No, this is Tredegar House not the Rally Office...see below for the rally office?

Live from Llandovery - Rally HQ

The next group of Selectifs lies in the upper Towy Valley. This vast acreage of woodland is situated in possibly the most picturesque corner of Britain, yet alone Wales and encloses one of the largest expanses of water in the UK, Llyn Brianne Reservoir. Llyn Brianne is a man made lake and boasted at one time, the highest rock filled dam in the World - dam, being the wall! The road surfaces here vary in condition and structure but most of the old sandy soils have been replaced by the Forestry Commission revealing good quality road ways. "I remember in 1975 watching the RAC Rally pass through these woods. The Roar of the Ford Escorts, the Purrr of the Fiat 131 Arbarth and the sheer Rasp of the Lancia Stratos still fill my ears today", Kenny reminisced. "Many entrants on today's rallies - generally speaking - only know of these things by reading retro books, or looking at the pictures. They were fantastic days and I am glad I was born in to the true rallying era, never to be forgotten!" The route on this years event concludes one Selectif by actually crossing the Llyn Brianne dam wall. Dalarwen is a five mile selectif with fast sweeping bends and large drops - so bring your snorkel!

After a run across the Abergwessyn the route descends back on to the Epynt Ranges for another bash before heading due south and towards the end of the rally at Newport. Before the recce crew arrive at this New City there are still many venues to plot! Glasfynydd, possibly Kenny's favourite Selectif on the rally, nestles in the Brecon Beacons National Park like a 'Zit' on the land scape! However, this is no 'Zit'! In 2007 one crew decided to film the Selectif with their in-car Camcorder and were faring very well until the last corner of the test when they rolled the car! This footage is still on U-Tube today and well worth a look - if only to show you budding competitors that this event is no mean feat! Lady and Fat come to mind.

Some say that our intrepid Sir Steve loves his meat very lean indeed...the girl he was dating was so thin that she had to dance around in the shower to get wet! It is also said that he can peel an Orange in his pocket with sunglasses on, in a blizzard while balancing on a tightrope while reciting 'Wind in the Willows! Now there's Novel!

From the Brecon Beacons and on to Rhondda where Tyle forest beats a retreat right on top of the mountain above Treorchy down in the Valley's. Max Boyce once sang Hymns and Arias here at the local Rugby Club - Rugger to the English of course boyo! They were good days too - when you used to work from 5am in the morning til 4am the following morning - kip in a cardboard box middle of road - Kwik Save of course, and then have meagre breakfast - if you were lucky - at the local cafe underneath the Abercwmtwrch flyover before getting whipped around the ear by mam and sent back down pit! Ahhh good 'ol day's they were! Ahem...sorry, I digress...back to the present and...well can't help this retro thinking mun!

So on to Newport and the final fling around Treochy House - never ever, ever, been used on a full blown rally ever, ever, ever, before. Home of Captain Morgan the famous pirate - no he doesn't live there now Steve!!! Set in a beautiful 90 acre park, Tredegar House is one of the best examples of a 17th century Charles II mansion in Britain. The earliest surviving part of the building dates back to the early 1500’s.

Note: Admiral Sir Henry Morgan (Hari Morgan in Welsh), (ca. 1635 – August 25, 1688) was a Welsh privateer, who made a name in the Caribbean as a leader of privateers. He was one of the most notorious and successful privateers from Wales, and one of the most dangerous pirates that lurked in the Spanish Main.

So that completes this recce and the rally for now at any rate. We hope you have enjoyed this experience with us and learned a little as to where, and how the rally will develop over the coming months. It is now time for Kenny & Sir Steve to hang up their driving boots for a short while and have a well earned rest. However, I know full well that Kenny will be slogging in the office while Sir Steve will be building someones house. So there is one last thing I have to say before I bade farewell to you all...If you see a Black VW Passat passing your house...you may well be on route!


Good bye for now, and see you soon on the next recce later this summer!


Gud Bye readers!

The Chief Blogger.

The Rally Office some where in deepest Wales!

Prince of Wheels!

Live from Llanybyther

Sunday being a day of rest, far from it for our courageous duo as they head South and on to Llandrindod Wells on the next leg. Re-visiting some of the dual use forests on the way and some road networks made famous by the original Motoring News Rallies of the 1950's,60's and 70's. So on to Mynydd Epynt the military training range where a great deal of the Saturday leg will take place. Such well known and iconic named areas will be driven competitively in November e.g. Deer Leap, Devils Leap, Copse Corner, The Steps, New Road, Four Ways bridge and Burma Road to mention a few! Phew! The route is cunningly designed giving maximum impact and if entrants survive this sortie across the mountain tops they will feel they have achieved a great result!

From here Crychan and Esgair Dafydd play host again before heading in to the Irfon forestry block for a real stunner! A re-visit to Epynt rounds off the morning - and what a morning this will be - before a late lunch at Llandovery under the shadow of the Town's impressive Castle. Keeping guard over this historic monument is a streamlined stainless steel statue - try saying that after a belly full of beer - of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd Fychan. Llewelyn was a Welsh landowner, a squire in effect, who in 1401 organized a decoy of Henry IV's English forces searching for the Welsh resistance leader Owain Glyndŵr. The deception allowed Owain to escape but involved Llywelyn in putting his life on the line. As punishment for his actions, Llywelyn was condemned by the English king to be executed in the town square of Llandovery. They cut his stomach out and had it cooked in front of him, following which Llywelyn was hanged, drawn and quartered. Just a normal Saturday night in Llandovery then!

It is said that fearless Sir Steve was at the disembowelment of Llewellyn in 1401 and was reincarnated in to this life - but we know he came by bus!

After lunch it is on to Caio and the demanding Brechfa forest where three Selectifs await. The complex halfway through the first of these tests will see competitors constantly on the handbrake, negotiate the sweeping hairpins that seem to linger every few hundred yards or so! The second of these tests may as well be run in the dark as the tree canopy restricts the sunlight most of the way shrouding the roads in the Black Forest! Thirdly, the sweeping bends on Brechfa 3 will have the drivers smiling at the end of this long test - a real satisfying drive.

Across the mountain road and on to Llanybyther where we make our evening halt on both the rally and today's recce - enough for one lazy Sunday I think! The lads have really worked their socks off today and need a good old fashioned rest...after a beer or two no doubt!

See ya tomorrow

The Chief Blogger

'Randy', 'Sir Steve' & 'Winny the Pooh'

The road to heaven - The Eunant

After a fun night at Pentrefoelas - good local craik - Kenny & Steve...now known as Sir Steve following on from his prediction that Chelsea would win the Premiership Title...head for Clogaenog forest. Its been a few years since Kenny competed in between the conifers here and not a lot had changed, or so it seemed. Rounding a corner in the north section of the forest a great deal of work was going on with large acres of woodland being devastated by the saw. "You can see for miles and miles and the landscape is alien to that of just a few years ago, when tall trees blocked the horizon - you can now see North Wales and Prestatyn" remarked Kenny. The road surface in places was undulating to say the least where trees have been dragged out, but by November this section will be graded - we hope! The rest of the forest was ideal, very quick in places but tight in others - good rallying roads!

Across the A4501 and Llyn Alwyn Forest. Again never used on the Lombard Rally but last time used on the RAC in the early 1990's I am ably informed - I guess someone will tell me different! Although only a short four miler here it is a good surfaced forest with fast flowing 90 degree turns and a few twisty bits to catch you out!

So on to Llandudno and the venue for this years lunch halt on top of the Great Orme. The Summit Complex theme cafe and view point, once owned by Randolph 'Randy' Turpin the famous boxer who beat the then world Middleweight champion Sugar Ray Robinson on 10 July 1951, is where lunch will be served. 'Randy' beat Robinson after a 15 round decision by the judges. After lunch the competitors will descend the limestone mountain to start the Great Orme Selectif heading West to East - the hard way! Unlike the previous day where sheep lined the mountains, here it is home to a long-established herd of several hundred feral Kashmir goats (a present from Queen Victoria). Steve curiously eyes up these wonderful beasts - for lunch maybe!

Some say he eats Marmite toasties for breakfast...and this makes him drive at great speeds achieving 35mph...that is if Kenny let's him - But we call him, Sir Steve!

The route runs back southward from Llandudno and on to a second sortie through the Clogaenog's, this time in a reverse direction. Further on lies Penllyn forest at the foot of the Eunant mountain. The scenery here is as good as anywhere in the UK with the public highway disappearing in to the Gods and beyond before a gradual decent back down the mountain and on to Lake Vyrnwy and Dyfnant forest. Dyfnant last used in 2007 caught out numerous crews where a craftily sighted control meant that competitors had entered the final control zone from a wrong direction. You will have to keep your wits about you as Kenny loves to throw in the occasional bit of extra navigation to keep you on your toes - this is definitely NOT a stroll in the park event, but its blinking excellent fun!

So tired are our recce crew that they now have to break and find a bed for the night and some supper. Not a great deal on offer in this area but a light in the bottom of the valley seems if it could be a place of respite. This turns out to be a telephone box in the middle of nowhere and a rear find nowadays! In the phone box is a business card stuck to the information board - no, not what you're thinking, but an advert for a local Hotel in Dinas Mawddwy. Owned by a rally minded person, the Dolbroadmaeth Hotel is well worth a visit and on Saturday nights a live music gig is often arranged.

So it's off to bed now for our valiant Recce-ists...oh yes, I forgot to tell you about the Donkey!

You see, when Kenny entered the Hotel, there was a small party going on with a guy sitting quietly by himself in the corner of the bar. Each time a party goer went to the bar, he or she ordered a round of drinks and always finished off by saying "...and one for the Donkey at the corner of the bar please!" This went on all night as each party goer bought a round. So Kenny decided to chat to this lonely guy at the corner of the bar feeling a little sorry for the chap. "Good evening" Kenny introduced, "Tell me, why do they keep calling you Donkey?"

The chap looked up with droopy eyes and said " Eeyore Eeyore Eeyore, they always call me that!"

On that note...gud bye!

The Chief Blogger!

PS: On spell checking Pentrefoelas, the computer returned the word 'Contraflow'! Say's it all really.

The Sound of Music - or Backfiring in Snowdonia!

Kenny seraching for Nirvana...
Guess he'll find it at the local record shop!


Under the shadow of Cader Idris - the second highest peak in Snowdonia - the team set off once again into the mountains of North Wales searching for Lost Horizons and their Nirvana - that special Selectif that will stand out on the event. What better location to search than that of the high rises above Trawsfynydd. An earlier call at Coed y Brenin found a new exit route though an ancient ford down a narrow track which dates back to biblical times but most certainly a public highway. Adjacent to the Ford is an old stone foot bridge that also dates back to the 15th Century. A cracking place to spectate.

Now on to Trawsfynydd and the Ranges above the famous Neuclear Power Station which, looms out from the low cloud. Here is a test that is short in distance but very demanding with its sweeping crests and sudden tight curves which will wake up even the most wide awake drivers! Navigators beware and keep you eyes well peeled to direct your drivers along the correct route - put a wheel off the tarmac here and you literary will have a wheel off - plus a few dents in to the bargain! The scenery here is absolutely stunning! Watch out for the delinquent sheep that roam the hills - nasty they are!

Along the timeless treck across the mountain road to Llanuchllyn, numerous 'Woolly Backs' graze the verges exposing the deep ditches that abound the highway.

Some say, that our fearless Steve F. should not chase sheep? But he does wear a woolley jumper!

So on to Pentrefoelas and the overnight halt at the Foelas Arms Hotel. Kenny reccommends this fine pub since it is the local branch of the Chelsea supporters club - even though the pub is owned by a Man Utd fan! Well we can't have everything - except the Premiere League, FA Cup & Champions League!

Tomorrow's run takes our intrepid crew in to the Clogaenog's and on to the Great Orme.

Tune in tomorrow for tales of the unexpected, goats, famous boxers and the Donkey's!

Good night Evolutionists
The Chief Blogger

Plynlimon or Rock & Roll

Its a long way down!!!




Making a habit of these early morning starts 5amish, missing breakfast for the first time and heading in to the mountains. There's a very large smile on Kenny's face today since they - CHELSEA - are through to the next round of the Champions League. Unfortunately its turned out that they will play Liverpool again in the next chapter - no worries!





The early morning mist still hangs over Sweet Lamb as the recce car approaches. The steep ascent from the start line over soft surface stone suggests that no competitor will average a quick speed along this initial section of the Selectif. As the gradient levels out at around 1200 feet, the way forward is twisty and demanding but the views from the top over looking the Plynlimon's (Pumlumon un Cymraeg) and the near by wind farm are awesome. The route then decends down to the main complex where there are two water splashes to negotiate before heading back in to the clouds, across the next headland and towards the end of this fantastic and famous of tests. While at Sweet Lamb a famous rally driver is having a work out with his newly acquired Ford Focus - I wonder if our intrepid Steve can match his times on these closed roads!



Some say Steve is as fast as Superman - but I can assure you, he wears his inside his trousers! Pant's that is!



So on to Aberystwyth and Kenny is working on a test never ever used previously on any rally! Quite impressive I am told, so watch this space?



The route heads north and linear once again, and on to Taliesyn Forest. A classic stage from by-gone times - 1960/70's rock band Deep Purple wrote an album about the Book of Taliesyn in 1969 - just a slice of nostalgia for us older statesmen in motor sport. Here this Selectif climbs forever upwards in to the mountains before descending rapidly in to Artists Valley. Talking previously of rock bands and maybe 'air guitars', Taliesyn has numerous 'fresh air' drops which will scare the pants of anyone, including our man of steel, Steve F! - but what a fun Selectif this will be!



On leaving Taliesyn and the Plynlimon's we head North and on to Machynlleth, famous for the original Welsh Parliament and Princes of Wales who sought conflict on numerous King's of England - well let battle begin in our next collection of forests. Pantperthog and Dyfi await the unsuspecting competitor and this is where Kenny expects the results table to change dramatically on the day! "These beautiful yet skillful woodlands demand 100% concentration when driving through the trees. Further large drops and hairpin bends will challenge even the best of drivers as the route plays Tango before Waltzing to a crescendo in to the valley's below. This IS rallying at its best!



So on to Dolgellau and the overnight stop off point for our brave recce crew. The Ship Hotel in the centre of this Welsh town plays host, but the welcome is far from British. A Polish receptionist greets the team while a Romanian Porter leads to the room. However, the waitress is thankfully a Spanish Senorita, so Kenny can show off his Espaniol skills! "Te Querio Corathon" is greeted with a smile and a shrug of the shoulders! Never mind, better luck next time C of C and at least a black eye is avoided!



So our bold team have a bed for the night and a later start in the morning at the Forestry Offices in Dolgellau.



So see you tomorrow for some more tales from the forests of deepest Wales and hear more about our famous driver Steve as he tackles mountains and valley's, rivers and streams, goats and rubber boots!...guess he's been watching Sound of Music again on night time TV!



See ya tomorrow!



The Chief Blogger.

Farm tracks, multi coloured Big Cats and True Blues!

Live from the Black Lion Llangurig

Here we go again...another early start after a hearty breakfast takes our Clerk of the Course and Steve F to the Great Malvern Showground last used in 2007. This 'Selectif' will be used in the same way as previously and run twice at 30 second intervals. Rated as one of the best tests in 2007 the network of roads work their way between the numerous agricultural buildings before heading off in to the meadow section over good surfaced gravel tracks - After a merge control, returning to the built up arena with a few big 'Yumps' to test the best of drivers as the route turns over grass and on to the finish line. This being a spectator venue, it is expected that many will make the lunchtime start to view this fantastic 'Selectif'.

On leaving Malvern, a chance meeting with the manager of a near by Stately Home seems to have led to a brand new venue never used on previous Lombards. A four mile test over mixed surface may well be included on this years event - watch this space.

Heading back towards the Principality, Kenny visits another new venue - a short dash of around three quarters of a mile but well worth a visit. Mainly a slippy concrete surface will greet competitors as they meander their way through wood yards and numerous lay-by's - this venue also makes way for a 'Soapbox Derby' in the summer months. That sounds fun!

Across the border and on to the Radnor Forest last used in 2005. However, due to tree felling some of the narrower tracks within the wood have been totally destroyed by cutting machines, forcing Kenny to re-route his original design! 'Balderdash' said Kenny, on realising the predicament - or words to that effect! ' We'll have to design an easier route now!' Knowing him, it'll be just as tough, but bl**dy good fun as always!

Now a journey to a forestry named after a curiously coloured Big Cat - Red Lion Hill! Although, only a small route through, it is quite demanding but unlikely to be used this year. A few miles further along is Abbey Cwm Hir and even more unused woodlands. Here our intrepid driver Steve F, managed to get the recce car stuck after trying to avoid a deep pothole and getting the wheels stuck in the soft verge. After some skillful manoeuvring, the car was reunited with the tarmacadam once again.

Some say he is a demon among drivers...but others know his handicap! Think about it!

So on to the overnight halt and the Black Lion Hotel at Llangurig...we actually ate at the Blue Bell Inn next door - cos they were showing the European Cup match on the big screen - Chelsea v Uventus. Cum on yer BLUES!

While at the Blue Bell Inn a supporter wearing a Man Utd shirt walks in to the bar looking for trouble as usual. "That hurt" he said! He is met by a bouncer who tells him he must wear a necktie to gain admission. So the Man U fan goes out to his car and he looks around for a necktie and discovers that he just doesn't have one. He sees a set of jumper leads in the boot. In desperation he ties these around his neck, manages to fashion a fairly acceptable looking knot and lets the ends dangle free. He walks back to the pub and the bouncer carefully looks him over for a few minutes and then says, "Well, OK, I guess you can come in -

just don't start anything."

On that note...gud nite!

The Chief Blogger:)

Wading in to the Marches

Live from British Camp - Malvern Hills Hotel


An early morning 5am start from the Mid Wales Rally Office and on to Newport City to start the first full recce for the 2009 Rally Evolution - affectionately known as the Rally EVO. A fine mist hangs over Tredegar House and the recce heads northwards and on to some new forests in the Abercarn region.

A trio of reflective orange clad council workers leaning over the forestry gate greets Kenny as he fumbles for the right key! 'Morning gents', but the 'Three Wise Men' abort the scene and scurry away to their trash cart. Must have disturbed their 'tree break'!

Continuing further north and on to the Heads of the Valleys where a number of potentially excellent 'Selectifs' lie - watch this space!

After a long drive along the A465, A40, through Monmouth and in to Herefordshire they return to a little gem, last used in 2005 - Athelstans Wood. However, on arrival it is evident that the roadway has been thrashed back exposing the track that was once well overgrown. Where once it was a lottery to find the way through - good fun though - you can now see your way forward. Not fully spoilt by the cutting back of the trees and brash, an excellent Test can be achieved once again - certainly not cleanable by any competitor in any car - power is not the name of the game here!

So on to the Malvern Hills where lies an ancient monument at the summit called the British Camp just off the A449 - this is where we make our bed for the night at the Malvern Hills Hotel - well worth a visit.
Due to Kenny's recent accident, strong Steve Fellows has to hump his bags up three flights of stairs while the Clerk of the Course sips away at a nice cup of tea, ahem, while getting down to the maps, plotting the days route. Some say Steve is stronger than an Ox...but I've seen the size of his Man Bag!



Not council workers but
Roman Soldiers who defeated
a local Chieftain at British Camp



Ah well, Malvern Showground tomorrow and then back across the border where the route will begin to pick up even more momentum - into the forests of mid Wales, and the Radnor Hills.



See you tomorrow.


The Chief Blogger

It's Recce Time again

Kenny is out and about on his first full recce of the season and will be reporting from the mountains and valleys of Wales over the next week or so, depending on WiFi signal of course! So tune in for the latest updates as the route plan develops right in front of your eyes here on our Blogger!

Pictured above is Kenny's trusty driver Mr Fellows...some people say he is quicker than the 'Stig' but I've seen him put his socks on in the morning!

See ya soon

Chief Blogger