RTG Highland Thistle Daily Dispatch - electronic - Flipbook - Page 10
RESCHEDULED TO 2021
2 to 7 September 2021
Day 4
Achnagairn to Achnagairn (233.7 miles)
6 September 2021
Photos: gerardbrown.co.uk
Car 10, John and Nicole Whitelock with their Ford Coupe
Andrew and Gina Long’s 1972 Datsun 240Z
From the east coast, to the west coast, and back again. Today we pushed to the most northerly point of
the rally, starting in the most northerly city in the land, striking out for the most competitive day so far.
Four Tests and four Regularities were strung out along another incredible day of scenery.
A Test, revisiting the Black Isle Showground, got the day off
to a flying start. Once again a team of marshals from the
Highland Car Club provided us with some expert help with
timing, box ticking and keeping an eye out for any cone
penalties. Soon after a slightly more sedate, map based,
Regularity followed along the banks of the thickly wooded
Strathconon River leading to a Time Control in Aultguish
where the fun really started.
Next up the Inverpolly Regularity took in a huge chunk
of wilderness along the western edge of Assynt where the
crews were required to thread themselves between jagged
rocks, wild moorland and the occasional errant sheep.
Sadly Clint and Dawn Smith were forced to retire from
the rally this morning. They climbed out of their 1965
Porsche at the first Test when their engine gave up the
ghost. A dropped valve, or broken spring, was thought the
most likely culprit and, slightly disconsolate, they were
taken back to Achnagairn Castle aboard a sweep’s vehicle.
It had been a tough morning and lunch at the Time
Control in Lochinver village hall came not a moment too
soon. Thankfully the next section, back towards the east of
the country, and another Control at the Falls of Shin was
relatively relaxed.
The pace picked up again as soon as we left the Crofters
Kitchen and we were straight into another map based
Regularity through Knockarthur. The crews had to plot,
and then follow, the shortest route through the section
based on a series of given spot heights. The next two Tests
were straightforward in comparison. Two laps of a track in
the beachside town of Littleferry gave the rally a chance to
shake off any cobwebs.
As the afternoon drew to a close, and the night halt drew
ever closer, there was another Regularity to get through again with maps - and a quick Test through the Dalmore
Distillery complex. Only then could the crews take their
foot off the gas and set the cruise control for Achnagairn
and enjoy a couple of less serious night sections which the
Organisers had laid on.
www.rallytheglobe.com