Things to Do - Scottish Borders, The Jim Clark Rally

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The Jim Clark Rally


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The Rally May be Back


The Jim Clark Rally may be back this year. Organisers may have over come some issues that have prevented the rally from happening since the tragic accident involving spectators in 2014.

It is expected that stewarding of the event will have been extensively reviewed for spectator safety but at this time details are yet to be released.

The Jim Clark museum in Duns is being extended at this time and should add to the whole visitor experience for Jim Clark fans from home and abroad and it would be a great boost to Berwickhire should the Rally return. Rallying, rugby and ride outs run in the Borders blood, let us hope that the driving event will rejoin these major social and cultural events for the future.

Born in 1936 Jim Clark was a Borders farmer who cut his teeth in rallying. A fly Fifer by birth, Clark became a Formula One driving sensation at a time when motor car racing was a very dangerous sport. In his career Clark won 2 World Championships in 1963 and 1965 and has since been ranked as the best driver ever. He died on the 7th of April 1968 during the German Grand Prix when when his car left the road crashing into trees at Hockenheim. The memory of Jim Clark stays strong in the Borders to this day.

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The Jim Clak Rally started in 1970 becoming a British Rally Championship event in 1999 and is now a major feature in the Borders callander of Things to Do. For years the rally has been held on public roads around Duns, Kelso and Chirnside although it has been relocated to forest tracks in Keilder Forest for 2015 after the tragic accident in 2014. It is and remains an exciting event and safe to watch but you must follow the directions of organisers and stewards.

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Rally cars do not hang about, corners are taken at speed, humps in the road are launching points to do a bit of flying, engines scream, tyres spin. How the heck do they keep their cars on the road? With skill, guts and determination they do for the most part. These photographs were taken at Printonan where a long downhill straight, a narrow bridge and a right hand turn make for some exciting viewing.

In addition to the racing the organisers put a show on in the locality with opprtunities to get up close to the cars and drivers who are generally speaking friendly and appoachable. Off course there are a fair number of social events in the evening giving an opportunity to experience Borders "culture" first hand (hangover cures not included).

So while the non anglers are enjoying themselves what do you do? Well, there is the Tweed, the Whiteadder, Till (good sea trout in May / June), and Teviot. For trout there is Coldingham, Whinney, the Watch and lots more - just explore the Where to Fish Directory. Theres a lot of things to do.

For more up to date information on the rally just Google "Jim Clark Rally".

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