“That has to be the best rally day I’ve had in a long time!

Woke up early to pick up my tag along’s and headed up to Ross for the start at the market. Small little Autotest style selective around cones and the main market shed. I had read in the regs that it would be set up so the drivers and co drivers could walk it when they arrived, but you could tell some hadn’t! The amount of different routes was quite amusing at times! And a could of the top guys got caught out with early penalties hitting cones. Once everyone had been through we set off to find Bishops Wood, not having any maps and being lucky to find signal proved this a little interesting, but we managed to get there just at the end of the first run through.

We parked up at the infamous split that people were missing to find Yan Griffiths and Abi Haycock hurtling up the hill in the little Mica, brilliant pace from them! So we went for a little walk and found a good sunny spot to watch, the cars came down across the hill in-front of us, 90 right and then 30 right over crest, 30 left over crest, but the sharpness of the crests were unsettling the cars and kicking them up all over the place! Just after was what looked like a newly re-build part of the track that was horrifically cut up, I don’t think any MG or Rover got through there without making a hell of a racket with the stones hitting the bottom of the car. We were very impressed with the Yaris and Ka as they came through, being a little higher they rocketed through with no problem!

Then onto Whitfield to help marshall. We were given our point and told direction of where to go, but after heading up several peoples driveways we managed to find the start of the test after a little trip back to the farm to check we were going the right way! We had a good little spot where you could see the cars come across a large field, 90 left then through a gap in the hedge and across another. A brilliant little touch arrived in the form of some food bags to thank us for helping, they were greatly appreciated, Andy managed to devour all of his in the matter of seconds! The dust on the first 2 run through’s reminded me of the Myotis a couple weeks before! There was one little section that looked a little nasty before the 90 where people were bottoming out and the cars being thrown in the air a little, we kept a close eye on this just in-case it got too bad! The third and fourth run through and by this time the heavens had opened! Chucking it down with rain, but at least you could see the cars for a little longer! Everyone was through safely, even though the third and forth runs the cars were all mixed up and a lot were missing, so then we got the car unstuck from the edge of the road, packed up all the gear and headed back along the cut up track!

That was it for the daytime stuff for us, so headed of to the supper halt to meet up with some people and then to the night section.

We were situated at a time control on a main road so there was nothing too exciting, but it was a good spot to have a bit of a chat with some of the crews still running and see them disappear up the hill. I have to admit, I was expecting a few more thank you’s then what we got (one even being rude!), but I presume some people were getting quite tired by this point and just wanted to finish! We were lucky enough to get the course closure car before it broke down(!), so managed to head off towards the finish and catch everyone out in the lanes just before heading off home. Got to admit, Mr Weavers Clio can sign! Brilliant to see it tearing up the lanes, brilliant sound, sight and skill!

All in all a really good day full of rallying. No rushing to try and catch cars at certain locations like on stage rallying, good selective, good weather at times and some good commitment by the competitors! After watching this, I think I need to save up and get out on another enduro!

Daniel Pidgeon, Marshal/Spectator

For a great load of shots from the day head over to M&H Photography’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.282835258518984.1073741829.155178084618036&type=1