Wales

[lambert]

Just watching wrc. Are the tracks they use open to normal traffic when the rally is not on?

[Silvery Thing]

I have often wondered that.... there must be some fantastic hidden routes!

[paul_humphreys]

No, but there ROWs in some of the forests.

Paul

[lee celtic]

I've often wondered as well every time I pass the entrances to the forrest on my way down south .

If there are routes through it anybody fancy exploring next summer I know a camp called forest fields outside builth wells thats perfect for the club to camp at . 8) nice and laid back.

[Disco Matt]

A lot of it is Forestry Commission land with no public ROW - I've driven some of Radnor (on Baja GB setup and Powys 4x4 Response training events, so with permission). It's good fun, the Cat 1 routes are hard packed gravel but there are some interesting off-road sections.

[paul_humphreys]

A lot of it is Forestry Commission land with no public ROW - I've driven some of Radnor (on Baja GB setup and Powys 4x4 Response training events, so with permission). It's good fun, the Cat 1 routes are hard packed gravel but there are some interesting off-road sections.

Been around Radnor a few times ;) I am on the recee for the next training day. Got another place to go to 8)

Paul

[Bishops Finger]

Have some of the 'old' north welsh stages got lanes through them?

[narked]

As others have said, some are open due to having ROW on 'em, others aren't. You'll find that many of the routes aren't accessible anyway as they'll be behind (locked) Forestry Commission gates. Though these gates are sometimes left open (ie when felling is taking place, to allow the lorries to get in and out easily) they don't take too kindly to unauthorized vehicles using the tracks.

[Disco Matt]

A lot of it is Forestry Commission land with no public ROW - I've driven some of Radnor (on Baja GB setup and Powys 4x4 Response training events, so with permission). It's good fun, the Cat 1 routes are hard packed gravel but there are some interesting off-road sections.

Been around Radnor a few times ;) I am on the recee for the next training day. Got another place to go to 8)

Paul

Lucky thing!

Do not take an unlocked gate as a suggestion that it's ok to drive there, as it might be locked by the time you get back. I speak as one who got locked in at Radnor during the Baja GB setup (clearly someone hadn't been told we were still in there, and proceeded to lock up!). We were lucky in that the gate we used wasn't all that difficult to remove and replace undamaged with five or six of us on hand...

[narked]

A lot of it is Forestry Commission land with no public ROW - I've driven some of Radnor (on Baja GB setup and Powys 4x4 Response training events, so with permission). It's good fun, the Cat 1 routes are hard packed gravel but there are some interesting off-road sections.

Been around Radnor a few times ;) I am on the recee for the next training day. Got another place to go to 8)

Paul

Lucky thing!

Do not take an unlocked gate as a suggestion that it's ok to drive there, as it might be locked by the time you get back. I speak as one who got locked in at Radnor during the Baja GB setup (clearly someone hadn't been told we were still in there, and proceeded to lock up!). We were lucky in that the gate we used wasn't all that difficult to remove and replace undamaged with five or six of us on hand...

Also it's worth being aware of the fact that there are only 2 different keys for all the FC gates in Wales. 1 key for North Wales, and 1 for South. It's worth getting to know amy timber hauliers in your area, as chances are they'll have copies of both keys, so should you get locked in again (on official business!) you just need to get hold of them!

[Llanigraham]

Having spent Friday and Saturday "playing" in Resolven and Crychan as a Sector Marshal on the WRGB, yes there are some fantastic tracks, but for the most part they are NOT available for general use.
In Resolven and some of the other Forests near there the Police were being very active and stopping 4x4's and bikes. Don't know how true it is, but a spectator in a 4x4 that got to us, after finding that the gates had been locked, said that some people had been issued with printed Section 59 notices on Friday morning. He was very annoyed when he found out that the only way he could get out was to wait until the end of the Stage and then follow us all the way up to Resolven to get out!
South Wales Police take a very firm attitude to illegal off road use and have regular "stings" in some areas, even to the extent of using the Force helicopter to chase people on the commons.
Crychan, Halfway, and Eppynt have some Rights of Way through them, but going "off piste" around there can be very dangerous as the boundary between Forestry Commission land and the Army Ranges is not that well defined. If you think the civilian Police can be awkward, then don't argue with the Military Police!!

Reference keys, there are now more than 2 different patterns being used, and it is getting increasingly difficult to get them cut.

[narked]

Ah, I was just going off one of my mates here in the village was saying. Maybe they change over to different locks when lorries are due to go in to carry timber out.

[Llanigraham]

Matt,
they use the same locks all the time, but according to my local FC manager there are so many people now with "dodgy" keys that some areas are changing to a new pattern.
I know that the Hafren key fits Radnor, but doesn't fit Resolven or Crychan.
(oh, and I have mine officially!!)
Graham

[narked]

Ah, makes sense. I know a few lads around here who have unofficial keys. Strangely at the moment most of the gates around here have been left open for the last few months anyway.

[Tommo]

Set off down there at 7am friday morning (to get there before the marshalls and police) parked our 2 discos right next to the stage (well, about 20ft away) set up camp in the forest just next to where we were parked and jobs a gudd'un. Free entry, free parking, and no long walk to the stage. We had a good chat with the stage co-ordinator on friday night who was a very plesant chap.

[narked]

Turns out a mate of mine went down to marshall. He said he didn't get to see much of it though, as the hailstones were coming at him from the same direction as the cars, and so had his back to a lot of the action ;)

[barnhill4x4]

I have spent the last 2 weeks in Rheola setting up, Running test days,  Sector Official in Walters Arena during the event and stripping down for WRGB.
  I had a new transit tipper supplied to me (with a fuel card) by the rally and I covered 1014 miles, about 500 of those are road miles the rest was driving along the stage delivering and collecting equipment.
  I have a key as I setup numerous rally events in the area throughout the year, there are 2 different keys for the south wales area that I know of, I have both and have never failed to open a gate.
  I have access to the forestry tracks whenever I like really as I have various passes and permission letters. The reason they are locked most of the time is if they left them open the roads would be littered with burned out cars.
  South Wales Police have a very strict policy on illegal off roading and earlier this year before the rally they had a portable crusher towed by a Defender, any bikes or quads without tax, insurance or mot were crushed on the spot, any 4x4's were clamped on the spot and then impounded.
  So dont try to get in!!!!