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 The Fellsman Classic
Date: 17th May 2008
Location: North West England
and beyond!
Start: Waddington Arms,
Waddington, Near Clitheroe
Price: £59 per car (2 people
per car)
 Designed for maximum enjoyment and a good days
driving, this event will test your navigational skills and patience
with your navigator!
Taking in picturesque villages, country roads and
a lunch stop included you will be telling all your friends what
they've missed out on. The route is calculated at an average
speed, and a finish window is allocated for each starter.
Noting down Via boards en-route demonstrates that the correct route
has been followed.
The
Fellsman is not a competitive event. It runs as an authorised
Touring Assembly
Do you think you can beat the Fellsman
Clerk of Course, John Hartley? Not many have.
For further
information please email Mike Raven by [clicking here]
If you've never taken part in a
navigational rally before, you might want to try your hand at the
example tabletop rally in the related links section.
Entry form and Event Regulations
are now available - Use the
links on the right
[2006 Event Report]
[2005 Event Report]
[2004 Event Report]
[2003 Event Report]
   
From left to right:
Navigation on the fly, Ultima Spyder, MG A & B,
Clerk of Course Oversees
I had
only met Peter a couple of weeks earlier, after Mike had hooked us
up, Peter was without a navigator, and I was a new navigator looking
for a driver. We had a quick chat at work and the next time we met
was the morning of the event.
All
week, I, along with many others I am sure, watched the weather
forecasts hoping for signs of improvement. Friday morning, a last
look at the met office website confirmed the worst; waterproofs
would be the order of the day.
Saturday morning, I rolled up at Peter’s house and was even further
disappointed to be told we would not be taking the Morgan out for
the day. We were to be in a 2003 MINI Cooper S, a decision I was
later very grateful for. On with business, we made our way over to
the Waddington Arms for the now legendary bacon butties and coffee.
Suitably fortified, all the crews attended a short briefing from
John Hartley, giving out the usual advice about driving standards
and a couple of advance warnings about the route. The correct
morning route would be 75 miles and 85 in the afternoon.
Details
noted, we moved to the
cars to await our road book. Out in the car park some were busy with
last minute fettling and a bit of banter, some just waited in the
cars wondering what lay ahead. After what seemed like a lifetime our
route was passed through the window. We had discussed our strategy,
plot the first few miles, stop then plot the remainder. Time had
suddenly gone into warp drive, we were all too soon on the start
line, “5,4,3,2,1 away you go”. We soon picked up the first of the
“via” boards and settled into the groove. It wasn’t long before we
were passing through floodwater, my thoughts turned to those lovely
classic cars with low sills, already, I was thanking Peter for his
choice of car.
On the
road between Padiham and Sabden we stopped to plot the remainder of
the route. On towards and around Burnley, through the floods between
the reservoirs (a Vauxhall Vectra turned round and found an
alternative route) I was here the Escort passed us and confirmed the
road was “doable”. We then had a manned control and were told the
ford was too deep and was impassable we had to turn around and go
against the flow for a short section and rejoin the main route
again. Then continued towards Todmorden, left and up the narrow lane
past the cautioned blind bends (noted at the briefing) up and round
to Hebden Bridge, north to Oxenhope and on to Haworth (Bronte
country). Having successfully made it down the narrow lanes, we then
crossed the A59 at Broughton Hall, and on to the lunch stop at the
Anchor Inn, Gargrave. We had just 4 minutes of allowable lateness
left but we had made it and only dropped two via boards.
Time to
relax, enjoy the buffet lunch and a quick drink. Ten minutes prior
to our departure time we picked up our afternoon route. We plotted
nearly the entire route at the table before leaving the comfort of
the pub, but I had struggled with a bit of plotting and taken far
too much time. So we had to leave and get some miles covered before
the via boards were collected in front of us. On the road, things
were going well, bagging boards and seeing some spectacular scenery
(through the murky clouds). There seemed to be cars going in all
directions, every time, I was asked if I was sure we were going the
right way. Most of the time I was, but on one occasion I was pleased
to see the Mk1 Escort coming towards us just as we had turned round
after realising I had a mistake, (phew, not just me then).
Settle,
Clapham, soon passed and we stopped in Gisburn Forest to plot the
last page from the road book. Whilst parked up we were passed by the
Gold Mercedes and the Mk 1 Escort. The route then took us passed
familiar territory to me (from previous rally days), to
 bypass
Slaidburn. Through Dunsop Bridge and the Trough of Bowland, I sensed
Peter knew this bit as he seemed to flow and press on through here.
We travelled through the picturesque Abbeystead lanes taking an
opportunity to get out and stretch the legs whilst opening a gate.
The drive through the Wyreside Hall and Dolphinholme area unveiled
some fantastic narrow lanes (and I thought I new the area well (from
the previously mentioned rally days). Forton, Scorton, Oakenclough,
Harrisend fell and across the back of Garstang, back over to
Longridge fell. We were behind a Healey and MGA going down off the
fell into Hodder Bridge, hats off to you guys you seemed to be
pressing on very well, We continued to follow these two round the
sneaky little loop around Bashall farm to bag the our last via board
and then run back into Waddington in time for tea and medals. We had
only dropped one via board and were well in time on the afternoon
section. We had time for a quick pint, swop a few stories and then
had to head for home.
I had
enjoyed my introduction to navigation and would like to thank all
involved, a special thanks to the marshals out there in the wet (I
have been there, I know what it is like, that is why you are thanked
first) John and Mike for putting together what was an very
interesting route (driving challenges and navigational ones too) the
other members of the organising team - a sterling job. Thanks to the
staff of the Waddington Arms, Waddington and the Anchor Inn,
Gargrave. Finally I would like to thank Peter for giving me the
opportunity to have a go at such a great event.
See you
next year
Graham
Fellsman Rally 2005
It’s hard to believe a decade has slipped by since our first
Fellsman rally, I can still remember the anticipation of waiting for
the flag to fall that first time.
 This year differed
for Karen and I as we left the MG TA at home and chose to use our MG
TD which we bought on Ebay a couple of years ago. We have finally
succumbed to that bit extra performance and comfort resulting in a
much more enjoyable day.
The
day started none too well as we had left the maps and instructions
at home, luckily we only live a mile away from the Waddington Arms
so I was soon settled with a bacon buttie and a cup of coffee.
As
we were No. 1 car we should have been first away but the exquisite
Aston Martin Le Mans had
joined as a late entry and had been allotted No. 0. We follower the
car through Martin Top, Gisburn and almost to Tosside savouring the
rich smell of Castrol R an
odorous delight that is, I am afraid to say, disappearing nowadays.
From Tosside we wound our way towards Settle, after
years of walking, peddling, motorcycling and driving around the
surrounding fells I am amazed that John Hartley can still find roads
I have never found, for example the track through Black Bank where
the narrowness of the track and the high walls gave me the
impression of driving along a canal bed.
The
road from Langcliffe to Arncliffe is always a pleasure to drive with
the hairpins and spectacular views of Malham tarn and the limestone
crags, the smell of the Hawthorne blossom was thick in the air. We
came very close to missing a via board on the diversion across the
river on the road towards Kilnsey, two hikers fully kitted with
rucksacks, walking sticks and bobble hats were stood unintentionally
in front of the board wildly waving at us, I fortunately caught a
glimpse of the marker as we went past.
The
weather was kind and we didn’t have cause to erect the roof, apart
from the odd light spattering of rain on the tops at Fleet Moss it
stayed dry.
The
lunch stop at Hawes creamery was an excellent choice, good parking
area and good food, we tucked into the buffet and sandwiches and the
fruit cake topped with Wensleydale cheese would have made Wallace
and Grommet as happy as it did me.
From Hawes we motored on past Dent station which always reminds me
of the village shop in League of gentlemen, I almost expect to hear
“you’ll not be local” shouted at us as we cruise past. Dent was
circumnavigated and we crossed Barbondale to Barbon winding our way
up to Rigmaden park over the recently restored bridge. I would have
liked to stop and admire the bridge as the company where I work has just completed this
restoration work.
 The
particular area that seemed to present most folk with difficulty, me
included, was the “tour” around Farleton, I met cars coming in all
directions- some twice. The mistake I made was not looking at the
map close enough to notice the phone box at Spout Ho was beyond the
very tight chicane type junction and not before it, oh well stronger
spectacles needed yet again! From Farlton fell the rest of the way
seemed plain sailing we passed through Gressingham, Hornby and over
Tatham fell to Slaidburn and back to Waddington.
John told me, after the rally, that he’d tried to make this year’s
route marginally easier to follow- and I thought it was us improving
on our navigation skills! The main change to the format I noticed
this year was the longer stretches between navigation points this
gave one time to relax on the mental skills and indulge with one’s
hardihood. Never the less there was always the odd lamb teetering on
a wall top to guard you against any recklessness.
On
arrival back at the Waddington Arms, for the well deserved pint of
Timmy Taylor’s, I notice the beautiful XK140 of Brian Barnes had
taken a shunt in the rear, I was told by a Vectra, who came off the
worse. This would be no consolation to Brian who’s day would of no
doubt been spoiled. I hope he soon has his car fixed and this mishap
doesn’t put him off joining us in the future.
In
conclusion I would like to thank Mike Raven, John Hartley and all
the others who worked so hard to make this a very enjoyable rally
for us all, in the meantime both Karen and I look forward to the
next ten years!
Clive N. A. Harrison
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