Yeah, the third weekend of November is when it traditionally started; and would often see the first real winter weather.

I don't think it helped when they started messing around with the date; September in 2004/05/12, then we had late November/early December in 2006/07/08 (which I actually didn't mind). We also had different times in October - however, this coming weekend is the best time for it.

I can recall the excitement when the route was announced many months earlier; what were the Sunday 'spectator' stages, was Kielder in the day or night, would there be a visit to Scotland, what day would they visit Wales, what about Grizedale, etc Then closer to the event, ordering my programme, with map book, and mileage reckoner - plus a pen, and a few stickers.

And the mainstream press would join in; whether it was the car magazines, motorsport mags or the national newspapers......It was usually the last major motorsport event of the season, so attracted quite a lot of the F1 writers. And not forgetting the Top Gear Rally Report, plus the hourly updates on Radio 2/5 Live......

There was something special about driving into a stage late at night ready for the next day, getting out of the car, and that 'pine forest smell' while it was pitch black....And waking up early, and all you could smell was bacon being fried on Camping Gaz stoves (no Jetboils back then).

It's hard to imagine now, but it was a huge event, and you felt part of it; I can recall back in '94 coming home, and there were crowds of fans on the roundabouts on the A483 from Oswestry to Chester......

If you had told me then that we'd have no event in the future, I'd have thought you were completely bonkers.......How on earth do you manage to lose an historic event like that?

Until somebody, or a company, regional/ tourist board thinks it's worth it, I think we may be waiting a while for the return.