Wales Rally GB 2017

[sonnybobiche]

Maybe I'm thick, but I don't understand why some weird tree disease means they have to cancel a stage. Anyone care to explain?

[Simmi]

Maybe I'm thick, but I don't understand why some weird tree disease means they have to cancel a stage. Anyone care to explain?

Judging by the quote in the link I just posted they need to hack down and remove the infected trees from the area. So logging work in the area. I guess they need the stage/access roads etc

[Mintexmemory]

Judging by the quote in the link I just posted they need to hack down and remove the infected trees from the area. So logging work in the area. I guess they need the stage/access roads etc

Actually, they won't want foot passage through the affected areas which could then travel to an unaffected area (Aberhirnant?) and spread the spores. So the route will curtail to avoid spectators visiting affected areas.
Still should be ok with Pikes Peak and the wind farms.
This is starting to look like less and less for the money (if you were paying in the first place) although if you are exceptionally keen 4 stages can now be done on Saturday. Me I'm sticking to quality spectating in Dyfi. I've also abandoned a lunch dash to Newtown on Friday between the Myherin runs. If there are any more cuts I'll seriously consider diverting the money for a Sweden trip.
The SSS on Thursday evening around the horse trotting stadium looks like it'll make Chalmondley exciting by comparison. Gwydyr would have been far preferable.

[tomhlord]

Or absolutely nothing if your itinerary is Clocaenog s/d, Myherin Pikes Peak, Dyfi. Could have done Gwydyr on Sunday but as I have Steely Dan / Doobie Bros tickets for Sunday in London I shall head southeast on the Saturday afternoon

I'm going to be spectating for the very first time this year.

Sorry to be a pain, are you suggesting that Clocaenog s/d, Myherin Pikes Peak, Dyfi are free entry?

[Mintexmemory]

I'm going to be spectating for the very first time this year.

Sorry to be a pain, are you suggesting that Clocaenog s/d, Myherin Pikes Peak, Dyfi are free entry?

Not free entry as advertised by the organisers but if you don't use any of the event car parks, yes. The right to roam in UK law means that any officially listed footpath requires a formal closure order with acceptable reasons before access can be denied. Running an International Rally for profit is not considered an acceptable reason. Now the WRGB organisers can charge for use of the car parks closest to a stage but if one is prepared to walk from a legal parking place then it is perfectly possible to access many stages. BTW last time they ran Gwydyr the official parking was further away than the distance I walked into the stage from Betws Y Coed.
Another important issue to be aware of is that road closures around stages like Dyfi and Clocaenog only apply to traffic and not to pedestrians.
Now that attempting to do more than 1 location per day has become almost impossible (yes I know that some people say they can but the timings really don't bear this out if you actually watch all the WRC field through) the relaxed 2 mile walk in and out of a stage isn't a huge discouragement when you are saving significant cash!

[L555MAT]

Not free entry as advertised by the organisers but if you don't use any of the event car parks, yes. The right to roam in UK law means that any officially listed footpath requires a formal closure order with acceptable reasons before access can be denied. Running an International Rally for profit is not considered an acceptable reason. Now the WRGB organisers can charge for use of the car parks closest to a stage but if one is prepared to walk from a legal parking place then it is perfectly possible to access many stages. BTW last time they ran Gwydyr the official parking was further away than the distance I walked into the stage from Betws Y Coed.
Another important issue to be aware of is that road closures around stages like Dyfi and Clocaenog only apply to traffic and not to pedestrians.
Now that attempting to do more than 1 location per day has become almost impossible (yes I know that some people say they can but the timings really don't bear this out if you actually watch all the WRC field through) the relaxed 2 mile walk in and out of a stage isn't a huge discouragement when you are saving significant cash!

Mintax do you know of any places by Pikes Peak to park? I Know theres a few laybys on the main road but i imagine theyll fill up pretty quick

[AndyRAC]

Laybys near any of the stages are quite often 'closed'; presumably to stop people parking and walking in without paying......

[the sniper]

rally-maps.com have put up the map for Rally GB 2017 already! If they are accurate Myherin has, as predicted, had the loop through the forest on the west side of the stage cut out, but significantly for some here, has also had Pikes Peak cut out. The stage instead goes east down a track that has been used for parking at the top of Pikes Peak, at least on the Mid Wales stages in 2016. Myherin is ran in the same direction as last year though. According to their maps, Dyfnant at least is running in the opposite direction from last year, which IMO is a good thing!

Everyone will be glad to see that Shakedown is the same as usual. There'd be hell to pay if they cut out everyone's favourite bit!

Just out of curiosity, apologies if this is obvious to most, but how do rally-maps.com get the maps this early?

EDIT: I forgot to mention before, but the revised itinerary for Saturday isn't ideal... Three stages are quite easily doable if you're up for a long day though.

[doubled1978]

I would presume that if this map of Myherin is correct, that the Pikes Peak section will be the official car park. As the usual one was in the west side of the stage that has been cut out.

[Simmi]

Just out of curiosity, apologies if this is obvious to most, but how do rally-maps.com get the maps this early?

I always wondered this too. What a fantastic resource though. I often screen shot the stage or sections of the stage on my phone. Great for GB and working out where to stand, especially where there's no signal. As I found out in Portugal though, it doesn't convey elevation changes!