After a lengthly gap due to the Covid epidemic and the chaos caused by Storm Arwen, major motor sport will return to the Tynedale area on Saturday 18th June with the Kielder Forest Rally all set to blast off for a high speed dash through the Kielder Forest with a large entry anticipated for the event which is a qualifying round for several championships including the prestigous MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series.
Rally Headquarters for the event will be located at Hexham Auction Mart where the stockyards will be full of highly coloured rally cars rather than the usual bovine occupants. The cars will be serviced and checked over here prior to heading off up the North Tyne, calling in for a ceremonial start at Chipchase Castle where the fine old Jacobean building will provide a picturesque backdrop as the cars line up to await starters orders.
The competitive portion of the rally will see the competitors tackle six “Special Stages” in the giant Kielder Forest complex where a massive amount of work by the Forestry England workforce has seen the tracks cleared of the numerous fallen trees which littered the area following the chaos caused by Storm Arwen.
The rally will finish back at the Hexham Auction Mart where the winners will line up to receive their trophies, the ceremony will no doubt be accompanied by the traditional champagne spraying.