Please click HERE for a map of the stages on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 November and HERE for a map of the stages on Saturday 21 November.
THURSDAY 19 NOVEMBER
Ceremonial Start and Stages 1/2 Scone Palace, Perth
Scone Palace is the historical home of the Stone of Destiny, the stone that Kings and Queens of Scotland were crowned upon. Robert the Bruce was crowned here in 1306 and the last coronation took place in 1651, when King Charles II became King of Scotland and England. There is a replica of the Stone of Destiny in the grounds of Scone Palace today and this historic site is even mentioned in Shakespeare's Macbeth.
The First Minister of Scotland, the Rt Hon Alex Salmond will wave off the first 10 cars in front of the Palace to mark the start of the inaugural RACMSA Rally of Scotland. Shortly after this ceremony the first of the competitive stages will take place with the competitors rallying past the entrance to the Palace and on through the grounds to get the real action underway. This stage will be run twice and will feature a screen and commentary.
The car park will open at 5pm.
How to get there and where to park
Follow the A989 out of Perth, at the traffic lights branch left onto the A85, signposted Blairgowrie & Coupar Angus, then turn left at the next traffic lights onto the A93, signposted Blairgowrie & Coupar Angus At the traffic lights bear left onto the A93, signposted Blairgowrie. Follow the signs to Perth Race Course, you will pass the entrance to Scone Palace and then you will pick up the Rally of Scotland Spectator arrows that will direct you to the spectator car parking at Perth Race Course.
From the car park the walkway will be floodlit to the main spectator area in front of the Palace. This walkway will take you past the Special Stage finish. It is possible to view the cars as they come down Yew Tree Walk but the best viewing with all the facilities is at the Palace. The walkway is a mixture of gravel and a path through a stubble field.
Thursday Day Passes will be sold at the Ceremonial Start and Special Stage subject to availability. Price: £20 per adult / £5 per child.
5 times British Rally Champion, Jimmy McRae, who is running Car 0 on this event has given his thoughts on each of the Special Stages to enable you to understand the challenges the competitors face on this the inaugural RACMSA Rally of Scotland. Jimmy will be using the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth that he used to win the 1988 RSAC Scottish Rally 21 years ago, having finished 2nd on the previous 6 occasions.
FRIDAY 20 NOVEMBER
Stages 3 & 7 Craigvinean
After the short blast around Scone Palace the real meat of the competition starts with almost 22 kilometres along the steep sides of Craigvinean Forest. This test starts with a long climb for the cars to the top of the hill at 1300metres in height before they travel along the top ridge for some distance and descending through numerous hairpins and arriving at the stop line, which is very close to where the competitors started from around 15 minutes earlier. Due to the nature of the climb and the height of the hill it is common for the top section to be covered in mist and fog. This also happens to be one of the quickest sections of the test so fortune will favour the brave and those committed to their pace notes.
How to get there and where to park
Car Park C – From the A9 north bound follow the signs to Inverness. Once past the junction for the A822, signposted Crieff, turn left at the tourist sign for “The Hermitage”. Follow the Rally of Scotland spectator signs to the spectator car park which is in a grass field. It is then a short walk on a gravel road up to the spectator viewing area. There will be limited disabled parking at car park C.
Car Park D – Turn off the A9 onto the B898, signposted Dalguise, go past the first forest entrance on the left and approximately 1.5 miles further on there is a second forest entrance. This is the entrance to Car Park D. Follow the Rally of Scotland spectator signs and park on the right hand side of the gravel road to allow other cars to exit from the spectator viewing area.
Craigvinean car parks C and D will open at 05:00. Car parks C and D are for advance ticket holders and, strictly subject to availability, will offer tickets for sale on the day £15 per adult / £5 per child.
Jimmy McRae says, “This is a really good drivers’ stage and the crews will be keen to get into their stride quickly before blasting into the ever popular Hermitage spectator area. The end is a flat out blast over the last 3kms to the finish of the stage. Confidence in your pacenotes will certainly pay dividends in here.”
Stage 4 Blackcraigs is a non-spectator stage
Stage 5 Errochty
The longest stage of Day 1 at 22.6 kilometres, Errochty climbs over Cragan Liath Mor through Tummel Forest to emerge down by the shores of Loch Tummel. This test starts off very technical with many twists and hairpins before opening up to a very fast, flowing blast over the top of the hill. The forestry have been heavily harvesting this area and for those competitors who perhaps 'cut' a line too aggressively, there is the real danger of a puncture that will end in a timely loss in a stage of this length.
How to get there and where to park
Car Park E - From the A9 North exit at the turn off for Killiecrankie, then turn left onto the B8019 over the Garry Bridge. Follow the Rally of Scotland spectator arrows past the end of the stage till you enter the spectator car park on your right. The car park is roadside parking on a Forestry Enterprise road with a walk up to the junction. Please park on the right hand side of the Forestry road to ensure other cars can exit from the stage spectator area.
Car Park F - From the A9 take the B847 towards Trinafour, car park F is near the start of the stage.
Errochty car parks E and F will open at 09:00. Car parks E and F are for advance ticket holders and, strictly subject to availability, will offer tickets for sale on the day £15 per adult / £5 per child.
Jimmy McRae says, “A real gem of a stage. Once the stage levels out and heads east it becomes more flowing in nature and there are several sections where the cars will be absolutely flat out, providing a real spectacle for the spectators as they arrive at the main viewing area. The last few kilometres become somewhat tighter again as the cars make their way to the finish line. A stage I have always enjoyed.”
Stage 6 Drummond Hill
19 kilometres of what is said to be the best stage in the world by BP Abu Dhabi Ford Team Director, Malcolm Wilson, Drummond Hill is not for the faint-hearted. At its highest point it is the same height as Craigvinean but some of the drops that the gravel roads clings to are fairly steep. The stage is very fast in character and goes from open, tree felled areas to densely forested sections but all include lots of flat-out crests and blind corners. The bold with total commitment to their pace notes will do well in this stage.
How to get there and where to park
Travel through the town of Aberfeldy and take the bridge over the River Tay towards Weem on the B846.
Car Park G - Approximately 5.5 miles further on, the Rally of Scotland spectator signs will direct you onto the unclassified road towards Kenmore. The spectator arrows will direct you to the car park. From here it is a steep uphill climb to the spectator viewing area.
Car Park H – Bear right onto the unclassified road towards Fearnan, the car park is 2.3 miles from the B846 on a narrow unclassified tarmac road.
Car parks G and H will open at 10:30 and are for advance ticket holders and, strictly subject to availability, will offer tickets for sale on the day £15 per adult / £5 per child.
Jimmy McRae says, “One of the most legendary stages in the British rallying, with a fearsome reputation due to the height of the stage and the many drops. This stage really does favour the brave with the roads being mainly quite narrow, on a generally slippery surface. It is also a very technical stage and the smallest error in road positioning will undoubtedly prove to be a costly mistake. Those who go on a full out attack on this stage will need to be carrying a sprig of ‘white heather’ with them to ensure they come out the other end with both car and their pride still intact! There have been many top flight international drivers who have seen their hopes extinguished in here.”
Service Park – Friday - Blair Castle
The Castle dates back to the 13th Century and is built at the gateway to the Grampian Highlands. Home to the Atholl Highlanders, their Colonel in Chief, the 11th Duke of Atholl is the only person in Europe who can legally command his own private army. Blair Castle stands at the centre of a large estate with over 145,000 acres (58,725 hectares) of hill land, farmland, forestry, housing, industrial development and way-marked trails. The Estate takes in Sporting shooting and fishing and has also been used in the past as a development site for Land Rover to test their new products.
The rally cars visit the Castle twice on Day 1 to get refuelled and repaired for the next section of the rally. The team technicians only have 20 minutes on each occasion to replace any parts that may need altering before the crews head off into the forests once again. These repairs can vary from a simple 'spanner check' to replacing the full transmission on the car - all in 20 minutes.
The service park will feature a big screen, commentary, toilet facilities and refreshments.
Service B is at 11.27am and Service C is at 3pm.
How to get there and where to park:
From the A9 North follow the signs to Blair Atholl B8079. Turn right off the A9 and continue through Blair Atholl village till you see the main Castle entrance gates on your right. The car park, located in a field, is on your right hand-side and please follow the instructions of the stewards. It is a short walk to the main service area where toilets, refreshments and the latest results will all be available.
Car park B will open at 9am and there will be limited disabled parking. Access to the Blair Service Park is included in the Alba Rally Pass and Friday Day Pass. Tickets will be available for purchase on the day, strictly subject to availability, for £10 per adult / £5 per child.
SATURDAY 21 NOVEMBER
Stages 8 & 11 Achray
The first of three stages in the Trossachs region, where rally cars have not competed for almost 20 years. The action of Day 2 is very condensed with the competitors tackling 3 stages and over 60kms within an hour and a half where stamina and concentration will be tested. The Achray special stage follows much of the Forest Drive in its route and this is a very technical and twisty stage. From the start the stage is wide and flowing with a few blind crests as it winds its way around Loch Drunkie. Once it leaves the Forest Drive and heads towards the Flying Finish the road narrows, the surface becomes rougher as more of the granite bedrock is exposed, completely changing the character of the test entirely.
How to get there and where to park
From the A84 out of Stirling, turn left onto the A873, sign posted Aberfoyle. Pass the end of the special stage, where there are no viewing opportunities and turn right at the roundabout into Aberfoyle. Once in the town, turn right onto the Duke’s Pass and follow the Rally of Scotland spectator signs to the car park areas on Forestry Enterprise land. DO NOT park on the main Duke’s Pass road.
Achray car park I will open at 05:00 and is for advance ticket holders and, strictly subject to availability, will offer tickets for sale on the day £15 per adult / £5 per child.
Jimmy McRae says, “It is great to see these stages being used for rallying once again. This will be a tricky opening as it is a very technical stage with a loose surface on a generally hard base. The blind crests and adverse camber corners will catch out the unwary and will require precise pacenotes and good reactions to post a competitive time. The crews will know they have been working hard by the time they get to the end of this test.”
Stages 9 & 12 Fairy Knowe
Apart from the opening test at Scone Palace, this is the shortest test of the event but it is no less of a challenge because of that. This section of the Loch Ard forest complex is a myriad of roads and the stage features lots of junctions as it criss-crosses towards the finish. The road network is very narrow with high banks on both sides in many places, so any error could be heavily punished. As these roads have not been used competitively for two decades the cars running at the front of the field will sweep much of the loose gravel aside for the remaining competitors. This 'sweeping' causes the first few cars to lose time to the rest as the loose gravel can increase wheel spin and the loss of traction leads to a loss of momentum that is ultimately seen in the slower times shown on the stopwatch at the end of the stage.
How to get there and where to park
From the A84 out of Stirling, turn left onto the A873, signposted Aberfoyle. Pass the end of SS8/11 Achray, where there are no viewing opportunities and turn right at the roundabout into Aberfoyle. Once in the town turn left over the bridge, signposted Kirkton. Please observe your speed in here as it is a residential area with lots of young families. You will then pick up the Rally of Scotland spectator arrows that will direct you to the car park area on Forestry Commission Scotland land. Please park on the right hand side only to allow other cars to exit.
Fairy Knowe car park J will open at 05:00 and is for advance ticket holders and, strictly subject to availability, will offer tickets for sale on the day £15 per adult / £5 per child.
Stages 10 & 13 Loch Ard
The longest stage in the rally and one of the longest tests in the UK at 35 kilometres, this is a monster of a test. It is here that the rally could very easily be won or lost! The test features all types of terrain from flat out sections over crests, to tight hairpins as you descend back down the hill. Much of the route has been clear felled by the Forestry Commission and the cars can be viewed for long distances through the many twists and turns. Loch Ard Forest is part of the Lomond & Trossachs National Park, Scotland's first National Park, with the status being granted by the Scottish Government in 2002.
How to get there and where to park
From the A84 out of Stirling, turn left onto the A873, signposted Aberfoyle. Pass the end of SS8/11 Achray, where there are no viewing opportunities and turn right at the roundabout into Aberfoyle. Once in the town continue on the B829, signposted Milton and Kinlochard. The Kinlochard road is very narrow and twisty and is also used by the rally cars to get to the start of the stage. Once in Kinlochard follow the Rally of Scotland spectator arrows which will direct you on to the Forestry Commission Scotland road that will take you to the aqueduct via a convoy system. Please park on the right hand side to allow other cars past. This is a one-way system through the forest and you exit back onto the public road at Milton.
Loch Ard car park K will open at 05:00 and is for advance ticket holders and, strictly subject to availability, will offer tickets for sale on the day £15 per adult / £5 per child. There will be limited disabled parking.
Please keep the road from Kinlochard (alongside Loch Chon) to Inversnaid clear – there are no spectator viewing opportunities on this road.
Jimmy McRae says, “The organisers have found a true monster stage to create a sting in the tail and this will ensure that the result will remain in doubt until the cars clear the longest stage for the second time. A section of forest that I can’t recall being used before has been introduced as the first part of the stage along the shores of Loch Chon. The stage is generally medium narrow throughout on a good hard based surface, however there will never be a time when the drivers will be able to take a breather and their powers of concentration and fitness will be tested to the limit on this technically demanding stage. Care will have to be taken, especially on the second usage, not to pick up a puncture on some of the sharp rocks to be found in here. Even in November I would expect the drivers to be bathed in sweat and breathing a sigh of relief by the time they eventually cross the flying finish."
Stirling Service Park – Friday evening and Saturday
The cars return to Forthside in the centre of Stirling on Friday for a 45 minute service before entering Parc Ferme where they will remain until first thing on Saturday morning. We have brought the rally right to the centre of the city, located as we are beside the Stirling railway station. It is here that the teams will get the opportunity to set the cars up for the Day 2 action and to refettle them at the mid-morning service once again before they head back to the
Trossachs for the last 3 stages. The service park is an ideal opportunity to get close to the rally stars and to get the autograph book filled with the top names.
There will be a big screen, disabled parking (on a strictly first come first served basis), toilet facilities and refreshments at the Stirling Service Park.
Service D at Stirling is from 18.20 on Friday
Service E at Stirling is at 06.40 on Saturday
Service F at Stirling is at 11.26 on Saturday
Service G at Stirling is at 15.56 on Saturday
Stirling Service Park site opening times:
Thursday 1000-1400
Friday 1600-2300
Saturday 1000-2000
Stirling Service Park trading hours:
Thursday 1000-1400
Friday 1600-2000
Saturday 1000-1700
There will be
very limited public parking at Forthside (for Stirling Service Park) from Monday 16 - Friday 20 November inclusive. However, the normal Springkerse to Forthside park & ride service will be available from Monday 16 - Friday 20 November with the standard fare being applied (£1 adult / 50p children).
There will be no public parking at Stirling Service Park (Forthside) on Saturday 21 November. Instead, a free of charge park and ride service will be available from Castleview to Forthside Service Park from 9.15am - 5.00pm on this day. This service will run approximately every 15 to 20 minutes.
Castleview is just off the M9 motorway at junction 10. To find the site using an in-car satellite navigation system, enter the postcode FK9 4TW as your destination point.
Springkerse is at the east of Stirling, just off the A91 at Springkerse Retail Park. To find the site using an in-car satellite navigation system, enter the postcode FK7 7TL as your destination point.
The Stirling Service Park is also accessible by train or bus as it is located next to the train station and 5 minutes walk from the bus station. For more information, contact:
Traveline Scotland
Tel no. +44(0) 871 200 22 33
(Calls charged at national rate, lines open 7am - 10pm, 7 days a week)
Ceremonial Finish - Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The Castle is situated on a high volcanic outcrop, providing stunning views of the City of Stirling, The National Wallace Monument and the beautiful Stirling countryside for many miles around.
Let the celebrations begin; the traditional champagne ceremony brings to an end the inaugural Rally of Scotland. With commentary and interviews with all the crews and a large screen showing images of the past two days action there is plenty to keep the audience entertained.
The crews competing in the National B rally, who tackle the first 3 stages of the Saturday loop will have their finishing ceremony at the Castle Esplanade as well. This starts from 12 noon and finishes just as the live television coverage of SS12 begins. A full afternoon’s entertainment in the most iconic spot in Stirling.
There is no public parking at Stirling Castle for the ceremonial finish. A free of charge park and ride service will operate from Castleview to Stirling Castle from 9.15am - 5pm. This service will run approximately every 15-20 minutes. Castleview is just off tthe M9 motorway at junction 10. To find the site using a sat-nav system, enter the postcode FK9 4TW as your destination point.
Viewing is free of charge.
Note: there will be toilet facilities and catering vans at all stages.
