Rally of the Tests 2009 - 29 Oct-1 Nov

"The Tests" 2009 took us on a route from Newcastle to Peebles, with overnight stops in Kendal and Glasgow.

The event traditionally starts with a tricky little prologue the evening before the first full day, and this year was no exception. Two tests in the dark made it hard to see where you were going (particularly so for the 2000 which lost all lights at Derwent reservoir), but many crews missed a hairpin left on the regularity section, which looked more like a farm track. The "if onlies" in the bar afterwards had started early.

Leg 1 was from Derwent Manor Hotel to Kendal, and included 5 regularities, 10 tests and a due time section around Warcop Training Camp. By this time, it was definitely raining, and it didn't really stop for the rest of the event. Due to one massive flood at the end of the section, many cars needed bailing out and crews arrived at the hotel in torrential rain and in need of a towel or three.

Leg 2 started near Penrith and worked its way north to Glasgow - 6 regularities, 11 tests and an evening TC section from Cumnock, before arriving at the Crowne Plaza hotel by the river. Good bar.

Leg 3, the final leg, included 5 regularities and 11 tests in a shorter day, with the finish at the faded grandeur of the Peebles Hydro Hotel. The final regularity through a forest had some last-minute passage checks added, but the notice to crews was designed to trick if it was read quickly...and many were tricked. More points lost.

Another cracking Tests. Just a shame about the weather.