Roger Albert Clark Rally route revealed 

The detailed route for the 2023 Roger Albert Clark rally (November 23-27) has been revealed ahead of five full days of forest rallying covering Wales, Scotland and England.  

This year's rally opens with a ceremonial start in Carmarthen on Wednesday evening (22 November) and finishes in Carlisle on Monday afternoon after 350 stage miles, 33 special stages and the longest special stage rally in the UK for more than 30 years. 

Thursday offers a straightforward 46 stage miles, effectively a BTRDA rally for starters. Rally manager Colin Heppenstall said: “The first day is a relatively easy lead in for everybody, especially the new crews and the foreign crews. The idea is to get people to the end of the event and Thursday will just ease them in,” says Heppenstall. 

With 77 miles, including 12 miles in Myherin and 16 miles in the main Hafren stage, Friday is where the results will start to open up before the transport section to Carlisle ahead of Saturday’s new look leg in south-west Scotland. 

“We start Saturday morning straight into the Ae stage that everyone knows well. The Ae and Dalbeattie stages are both single use. Then we move on to brand new stages for this event, and some of them haven't been used for a long time. 

“It’s our first time going into the Galloway forests. We've worked with the local forester who has welcomed us with open arms and allowed us to have forests that haven't been used for quite some time. It's really good to have a forester who is willing to work with organisers to come up with something new for an event.” 

Heppenstall reckons that Sunday will be the toughest day of the rally. “It’s the longest day with 88 stage miles and every stage is over 10 miles long. The first four miles of Mount Common have never been used and the last two miles have not been used for many years,” says Heppenstall. 

However, Monday is perhaps even more intense and is certainly the sting in the tail with 76 stage miles before a 1530hrs finish in Carlisle. Heppenstall says: “The final loop of stages is still being finalised but we have the option of joining some stages up to make a longer stage. We’re in discussion with the forestry and Motorsport UK and we're looking at various options for linking some of the stages together for a big final stage. I think we've come up with a very, very good challenge for this year's event!” 

 

The route in detail

Stage Name                   Distance     First car 

Wednesday November 22

Ceremonial start, Carmarthen town centre       1900 

Thursday November 23 (47 stage miles)

SS1   Crychan 1               10.75           0944

SS2   No spectators         3.10             1011

SS3   Walters Arena 1     8.00             1208

SS4   No spectators         3.00             1306

SS5   Crychan 2               10.75           1348

SS6   No spectators         3.10             1415

SS7   Walters Arena 2     8.00             1537 

Friday November 24 (77 stage miles)

SS8   Esgair Berfaud         5.19             0920

SS9   Myherin 1               11.66           1100

SS10 Hafren 1                 16.13           1228

SS11 Hafren South 1       8.31             1303

SS12 Myherin 2               11.66           1447

SS13 Hafren 2                 16.13           1605

SS14 Hafren South 2       8.31             1640 

Saturday November 25 (66 stage miles)

SS15 Ae                         8.50             0839

SS16 Dalbeattie               4.60             1008

SS17 Glen Gap 1             7.00             1037

SS18 Glencaird Hill 1       10.75           1255

SS19 Arroch Hill 1           8.85             1332

SS20 Glen Gap 2             7.00             1517

SS21 Glencaird Hill 2       10.75           1655

SS22 Arroch Hill 2           8.85             1732 

Sunday November 26 (88 stage miles)

SS23 Kershope 1             16.81           0834

SS24 Kershope 2             16.81           1140

SS25 Mount Common 1   16.57           1246

SS26 Harwood 1             10.86           1407

SS27 Mount Common 2   16.57           1648

SS28 Harwood 2             10.86           1809 

Monday November 27 (77 stage miles)

SS29 Shepherdshield       6.50             0844

SS30 Pundershaw           14.18           0907

SS31 Roughside               10.09           0937

SS32 Hopehouse             8.08             1006

SS33/34/35 tba               37.89           1250 

Please note: these times and distances are provisional and may change.