessible by quite smooth gravel tracks, so my question is twofold.
Firstly, can anyone confirm how accessible the area surrounding Imber is, and secondly, what are the legal implications of going up there in the evening/at night. I don't want some MOD police assuming that the two blokes in the MX5 are dogging in the middle of Salisbury Plains.
Just up the road from me...
You will be fine in any car getting there, well maintained tarmac followed by a stone track that is also fairly smooth.
I have been up there alot in times when perhaps i shouldnt have been, mostly on motocross bikes.. the MOD police will come after you, on a bike you can outrun them!
there are open days a couple of times a year as the church/graveyard is there.
In all fairness, whilst being good to nose around, there isnt too much to see, the pub sign has been nicked, the manor is a pain to get into and the other buildings are newly built..
Have you been to Tyneham before? much better imo...
You will be fine in any car getting there, well maintained tarmac followed by a stone track that is also fairly smooth.
I have been up there alot in times when perhaps i shouldnt have been, mostly on motocross bikes.. the MOD police will come after you, on a bike you can outrun them!
there are open days a couple of times a year as the church/graveyard is there.
In all fairness, whilst being good to nose around, there isnt too much to see, the pub sign has been nicked, the manor is a pain to get into and the other buildings are newly built..
Have you been to Tyneham before? much better imo...
Tyneham eh? Never heard of it.
As far as actually accessing Imber, I was more talking about just going up near it so he could have a look. Are there any legal implications to being up there later on when its dark? I've only been on the plains in the day before. Don't want to get in trouble/car taken off me.
So, you reckon I can easily get up near to Imber in the MX5 then? Its been a while since I was last up there.
As far as actually accessing Imber, I was more talking about just going up near it so he could have a look. Are there any legal implications to being up there later on when its dark? I've only been on the plains in the day before. Don't want to get in trouble/car taken off me.
So, you reckon I can easily get up near to Imber in the MX5 then? Its been a while since I was last up there.
OllieWinchester said:
No public right of way on Salisbury Plain? Or do you mean Imber itself?
Imber is in a danger area / public restricted area. As said by someone else, walking it should be fine as long as the red flags aren't flying. Risking it by driving though.. Open days are the easiest way to do it. Google tyneham, it's 1000 times better, proper old village, same story, on the south coast... OllieWinchester said:
I'm not talking about going in to Imber, either on foot or in the car. I'm talking about driving up to it, parking on a track or something, then wandering around the outskirts for a bit. No legal implications in doing that I presume?
Thing is it is about 2 miles off the road... In a restricted live firing area... Best bet is park at Gore cross, on the main road entrance and walk.. You won't get in trouble, just make sure the red flags aren't flying, and don't stray off the road. Ps.. It's fine to go into the buildings, land wardens will just tell you not to if they see you I'm starting to wonder if we are talking about the same place now.
The one I have seen is like a mock village in the middle of the plains, not really accessible on foot, lots of cameras and razor wire. It is surrounded by access roads which I thought were sort of gravelled 'green lanes'. We have never had a problem driving round there in the day when we were off roading, been seen by loads of military vehicles and we weren't the only ones there? I'm confused now....
The one I have seen is like a mock village in the middle of the plains, not really accessible on foot, lots of cameras and razor wire. It is surrounded by access roads which I thought were sort of gravelled 'green lanes'. We have never had a problem driving round there in the day when we were off roading, been seen by loads of military vehicles and we weren't the only ones there? I'm confused now....
OllieWinchester said:
I'm starting to wonder if we are talking about the same place now.
The one I have seen is like a mock village in the middle of the plains, not really accessible on foot, lots of cameras and razor wire. It is surrounded by access roads which I thought were sort of gravelled 'green lanes'. We have never had a problem driving round there in the day when we were off roading, been seen by loads of military vehicles and we weren't the only ones there? I'm confused now....
Ahhh thats not imber, thats the German village, built specially for training. Imber is a village that was taken over by the army in the 40's i think, on a tempory measure... only for the locals to be told they are never allowed back.. still got old pub/manor house, church etc. most buildings now totally trashed though, roofs replaced with tin roofs now etc.The one I have seen is like a mock village in the middle of the plains, not really accessible on foot, lots of cameras and razor wire. It is surrounded by access roads which I thought were sort of gravelled 'green lanes'. We have never had a problem driving round there in the day when we were off roading, been seen by loads of military vehicles and we weren't the only ones there? I'm confused now....
The german replica village is very hard to get around.. we do alot of off roading round there, but not strictly legal, much more difficult to access than Imber
Copehill Down FIBUA village is the one your refering to i think which was purpose built by the MOD. That is pretty central on the plain Imber however is to the west only a couple of clicks from Warminster have you had a look on Google Earth?
IIRC you wouldn't be allowed onto Copehill Down at all unless an open day or a firepower dem which they have every year.
IIRC you wouldn't be allowed onto Copehill Down at all unless an open day or a firepower dem which they have every year.
richinleeds said:
Copehill Down FIBUA village is the one your refering to i think which was purpose built by the MOD. That is pretty central on the plain Imber however is to the west only a couple of clicks from Warminster have you had a look on Google Earth?
IIRC you wouldn't be allowed onto Copehill Down at all unless an open day or a firepower dem which they have every year.
I really wouldn't go near Copehill Down these days - I have worked there a few times and it is being used a lot now for troops training for the Middle East. It is also dripping in security cameras, I was amazed at how much it had changed over the last 10 years. There is nothing classified as such but you will be seen pretty quick.IIRC you wouldn't be allowed onto Copehill Down at all unless an open day or a firepower dem which they have every year.
Ok, if its Copehill down I've been to, then you can't actually get in it, but you can go all round the edge, and it is accessible on sort of gravel tracks that cross the plains. I've been up round there a few times, never saw any signs that it was a restricted area, always people milling around in civilian vehicles at the weekend etc?
I think I've found it on Virtual earth, it looks to me like it is in the middle of a triangle made up by the villages of Chitterne, Orcheston and Tilshead. It is just South Easterly of Imber. I just want to go and show my mate this and Imber, but I'm overly concerned about going in to a rstricted area by accident.
ETA piccies of Copehill here showing the access roads that lead up to it....
http://www.thinctanc.co.uk/photography/copehill_do...
I think I've found it on Virtual earth, it looks to me like it is in the middle of a triangle made up by the villages of Chitterne, Orcheston and Tilshead. It is just South Easterly of Imber. I just want to go and show my mate this and Imber, but I'm overly concerned about going in to a rstricted area by accident.
ETA piccies of Copehill here showing the access roads that lead up to it....
http://www.thinctanc.co.uk/photography/copehill_do...
Edited by OllieWinchester on Friday 8th May 19:22
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