A303 Salisbury plain

[Oliveau]

Back on the last century I worked on the downs just north of Devizes, and coming from Hampshire I missed the trees for a while, but then I got used to the wide open spaces and the skylarks. You could work away on top of your own down and watch near and far neighbours at work. When I eventually had move away I had withdrawal symptoms for years….
I agree with the points made earlier about Mere down, Pertwood and the byroads to Salisbury. But equally, visit Win Green just outside Shaftesbury with views over Cranborne Chase, then take the B road from Blandford to Shaftesbury. Try a ride through the Chalke Valley parallel to the A30, with a refreshment stop at the Horseshoe, Ebbesbourne Wake.

 

[JP1]

Back on the last century I worked on the downs just north of Devizes, and coming from Hampshire I missed the trees for a while, but then I got used to the wide open spaces and the skylarks. You could work away on top of your own down and watch near and far neighbours at work. When I eventually had move away I had withdrawal symptoms for years….
I agree with the points made earlier about Mere down, Pertwood and the byroads to Salisbury. But equally, visit Win Green just outside Shaftesbury with views over Cranborne Chase, then take the B road from Blandford to Shaftesbury. Try a ride through the Chalke Valley parallel to the A30, with a refreshment stop at the Horseshoe, Ebbesbourne Wake.

Hampshire and Wiltshire have very diverse countryside. Mostly still beautiful despite being under development pressure . Lots of lovely chalk stream valleys ; I'll cite Hurstbourne Tarrant or the Mayfly at Wherwell as examples over the border

 

[Huno]

Almost certainly this field !!View attachment 1041301View attachment 1041302

Wow!!! There used to be soil there to plough depth!! These days the fields look very white when ploughed

 

[Huno]

Back on the last century I worked on the downs just north of Devizes, and coming from Hampshire I missed the trees for a while, but then I got used to the wide open spaces and the skylarks. You could work away on top of your own down and watch near and far neighbours at work. When I eventually had move away I had withdrawal symptoms for years….
I agree with the points made earlier about Mere down, Pertwood and the byroads to Salisbury. But equally, visit Win Green just outside Shaftesbury with views over Cranborne Chase, then take the B road from Blandford to Shaftesbury. Try a ride through the Chalke Valley parallel to the A30, with a refreshment stop at the Horseshoe, Ebbesbourne Wake.

Or head from Salisbury down the A354 and coast road all the way back to cornwall.. chalky topsoil until nearly Bridport... great for sheep grazing!!

 

[Lincs Lass]

Wow!!! There used to be soil there to plough depth!! These days the fields look very white when ploughed

I remember the top end against mod land being so shallow, if the plough went in ,it was a miracle, middle of the field was ok but it wouldn't slide off the bodies in places ,,rum stuff

 

[Bogweevil]

I first moved down here 30 years ago (?!) from milking on an 70 acre farm in Bucks
1st job was to go to the back paddock and gather the sheep---i'd never been near a sheep or handled a dog ---just given a dog with instructions (come bye, get away)
The back paddock was 180 acres ---fell in love with the landscape immediately, totally in awe
What i really like about the Deverills/Mere is that it's where the downs and the lush dairy valleys meet---a total contrast

Chalk and cheese as they used to say of Wilts.

 

[robs1]

Chalk and cheese as they used to say of Wilts.

Moonrakers on the krammer

 

[sahara]

Just after I left Uni in the mid 1990's I worked a summer as a Harvest student at the Fonthill Bishop Estate, coming from Somerset where our fields are quite a bit smaller and our landscape dominated by hills. It was quite a change, but like @Oliveau I got to like it and enjoy the wide open spaces. Discing a 100Ac field with a set of 3m Parmiters was a little dull though!
Working either side of the A303 was exciting at times, With a fully dualed Magnum and 4m subsoiler on the back was fun on the single lane sections, as was crossing from one side to the other with the cultivator train. One day I had the front weights in one field on the south side as the rolls were leaving the field on the north side!
If I have to go up to London etc I do always try to go up the A303 route, its much more interesting, and I can see how my crops should look!

 

[T Hectares]

Back on the last century I worked on the downs just north of Devizes, and coming from Hampshire I missed the trees for a while, but then I got used to the wide open spaces and the skylarks. You could work away on top of your own down and watch near and far neighbours at work. When I eventually had move away I had withdrawal symptoms for years….
I agree with the points made earlier about Mere down, Pertwood and the byroads to Salisbury. But equally, visit Win Green just outside Shaftesbury with views over Cranborne Chase, then take the B road from Blandford to Shaftesbury. Try a ride through the Chalke Valley parallel to the A30, with a refreshment stop at the Horseshoe, Ebbesbourne Wake.

Just North of Devizes is another area I’ve worked in, where were you ??

 

[Oliveau]

Just North of Devizes is another area I’ve worked in, where were you ??

On the 361 towards Beckhampton.

 

[Oliveau]

Moonrakers on the krammer

Waddy’s and the dray horses

 

[T Hectares]

On the 361 towards Beckhampton.

Very nice area, I was started at Roundway hill then we ended up with farms at Tan Hill, West Kennet, Horton and Alton Barnes

 

[Gong Farmer]

Wow!!! There used to be soil there to plough depth!! These days the fields look very white when ploughed

From my occasionally involvement with chalk farmers I know there has been more than one who decided that, since soil comes from erosion of the bedrock, ploughing up the chalk would eventually make more soil.

I expect they're still waiting.

 

[JP1]

I always came back to thoughts of A G Street milking out of a mobile milking bail when I came over the Salisbury Plain

 

[Oliveau]

Very nice area, I was started at Roundway hill then we ended up with farms at Tan Hill, West Kennet, Horton and Alton Barnes

Tan Hill - Probably one of my far neighbours that I referred to earlier. Early seventies when working right at the top of the farm above the Wansdyke we'd often see a flash of headlights from other tractors working in the distance. King-Foster I seem to remember???
That's a very nice ride from Horton through to Alton Barnes. The Barge at Honey Street ?

 

[Oliveau]

From my occasionally involvement with chalk farmers I know there has been more than one who decided that, since soil comes from erosion of the bedrock, ploughing up the chalk would eventually make more soil.

I expect they're still waiting.

My last boss in that area decided that it would be a very good idea to buy a ripper to loosen the chalk - He came from a different county. One of several not very successful ideas.............

 

[robs1]

Tan Hill - Probably one of my far neighbours that I referred to earlier. Early seventies when working right at the top of the farm above the Wansdyke we'd often see a flash of headlights from other tractors working in the distance. King-Foster I seem to remember???
That's a very nice ride from Horton through to Alton Barnes. The Barge at Honey Street ?

The Barge always seems to have a strange smell, cant imagine what it is

 

[neilo]

I always came back to thoughts of A G Street milking out of a mobile milking bail when I came over the Salisbury Plain

On the rare occasions I travel down that way, I always wonder how the tractor drivers stay awake.

It’s a good job we’re all different.

 

[T Hectares]

Tan Hill - Probably one of my far neighbours that I referred to earlier. Early seventies when working right at the top of the farm above the Wansdyke we'd often see a flash of headlights from other tractors working in the distance. King-Foster I seem to remember???
That's a very nice ride from Horton through to Alton Barnes. The Barge at Honey Street ?

Early 70’s a bit before my time !!
Yes, that part of the Pewsey Vale is pretty nice,

 

[Boysground]

I cycled up Mere Down today from the steep side just to get some photos of the view.

It’s is definitely one of the best views in Wiltshire out over the Blackmore Vale. The iPhone doesn’t really do it justice.

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