Spectating at Wales Rally GB

[DiscoDancer]

I'm starting to feel a bit confused - I have memories of previous visits to the rally (when it was the Lombard RAC Rally) of walking around snowy forests and finding a good place to watch from (while sipping tea from a thermos!). On this basis I thought it would be great to relive the experience and have got tickets for Friday. However it is starting to dawn on me, from seeing the very poor maps supplied by the rally and reading threads here, that you can't just wander around the forest. Is this really true? If this is the case are there ways to circumvent the men and barriers (starting to understand where the £35 per ticket is going) who are presumably going to stop you going where you want, either once in the official car park or beforehand? For instance to view at Hafren, would it be possible to approach by car from the north-west or west, park up and then walk into the stage to see some action? Will they have people blocking every forest road?

Starting to feel like I may have my expectations shattered - hope someone can give some positive advice!

[pettersolberg29]

This is exactly what I wondered last year, and after going I found that it is impossible to get in without previous experience, knowing exactly where you're going.

Also, a question from me - the safety jeep that comes round before the 00 car, will this tell you to move if you're not in a designated spectator zone? Fancied a bit of exploring myself this year, but don't want to trek halfway round, well, Halfway (!) on Saturday and then find that we're told to get lost once we've found a great place somwhere not designated. Thanks for answers to this and above.

[alexlake]

We always try to find a place on our own, it can be done, just have to be a bit sneaky!. The vehicle wont ask you to move unless you are being very silly and standing somewhere you might get squashed!

[306 Cosworth]

They expect people to be outside the speccy areas it's bound to happen.

I'll be in Myherin for Friday, and we know where we're going and how to get in so we're sorted :up:

P.S i'm not telling anyone where or how either.

[pettersolberg29]

Anyone with any hints at where to stand at Port Talbot?

Never been before and the specy zone looks a bit 'dull' in compariosn to other stages. Cheers in advance.

[Allyc85]

Or stand back from the side of the road until you can hear the first car coming ;)

[alexlake]

don't want to trek halfway round, well, Halfway (!) on Saturday.

Oh no! not the dreaded Halfway hill :eek: :eek: :eek: climbed that some times :p : not this year though :p

[Simmi]

Marshals are instructed to try and keep everyone in one place. After all it's in their best interests to keep people in a small amount of space. But like people have said they cant stop you walking off and as long as you dont stand on the outside of a bend or something there isnt a problem.

If you ask a marshal they will probably tell you to stay in the pen. So dont ask them just do it.

[pettersolberg29]

Where's this Halfway Hill? I've been to Halfway the last two years and I dont remember a hill yet people are mentioning it left, right and centre!


EDIT: I go to car park G, the hill is at F yes?

[DiscoDancer]

So is it possible to park in the official car park and then sneak off? I take it they use lots of barriers? I was imagining the barriers might start on the road going in and then surround the whole car park and spectator areas, with marshals (guards?!?) in any gaps who wouldn't let you through. Or is it not quite that well organised?

[Simmi]

I'd say your best bet is to park in the car park and then walk on the stage until you find somewhere. That's what I'm doing. Anything beyond that needs prior planning and a bit of local knowledge I'd say.

[alexlake]

So is it possible to park in the official car park and then sneak off? I take it they use lots of barriers? I was imagining the barriers might start on the road going in and then surround the whole car park and spectator areas, with marshals (guards?!?) in any gaps who wouldn't let you through. Or is it not quite that well organised?

no, its not that bad!! just go off through the trees or whatever, people that live in the area always know the best places, as do people who have been before, try asking someone. Failing that, if you see a group of people scurrying off up a hill, give chase, they probably know a good place!

[alexlake]

Where's this Halfway Hill? I've been to Halfway the last two years and I dont remember a hill yet people are mentioning it left, right and centre!


EDIT: I go to car park G, the hill is at F yes?
Car park J last year, dont know if its the same this year. As you go in, there is a small amount of parking on the left, and you go up and over the hill. Its a real killer on the way out!. Good view though, you can see stage start in the valley opposite, they go flat out along a straight. They then come up from the left, last year, along infront off you, over a cattle grid.
Its just a stupidly steep climb out!!

[DiscoDancer]

Well thanks to everyone for your advice. We made it to Myherin yesterday, parked in the official car park (it was just a forest road of couse) and then set of cross-country to a promising place we'd found on the map. This worked really well - we ended up standing with a reasonable crowd on the corner, at the end of an icy straight where innumerable cars spun, Mark Higgins rolled and ended up in a tree, and another Subaru rolled!
My one comment is that although I didn't see what marshalling and crowd control was like in the 'spectator area' out on the track it wasn't up to much! Plenty of marshals appeared after an incident, but between incidents there was no one around, no whistling when cars approached (don't they do that any more?!?), people allowed to stand on the outside of the corner in the exact place where previous cars had crashed (you would think that standing in front of a broken tree we would be a clue...). Towards the end of the rally when people left they were all walking back up the track, and with no whistles the only indication of a car coming was the noise, but that was sometime confusing with echoes and noises from across the valley. I wonder why the focus of the organisers seems to be on penning people in one area, when (literally) hundreds of fans want to be and are out on the track, where the rallying is really happening. Shouldn't their needs and safety be attended to, while still respecting their desire to stand along the track and not in a large crowd? And finally - how sad to cancel more than half the stage distance of the day due to the weather - what did they expect in December in the Welsh hills?

[MJW]

After 2 days of watching I can say the infamous sheep pens are there for the newbie spectators. I was allowed to wander, even walk on the stage before it was live, and roam as in the old days. The only thing that is vigorously enforced these days is the no parking on the approach roads. Getting in without paying is difficult (not impossible) but once in the marshalls are fine, so long as you are sensible.

[Daniel]

Well thanks to everyone for your advice. We made it to Myherin yesterday, parked in the official car park (it was just a forest road of couse) and then set of cross-country to a promising place we'd found on the map. This worked really well - we ended up standing with a reasonable crowd on the corner, at the end of an icy straight where innumerable cars spun, Mark Higgins rolled and ended up in a tree, and another Subaru rolled!
My one comment is that although I didn't see what marshalling and crowd control was like in the 'spectator area' out on the track it wasn't up to much! Plenty of marshals appeared after an incident, but between incidents there was no one around, no whistling when cars approached (don't they do that any more?!?), people allowed to stand on the outside of the corner in the exact place where previous cars had crashed (you would think that standing in front of a broken tree we would be a clue...). Towards the end of the rally when people left they were all walking back up the track, and with no whistles the only indication of a car coming was the noise, but that was sometime confusing with echoes and noises from across the valley. I wonder why the focus of the organisers seems to be on penning people in one area, when (literally) hundreds of fans want to be and are out on the track, where the rallying is really happening. Shouldn't their needs and safety be attended to, while still respecting their desire to stand along the track and not in a large crowd? And finally - how sad to cancel more than half the stage distance of the day due to the weather - what did they expect in December in the Welsh hills?
I think when you go off out of the designated areas the onus is on yourself to keep safe. Which is fair enough really.

[J4MIE]

After 2 days of watching I can say the infamous sheep pens are there for the newbie spectators. I was allowed to wander, even walk on the stage before it was live, and roam as in the old days. The only thing that is vigorously enforced these days is the no parking on the approach roads. Getting in without paying is difficult (not impossible) but once in the marshalls are fine, so long as you are sensible.

This is my experience in Wales as well :up: