Wales Rally GB

[-JUT-]

I'm thinking of going to Rally GB this year, probably the Saturday with a few mates. It's the first time any of us have been there, so could do with some pointers e.g.

- Which are the best stages to go to?
- What sort of time do we need to get there?
- Are there any good pub/B&Bs near any of the stages?

We'll be driving down from London so the plan is to go down, watch the racing, then head to a pub for some dinner and drinks and find somewhere to crash for the night. Since I'm driving and staying sober all day, I'm looking for recommendations as to where we could head afterwards where we can drink and sleep in the same venue! Any recommendations from people who've done it before?

Cheers

[Mr POD]

-JUT- said:

I'm thinking of going to Rally GB this year, probably the Saturday with a few mates. It's the first time any of us have been there, so could do with some pointers e.g.

- Which are the best stages to go to?
- What sort of time do we need to get there?
- Are there any good pub/B&Bs near any of the stages?

We'll be driving down from London so the plan is to go down, watch the racing, then head to a pub for some dinner and drinks and find somewhere to crash for the night. Since I'm driving and staying sober all day, I'm looking for recommendations as to where we could head afterwards where we can drink and sleep in the same venue! Any recommendations from people who've done it before?

Cheers

What he said ! I'll meet you. Just tell me the Ordanance Survey map co ordinates (no sat nav)

[millband]

Stages on Saturday ( from www.walesrallygb.com ) -

Service C & Parc Ferme Out (Swansea) 07:20
SS9 Resolfen 1 08:08
SS10 Halfway 1 09:41
SS11 Crychan 1 10:07
Service D (Swansea) 12:07
SS12 Resolfen 2 13:10
SS13 Halfway 2 14:43
SS14 Crychan 2 15:09
SS15 Cardiff (Millennium Stadium) Doors open 15.30
Entertainment start (approx) 17:00
Stage start 18:00
Service E & Parc Ferme In (Swansea) 19:00

Good stage summary here - http://www.walesrallygb.com/308_376.php

Resolfen in my experience is a bit of pain to get in and out of. Some viewing locations I've been in have fairly limited views, but I understand some are much better.

Halfway is excellent, runs on open moorland. Can wander around all day and get out of the "pens" and some locations have very extensive views while still letting you stand 1m from the track. But it's in the middle of nowhere. A couple of big crashes on this stage last year.

Crychan I haven't been to, I think it's more of a forest stage than Halfway.

Service is worth visiting too if you've not been before. You can get close to the drivers and be amazed by the amount of work the teams can do in 20 minutes. Swansea is a long drive from Halfway/Crychan though.

For the forest stages get there at least 1 hour before first runs. A lot of people stay overnight. You'll have a long walk in if you're late and might struggle to get to a good viewing spot. The "car parks" are the muddy verges of forest tracks.

Can't help with pub + accomodation I'm afraid.

I'm sure someone will be along in a moment with better info

I'm also sure someone else will turn up to complain it's not like it used to be when it took a week, and to say WRC cars are not as good as Group B, etc, etc...

Steve

Edited by millband on Wednesday 1st October 14:28

[grahamdance]

Builth Wells & surrounding area has a number of B&Bs and guesthouses, I'd reccomend the Llanelwedd Arms Hotel (http://www.llanelweddarmshotel.com/)

[wanacoop]

I was thinking of going too, would anyone know an approx time that the last stage will end??(basically, can i still go oot n get drunkerd!)

[bob1179]

I'm going!

Is anybody thinking of heading to the final stage at the Millenium Stadium?

[Crazy Fool]

millband said:

I'm also sure someone else will turn up to complain it's not like it used to be when it took a week, and to say WRC cars are not as good as Group B, etc, etc...

Steve

But it was, it used to cover a huge area of Britain from Banbury to Carlise, with long stage miles, none of this short sprint all in one place crap. And who cares for speed, I want sideways action and a screaming BDA! It used to snow on these rallys and if you crashed you where out, none of this start again tomorrow bull crap.

Ahh, them where the days lad.

[millband]

Crazy Fool said:

Ahh, them where the days lad.

There's always one

I've just read my post back and it sounds quite downbeat. Not intentional. Out of the choice available on Saturday I'd be at Halfway, no question. Depending where you walk to it's fast, exciting and/or dangerous

Also it's on the top of a hill and very bleak - proper Rally GB character building stuff if the weather is against you.

One thing this year is there is a big gap between runs at Halfway. You could see the first pass at Resolfen AND the second pass at Halfway or Crychan. You'd have to leave London bloody early though!

The stages run for about 2 hours or so to get all the cars through.

Enjoy

Steve

[andygo]

bob1179 said:

I'm going!

Is anybody thinking of heading to the final stage at the Millenium Stadium?

Lots of the drivers are...

[mat205125]

Wrap up super warm and dry!

[jonnylayze]

this may sound like a silly question but I used to marshal the RAC (about 10 years ago) and crowds would just emerge out of the forest to line the stage - is it now impossible to watch without buying a spectator ticket?

[mat205125]

bob1179 said:

I'm going!

Is anybody thinking of heading to the final stage at the Millenium Stadium?

Went last year with the GF as she didn't fancy trekking out into the wilderness. Bonus was that we could drink and get the train. Bad bit was that we couldn't see all the cars as the last train home was really early (about half 8 IIRC)

[Nic Jones]

robwales said:

jonnylayze said:

this may sound like a silly question but I used to marshal the RAC (about 10 years ago) and crowds would just emerge out of the forest to line the stage - is it now impossible to watch without buying a spectator ticket?

You are not supposed to go in there without paying, but it's possible to walk in to some stages on the sly if you have a map and know where the stage goes.
The police will be closing local roads (and blocking laybys off) so it will be impossible on some stages and where it is possible you will probably have to walk quite a distance.

I resent having to pay £35 for a day pass (which really means one of the stages on that day), when it was £25 last year IIRC. Not many of the other countries charge for entry into the stages, and those that do only charge about 10 euros.

Last year, there were some discount codes floating around the web so better to watch out for them.

Try Rally Ireland, we didn't pay a penny to get into any stage over there!
I suppose it is still relatively good value compared to racing though.

[KimmyM]

I'll be going too could do with the pub mention too.
Think I'm staying in either a travel inn or the sun inn or something, I know prices have gone up for that weekend and that most places are pretty booked up... Only thing I need to get now is blooming tickets but I keep forgetting. See you there

[Crazy Fool]

robwales said:

I resent having to pay £35 for a day pass (which really means one of the stages on that day), when it was £25 last year IIRC. Not many of the other countries charge for entry into the stages, and those that do only charge about 10 euros.

Last year, there were some discount codes floating around the web so better to watch out for them.

To be honest it is because of the cost that I am not going. Why would I pay for this on the other side of the country where I will get to see two stages a day at most, when there are any number of clubmans rallys around the UK where I can spectate for less/free. And it isn't to see WRC cars, because some are run by privateers in other uk rallys anyway.

I love rallying, but as it is today I don't love the WRC.

[wanacoop]

mat205125 said:

bob1179 said:

I'm going!

Is anybody thinking of heading to the final stage at the Millenium Stadium?

Went last year with the GF as she didn't fancy trekking out into the wilderness. Bonus was that we could drink and get the train. Bad bit was that we couldn't see all the cars as the last train home was really early (about half 8 IIRC)

do you know what was the time the last car came out??

[fastcaterham]

Have been going to rally gb for the last 8 years and done all 4 days last 3 years so feel quite qualified to give advice on this.
What stage you go to depends on loads of things, ie where your staying, how early you want to get up, do you want to go to the service park at some stage, do you want to go to the millenium stadium etc.
I'll be honest I've always been to resolfen but both halfway and crychan are pretty good.
If your looking to go out somewhere decent for a night out and stuff after your better off in resolfen I'd say simply because your closer to either swansea or cardiff and won't be trekking down from the epynt area which is another hour ish journey time to either.
If I were you what I'd do especially seeing as its your first time is go to resolfen (car park e) where you've got the choice of watching from a 90 left or walking up to the top of the hill and watching from the treeline on another 90 left corner. If you get there mega early you may and I'm sure somebody will moan at me now for saying this be able to wander off away from the spectator areas where there are far better corners for viewing and there will be less people in your way. If your going to do that though please be sensible where you stand, don't walk down the road when the stage is live or even a good half hour either side of the stage starting, you may get away with it on national rallies but the marshalls are much tighter on it during rally gb.
Anyway after watching the 2 runs through resolfen, (you could leave early and go to another stage and see 3 stages in a day but I've found its more trouble really than its worth) I'd be tempted to either head down to service in swansea or the super special in cardiff then you've also got tonnes of good places in both cities to go out for the night and plenty of hotels etc.
Thats what I'd do if it were me but I would say and I know it sounds a bit strange the more effort you put in the more you'll get out ie, if you turn up early have a proper scout around/ walk there are some brilliant viewing spots where you'll be surrounded by a handful of others rather than hundreds.
Also don't forget take plenty of really warm clothes. Imagine how cold it gets in london then double it and chances are thats what it will be like. Last year at resolfen was awful and I saw loads of people for who it was clearly a misery rather than enjoyable just because they didn't wear warm clothes.
Also watch out for the local plod they're really keen during rally gb as i'm sure you probably know especially all along the m4.

[Miss Pitstop]

I'm going on the Saturday.

I don't know what stages we're doing as someone more expert in these matters has arranged it but I'm very excited!

Those rally drivers are proper nutters!

[K50 DEL]

If you can, head for the shakedown stage on Thursday, it's only a short stage and unless you're a mental like me and walk in at 10.30 pm the previous night and hide out then you're going to have to catch the bus to get there.

However, you will see all the cars a minimum of twice, most cars 3 times and as there are much fewer speccies than at the weekend youre choice of viewing areas will be much greater.

There's a spot about halfway through which is a 5 minute walk from where the bus drops off where you'll see the cars for about 4 corners and a decent;y fast straight.
I took some stunning piccies there 2 years ago.

Crychan has a great series of corners right at the end which are easy to get to and not too crowded.

It is definately possible to walk in without paying, just arm yourself with an OS map and be prepared to walk a decent distance.
The BiB are very good as closing off just about every stage access road hours before each stage is run.

[wanacoop]

if you pay for a day ticket on the Sat, do you have to pay again to get into the Millenium stage??