A Welcome In The Hillsides
by
Bob Hill
I became interested in the Welsh National Rally last year whilst
talking to Peter Kay at a Harrogate Advanced Bikes Club meeting.
It sounded interesting so Kate and I decided to give it go and really
enjoyed it.
When we did the Rally, we did not know what it was about other
than it was a navigational rally. What I can say is that if you enjoy
riding your bike combined with the challenge of navigation, clue
hunting and meeting people then the National Rallies may well be just
the thing for you.
Whilst I have no experience of the National (English) and
Scottish Rallies I have now competed two Welsh National Rallies, I did
this year’s as well, and have found the both great fun.
Planning the route beforehand
All the unmanned checkpoints and the Dragon Award
checkpoints have clues to answer to show you have visited them. The
level of award you receive depends on how many of each you visit: one
manned and five unmanned – Bronze Award; two manned and eight
unmanned – Silver Award; three manned and 12 unmanned –
Gold Award; four out of eight Dragon Checkpoints – Dragon Award
(may be done separately or in combination with any of the other awards.
The Dragon checkpoints are areas of Welsh heritage. In 2005 it was castles and this year it was industry.
To obtain a Platinum Award you need to visit three manned
and 15 unmanned check- points as well as completing the Dragon Award.
The list of checkpoints are sent out about two weeks before the start
of the Rally to enable some pre-planning.
To have a chance of becoming the overall Rally winner you
need to achieve a Platinum Award, answer the 10 general knowledge
questions at each manned check-point and complete a special test at the
end of the Rally. The questions are general knowledge so do not all
involve bikes. The special test this year was skittles. Have you tried
playing after a 400 mile ride?
If you do decide to enter, you can do as much or as
little of the Rally as suits you. There is no speed element and, as you
do not need to declare your award until the end, you are free to change
your mind if you feel tired, the weather is bad or you have found a
nice café where you feel like staying a bit longer.
Indeed, some people attend the event with a view to
enjoying a grand motorcycle event in the picturesque surroundings of
Wales. They do the Dragon Award or maybe the Bronze; enjoy riding some
fabulous roads and the inevitable social contact when 5-600 motorbikes
gather.
Anyway I can thoroughly recommend taking part. It is a
great event with a friendly welcome to all. This year, Kate and I
succeeded in getting a Platinum Award on our BMW K1200RS and await the
final results to see if we are in the running for best in the Rally
award. Doug and Val Masterton (other members of the Harrogate club) did
the rally on their Blackbird and on this, their first rally, achieved a
Gold Award.
Happy
Rallyists the day after and the sun is shining again
Kate at the Horseshoe Pass
We stayed overnight at Welshpool in order to start off
good and early. I had a low Rally number as we were in last
year’s, so we managed a quick book in and got away early. This
year’s Rally finished near Welshpool so we were able to leave our
things at the B&B. Doug and Val got away a bit later. So how did we do?
The rally started off sunny but as the daywore on became more
and more showery. Doug took a predominantly southerly route from the
start at Welshpool. He travelled through mid and south west Wales
visiting the manned checkpoints at Crossgates, Llandovery and St
Clears. He and Val encountered rain at about 2pm which meant that the
stops by the seaside were not as idyllic as had been hoped for.
Wherever they headed they met up with friendly bikers at each check
point and it seemed that every bike in Wales was on the rally.
They finished their rally at about 8pm having covered just over 300 miles from the start at 9am.
Kate and I completed a more northerly route visiting
manned checkpoints at Crossgates, Horseshoe Pass Llangollen and
Abergele. Getting the Dragon Award took us to Aberdyfi on the West
Coast, Llyn Brenig Reservoir, Shotton near Ellesmere Port and the
Llanberis Slate Museum near Snowdon. We only encountered rain at about
6pm at Capel Curig. The rain stopped by the time we reached Caernarfon
and luckily kept away until 9pm as we headed for the finish. By then we
had all the clues so it was a straight run home.
The most memorable road of the day was between Aberdyfi,
past the Caeder Idris mountain on the B4405 and on to the A470 to Bala.
We set of at 8.45am and finished at 10pm in the pouring rain. We
covered 385 miles.
By the end of the Rally on Saturday night all everyone
wants to do is go to sleep. In the farmhouse B&B where we stayed,
we discovered several more Rallyists at break- fast the next day. One
from Colchester, who had achieved a Silver award riding a Jawa CZ 250
with his wife riding pillion. Two more bikes were there from the
Midlands, a Laverda Jota and an MV Augusta.
Overall, the Welsh National Rally makes for great biking
fun. It can be tailored to your own personal endurance limits and
aspirations. Take a few days off work and incorporate it into a short
holiday – you won’t be disappointed, Wales has plenty
tooffer.
Val enjoying the scenery on the West Coast