Rhondda 1

Length: 30.61 km

The Rhondda stage is very tough, both on drivers and spectators ! This is a great example of a Welsh forest gravel stage - parts of it are high speed with tight, twisty sections to test the drivers to their limits. Because it is on top of the Rhigos mountain also adds some spice. The stage is nearly all downhill, and with the usual mixture of fog and rain, this is a stage where only the brave tackle it with maximum attack.

Rhondda was not used in 2002, so for many rally fans this is a welcome return to the Rally GB. The stage is 90% the same stage as that used on the 2001 event.

How to get there?

Entrance to SS16 - Rhondda 1 (Car Park U)

You are most likely to be heading to Rhondda from the Cardiff area, after watching the Cardiff Super Special 3 or from the Resolfen area after watching Resolfen 2.

If you have been to Resolfen 2, the route to Rhondda 1 couldn't be easier. You may even already be parked on top of the Rhigos mountain (if that car park is open for the Resolfen stage), so you might not even have to drive at all !

If you have been to Resolfen and were parked in any of the other car parks, such as Duffryn (Car Park J2), Abercregan (Car Park K2) or Resolfen village (Car Park L2), then you will have a short and uncomplicated drive. If your destination car park is the top of the Rhigos mountain (Car Park U), turn on to the A4061 and head up the mountain.

This is a big mining area, and you will notice the colliery buildings on the right of you as you drive up.

Follow the A4061 onwards and upwards and you will soon see the entrance to the Rhondda 1 stage, with the entrance on your right. The picture on the left shows the area where the marshalls will be based as you enter the spectator area.

Stage Maps

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

Click here for the SS16 start area (1:25000).
Click here for the SS16 start area (1:50000).
Click here for the SS16 finish area (1:25000).
Click here for the SS16 finish area (1:50000).

Congestion at Car Park U in 2002 (was then used for Resolfen).

With this run through the stage, you will be able to watch the entire field go through if you so wish. Make use of this time, and cheer on the drivers down in the lower places, who have made it through to the final day.

Police always warn that this area has a high crime rate, so be warned !

This stage will be popular this year, because it wasn't part of last year's event and most forest stage spectators love it's unpredictability. Be aware that you may have to walk a little bit further to the stage the later you get there.

As this stage starts at 07:48am, be prepared for it being cold, wet and dark ! The top of the Rhigos mountain is a formidable place, especially in November. Make sure you dress for the occasion !

If you are going to see the whole field through, make sure you take some food and drink with you before you leave your car. It is quite possible you may have to walk a bit further than on some stages, so bear this in mind.

In 2003, if you want to spectate at Rhondda 1 you will need to buy either the World Rally Pass, either of the 3 Event Passes, or the Forest Stage ticket 6. There will be tickets available on the day for Rhondda 1 (subject to availability) for all the car parks.

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

In 2002, Car Park U (which was then Resolfen Car Park B) was gridlocked for an hour because of the way some people had parked (because spectators were late arriving). Don't be the ones to hold up all the traffic ! The picture on the left shows what the congestion was like.

Parking Information

Typical section of the parking area

The parking area at Car Park U

At Rhondda, the overnight car parks (if you have travelled from Cardiff or Resolfen overnight) are not for anyone who wants a good night's sleep. The atmosphere is excellent with the spectators, with good parking areas at the side of the road, as you can see from the first picture on the left.

Once you have entered the forestry commission area, the parking areas are not too far. You will come to a large cross-roads after less than a mile. You can either go left, carry straight on or go right to car parking areas, but personally I prefer to carry straight on.

Unlike some of the stages, the parking area, although quite thin at times is very flat at the side of the gravel road, allowing you the chance to walk around at night without risking falling into a wet ditch.

If you do take fireworks to the rally, this is one of the places to use them, as the trees act as an amplifier for the loud ones. However, do take care as this is a forest after all, and the forestry commission will not take too kindly to setting their forest on fire !

As you travel to the Rhigos mountain from the South, you pass several towns and villages, and as such you will have plenty of facilities available to you en route. In Aberdare for example, if you follow this route, there are quite a few shops selling food and alcohol, a couple of decent petrol stations and also a very good modern sports centre where you may be able to take a shower if you ask nicely.

In Ystrad, if you follow the Pontypridd route, there are 2 Texaco petrol stations (1 cheap, 1 expensive) and 1 Esso petrol station which is cheap and also has a reasonable shop area. There are also some public toilets just after the Esso on the left, which are a bit dirty but okay in an emergency.

In Treorchy there are a couple of cafe's and shops, and a small selection of cash points.

In Treherbert there is a Spar shop, an HSBC bank cash point, and a selection of other shops including take-aways. There is also a privately-owned petrol station called New Road Garage, which is slightly more expensive than supermarkets but is owned by a rally fan so is well worth a visit just for that reason! The garage also stocks the usual sweets, drinks, cigarettes, etc.Once you get past Treherbert though, the facilities stop as you enter the mountains.

If you are approaching from the North, facilities are scarce between Glyn Neath and the Rhigos mountain, but it is not too far (approximately 22 miles) so petrol should not be a problem.

Best spots for spectators

Two examples of the type of surface at Rhondda

This is another stage where if you are keen to explore and walk a mile or two you will be rewarded by finding a good section. Whether you like fast sections or twisty, slower sections you will be spoilt for choice here.

The two pictures on the left are an example of what you can expect to see. The first picture shows a fast straight section, where the road surface suddenly gets very muddy rather than gravelly. At the end of the straight is a tight right hairpin where the drivers then continue down another steep downhill section. Unfortunately this part of the stage is a long walk from the car parks (approximately 5 miles), and therefore if you do see it you are a better walker than me !

The second picture is what you can expect from a loose gravel section in the forests - a fast section with a significant kink in the middle to make the drivers slide through the apex.

There will definitely be several spectator areas within this stage, as the safety precautions have tightened up since Rhondda was last used in 2001. However, it is not known where these will be yet - but obviously will be as near to the main spectator car parks as possible.

Be prepared to find an area which you can happily stay for a couple of hours, as this run through Rhondda allows you plenty of time to watch the entire field go through.