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Benzina recommended drives

Ride 1

- Avebury, Silbury Hill, the Pewsey Vale and Marlborough Downs – about 60 miles, or around 100 if combined with Drive 2.

Benzina is based in a quiet lane about 10 miles north of Stonehenge on the edge of Salisbury Plain. This means we get woken by gunfire and the tiles on our roof fall off when the Army try out their really big guns, but this is a Good Thing because Salisbury Plain is the biggest area of open grassland in Europe, with sweeping open views and hardly anywhere for tractors and policemen to hide. Perfect, in other words, for your sports car or motorcycle.

Start this drive at the south (Easterton) end of our lane, turning left onto the B3098 towards Urchfont and on to the T junction with the A342. Turn right towards Upavon and after about 3 miles take the second turning left towards Wilsford. The first couple of miles squeeze through pretty villages, and then just after crossing the canal (the narrow boats make a great photo) you climb up towards the White Horse http://www.wiltshirewhitehorses.org.uk/altonbarnes.html and Milk Hill, the highest point in Wiltshire at 295m (968 feet), just piping Tan Hill at the other end of the Pewsey vale. You could stop here and admire the paragliders, or perhaps crop circles; Led Zeppelin used one from this very spot as an album cover. The more energetic might want to walk back along the Wansdyke and explore the ancient hill forts and earthworks. Otherwise carry on towards Marlborough, turning left after a few miles towards East Kennet – if you get to Lockeridge you’ve gone too far, but should still be able to pick up the A4. Turn left onto the A4 towards Avebury and Silbury Hill

At Beckhampton roundabout turn right towards Avebury’s stone circle which is well worth exploring. Once done turn right just after the village hall along the avenue to rejoin the A4, turning left towards Marlborough. Stay on the A4 through the country’s widest High Street and on towards Savernake Forest and Hungerford.

As you reach Hungerford turn right onto the A338, passing through the town and on towards Burbage, although the Kennet and Avon’s pumping station, an amazing testament to one Victorian's reluctance to have the canal run through his estate, is worth a small diversion

Just before Burbage turn left at the roundabout, staying on the A338 through Collingbourne Ducis, and towards the crossroads with the A342. You could carry on towards Tidworth here, following Drive 2 in reverse.

But the A342 is a must-do drive and takes you to what was once RAF Upavon and now Trenchard Lines, an MOD admin HQ and named after the bloke who set up the Royal Air Force. There’s usually some fancy gliders overhead to really make the most of the view.

Nip through Upavon, keeping left until you’ve passed the petrol station, making sure you stay on the A342 signposted Devizes as you dog leg through Rushall. After passing through Chirton turn left onto the B3098, back towards the Lavingtons and your starting point.