Halfway 2

Length: 18.53 km

This is a repeat of Stage 9.

This is a stage which offers a fantastic selection of viewing opportunities. For the driver it is a mix of fast sweeping bends, long straights and short twisty sections, with also a short amount of tarmac.

In 2003, the Halfway stage is the same except the start is 1.25km earlier than on the 2002 event.

How to get there?

Llywel junction off the A40, viewed from the West and East

The entrance to Car Park C

It is highly likely that you are spectating at Halfway 2 after watching Halfway 1 earlier in the day, so you won't need directions, but just in case you are only watching Halfway 2, here they are anyway.

This stage is easily accessible if you stick to the main route. It is situated off the A40 between Llandovery and Brecon.

To head for Car Park P, on the A40 head for a small village called Llywel, and when you reach a disused restaurant and hotel, turn off onto the unclassified road to the village.

The first picture shows the junction off the A40 into the village of Llywel if you are heading from West to East.

The second picture shows the junction if you are heading East to West.

Once you have turned off the road and driven 800m through the village, the road splits into two. Take the left lane. This is the same road but with two one-way lanes.

Once you reach the top of the hill, the road flattens out and you will see the marshalls at the entry to the army camp. They will then direct you forwards on the tarmac road towards Car Park P.

Car Park O is accessed further towards Llandovery, directly off the A40 (pictured on the left), and offers more direct viewing areas.

Car Park Q is accessed from the north side of the stage, from the B4519 at Garth near Builth Wells.

Stage Maps

Thanks to Multimap.com, you can now view Stage Maps here.

Click here for the SS11 access to Car Park O (1:25000).
Click here for the SS11 access to Car Park P (1:25000).
Click here for the SS11 start area (1:25000).
Click here for the SS11 start area (1:50000).
Click here for the SS11 finish area (1:25000).
Click here for the SS11 finish area (1:50000).

Be warned ! Do not attempt to enter this stage via any other route other than the one shown here or in the official Wales Rally GB programme. This stage is based on a live army base, and live ammunition is used regularly in military training.

Do not attempt to park on the A40 near to the junction of the entry to the stage, as when you come back to your car it will probably have been towed away by the police.

Car Park O is a better car park for the hairpin enthusiast, but it does fill up very quickly owing to it's 500 car limit. The new ticketing system which came into effect in 2002 and will again be used in 2003 made this car park more organised than in previous years. If you haven't got a specific ticket for Car Park O (Event Pass 1), don't waste time trying to get in.

In 2001 the traffic in this area was horrendous, and we didn't make it in time, even though we left the previous stage in plenty of time. Make sure you don't make the same mistake.

In between car parks O and P is a small lay-by off the A40. You can park here and then walk to the stage, but be prepared for a long walk. Don't attempt this unless you have at least 1½ hours spare.

This stage will be very popular in 2003 because of the drama it had in 2002, and also the fact that you will be able to see 2 high quality stages at 08:14am and 10:54am - very spectator friendly.

In 2003, if you want to spectate at Halfway 2 you will need to buy either the World Rally Pass, either of the 3 Event Passes (depending on which car park you want to spectate at) or the Saturday Pass 1 (option 3 - Car Park Q). Due to the popularity of this stage, there will be no purchase on the day tickets for Halfway.

For full ticket details, including advice, you will be able to find out all the information you need in the Tickets section.

Be warned! The police are very active in this area with speed traps. In 2002 I arrived at the Halfway stage at nearly 2am in the fog, and there was a speed trap still in operation 5 miles away. Don't risk driving too quickly or you'll be hit hard in the wallet.

Parking Information

View towards the spectator parking

Spectator parking area at Car Park P

Spectator parking area looking towards Dixie's Junction

There are three car parks at Halfway (there were only 2 previous to 2002), and which one you get to will depend on which ticket you have.

There will almost definitely be overnight parking at Halfway at Car Parks O, P and Q. In 2002, it was published that this would not be the case, but in reality the car parks were all open with no problems. Therefore I see no reason why this cannot be repeated in 2003, even though the official programme may say that there will not be any overnight parking.

Car Park O is a V-shaped parking area, allowing access to two separate hairpin bends. The road surface is good and quite flat.

Car Park P is located through the army base, on the road towards Tirabad. As it is an ordinary (although unclassified) road the surface is good and quite flat.

The first picture on the left shows the view from the entrance to the army base towards the spectator parking area.

As you can see in the second picture on the left, the road area as you head towards the stage itself is very good. It is wide enough to park at the side of the road with plenty of space for other vehicles to pass by. There are also a few side roads, like the one pictured here, where we parked in 2002, which gives you more room if you are getting together with a few mates. Be careful though, as the ground gets quite boggy once you leave the road.

The parking area is large in Car Park P, as you can see from the third picture on the left. This picture was taken on the morning of the stages, and shows that some spectators have parked on the other side of Dixie's Junction - this is the end of Car Park Q.

Car Park Q is located via the north of the stage, and has a long run down some rough roads to get to the spectator car park.

The cross-over point near to Dixie's Junction

... 3 minutes walk from the cross-over point

From Car Park O, there is a short walk of no more than 1 mile to the stage (depending on how early you arrive).

Car Park P is easily accessible to the stage, and the surface is very good. You will therefore be able to walk faster than at most of the other stages.

Depending where you have parked, it is most likely that you will head towards the cross-over point near the famous Dixie's Junction (first picture on the left), and then walk to the right as you head towards Deer's Leap and Devil's Leap. Wherever you go, you will be able to find some good action within minutes.

As you can see from the second picture on the left, once you have crossed over the stage and head to the right, you will soon arrive at Devil's Leap and a large amount of press will be here waiting to get pictures of the top drivers in full flight as they take the now notorious leaps flat out.

The catering van near Dixie's Junction at Car park P

Car Park O has the usual food van, and as the number of cars is restricted to 500, this is probably the best chance you will get of getting something to eat and drink without a long queue.

Car Park P has facilities to cater for more spectators, and this includes toilets. As you can see from the picture on the left, the catering van is of the usual high standard, but as this is parked in the very busy cross-over period it is always busy. Be prepared for quite a wait to get food and drinks, especially before the first stage in the morning.

Brecon is quite a large town and has all the facilities and amenities that you would expect. It also has a very good sports centre just outside town if you fancy having a shower (just ask nicely !).

Llandovery has some reasonable facilities, as mentioned in the notes for SS8 - Crychan 1 .

Best spots for spectators

View showing the end of the stage

The exit from the woods to Dixie's corner

Sweeping downhill towards the stage finish

Devil's Leap

The view from Devil's Leap up the hill

Before 2002, this stage was very under-rated, but because of the dramatic events on the 2002 Network Q Rally it is now a spectators dream. Of all the stages in the Wales Rally GB, this is one where you really can have everything.

If you are in Car Park O there is access to an open quarry area where you can view cars for at least 1km through flowing bends, or a tight downhill left-hand hairpin.

Car Parks P and Q have access to the forest areas (well signposted) or you can go to the well-known "Dixies" junction where competitors leave the gravel and travel on tarmac for 1 km, before again taking to the gravel and allowing views of another 1 km of fast-flowing bends.

The first picture on the left shows the view from the entrance to the army base towards the finish. The competitors will appear from the top right of the picture, and finish near the building in the middle of the picture.

The second picture (thanks to Jonathan Petford aka Polo) shows the exit into the open. The cars exit the forest and turn right to left on the photo. This gravel track then leads them to Dixie's corner where they bear right onto the tarmac.

The third picture (again thanks to Polo) shows the sweeping downhill section just as the cars come off the tarmac towards the finish.

The fourth picture shows the famous Devil's Leap and the fifth picture the view up the hill, nearby where all the action happened last year. Imagine 1000 spectators waiting at this area, after seeing a few of the top drivers through, the next due to launch themselves over Devil's Leap is Marcus Gronholm. Then a loud bang is heard over the rise, and everyone looks around at each other. Has the unthinkable happened?

Then chaos as everyone is running towards Deer's Leap, to see what has happened. To everyone's amazement Marcus's Peugeot 206 is on the bank, smoke coming out of the engine, and his rally is over. Then only minutes later, Jani Paasonen does exactly the same, and his car lands literally metres away from the stricken silver bullet. This will certainly be a popular place to spectate at on the 2003 rally!