SALISBURY & SHAFTESBURY CAR CLUB PALLADWR RALLY
Comments by PETER NOAD
This was the first time that I had entered the Palladwr, and it will certainly go down in my diary as one of the highlights of the year, rivalling the Targa among daylight events for providing plenty of driver interest. (It was not a highlight in terms of our personal results, but that was not the organiser's fault - nor the driver's:::) The tests, especially those at the Showground, were excellent, and great fun. But the real jewel in the crown, or piece de resistance, was the regularity at Worthy Farm. What a great discovery of a venue, long may it exist and be included again in future events. I thought it was more fun, and more competitive, than the Welsh forests. For those who weren't there, let me explain that it is a vast complex of unmarked farm tracks, mostly muddy gravel and well juicy after recent rain, with dozens of junctions. You'l1 have to ask a navigator what the total mileage was, but I believe there were 48 junctions, some were only a few yards apart, some were half a mile or so apart. Navigation was by numbered Tulips and the junctions were numbered with posts at the side of the road. So, it was all down to the driver and the 30 average was quite tight - there weren't many competitors who had to worry about the possibility of being early.... A bit like a selective on a night event, really:
After this, the regularities on the public road could have been an anti-climax, but they weren't - the Somerset lanes were in prime condition, helped by recent heavy rain and fallen leaves (more than leaves had been blown off the trees in places). The Mendip Hills and the Sedgemoor flatlands provided a nice contrast of terrain and scenery.
Though the navigation was straightforward (my navigator will probably disagree and point out that I had the advantage of viewing it when the car was stationary). Navigators should not have missed the hill arrow at 183/572½387¾, despite the Ordnance Survey's attempt to mask it with a red National trail diamond, but unfortunately this caused a coming together of two Volvos going in opposite directions. 'Wet Tulips' provided a novel twist, defining the route by the intersections of yellow roads and blue roads (i.e. the watery ones that drain the moor).
The circular herringbone had enough clues to make it quite straightforward. Some simple grid references and approach directions near Trent (near Yeovil) caught out some people, which goes to show that navigation does not have to be tricky to sort out a winner.
The food was excellent, the marshals friendly and efficient and it was a thoroughly enjoyable event. Well done, Dick Appleton, Mike Gray, Ted Howles, Paul Heal and everyone else in the organising team.
Pete Noad
| Top 10 on Tests: | Top 10 on Worthy Farm: | |||||
| 1 | Len Olds (TR4) | 15:13 | 1 | Chris Jenkins (Mini) | 1.29 | |
| 2 | Worth Birkill (Mini) | 15:41 | 2 | Peter Noad (Audi 80) | 1:33 | |
| 3 | Terry Pickering (TR3) | 15:43 | 3 | Wesley Massam (PV444) | 1:33 | |
| 4 | Peter Noad (Audi 80) | 15:54 | 4 | Chris Exelby (MGB) | 1:35 | |
| 5 | Geoff Twigg (Mini) | 15:59 | 5 | Len Olds (TR4) | 1:41 | |
| 6 | Andy Gibson (MGB GT) | 16:07 | 6 | Worth Birkill (Mini) | 1:44 | |
| 7 | Bill Wyatt (TR4) | 16:15 | 7 | Geoff Twigg (Mini) | 1:46 | |
| 8 | Peter Goldsbrough (Alpine) | 16:34 | 8 | John Pascoe (R8 Gordini) | 2:01 | |
| 9 | George Alexander (Mini) | 16:40 | 9 | Terry Pickering (TR3) | 2:04 | |
| 10 | Bob Taylor (Mini) | 16:53 | 10 | Emma Henchoz (Amazon) | 2:13 |