OK, you all know we’ll be visiting Bishops Stortford, Reims and Düsseldorf during the 3 days of the Rally - but what about the twiddly bits that get us from one place to another?
Our REAL Rally direction-finders have outlined a route that gives a proper “road-trip” feel without being too much of a slog. Teams are free to choose their own route if they wish but bear in mind you may not be covered by the Rally support vehicles if you stray too far! All entrants will receive detailed route information later on but here’s a taster of what you can expect on the REAL Rally…
Day 1: Bishops Stortford to Reims (France)
Following the (hopefully) trouble-free run round the M25 and on to Folkestone, we will emerge from Eurotunnel into the relaxed, motoring-friendly ambience of Northern France for the first leg of our special journey. Teams will enjoy a short motorway section to help them get acquainted with driving on the right before diving off towards the historical site of Agincourt, reputed origin of the 2-fingered salute so favoured by us Brits! Then we'll follow the Somme Battlefields route on lovely country roads before re-joining the autoroute for the run in to Reims, just in time for a bubbly tipple or two before dinner.
Day 2: Reims to Düsseldorf (Germany)
Fuelled up on strong coffee and decadent pastries, the Rally will take the dual-carriageway out of Reims before turning off into the sparsely-populated countryside of northern Champagne-Ardennes. Teams will then wend their way up the gorgeous Meuse valley and into Belgium, through the dramatic river-gorge town of Dinant, leaving the water-side after Namur to tick off some motorway miles en route to our Day 2 destination - the cosmopolitan German town of Düsseldorf.
Day 3: Düsseldorf to Bishops Stortford (Party Time!)
There are some big miles to cover on the last day of the Rally, so we're looking at a motorway challenge for the run back to Blighty and the promise of a well-earned social gathering at the end of the road. There are still adventures to be had, though, as we travel through our fifth country in three days and the final test for our hardy old steeds as they limp back to the Eurotunnel and within pushing distance of home - with luck, we will ALL still be motoring under our own steam for this final leg!