Northants Navigation Rally 2019
Malcolm Bridges has sent a report and photographs from this event. Malcolm once again brought home the "Silverware", the third year in a row. Well done Malcolm and the Burton Section team. Eddy
Mick Leach and myself again entered the
Northants Section Northamptonshire Navigation Rally this year.
This time we were also joined by Dave Gould riding his Honda CB450
"Black Bomber". I was on my Honda CB400 and Mick on his Moto
Morini 500. Justin Harvey-James also joined us on his Triumph
Bonneville for the ride down to then have his own tour of Northants.
The event started at Earls Barton again so after an early start on
Sunday morning, 1st September we were first to arrive just after
8am. The only problem again being the low early morning sun
causing me to miss a right turn, soon realising my mistake we did a
U turn to get back on route.
The run involves visiting a number of unmanned checkpoints from a
list of 30 depending on the class entered. Mick and myself in
Late Classic (14) and Dave Early Classic (12) plus 3 manned where
six questions had to be answered. The weather was perfect and the
route worked out well up until we reached Weedon Bec where we were
told by Trevor Pinfold, the organiser, that the A5 north of Weedon
was closed. That was our route for the next 2 checkpoints so
with his help and Google Maps on my phone we hastily re-routed and
eventually got back on track. Later passing through another
village we were faced with another road closed sign but after
continuing to the works found that the footpath wasn’t. It was
a great day and the highlight this time was the manned checkpoint at
The Royal Ordnance Depot at Weedon Bec, some fabulous old buildings.
The site dates from the early 1800’s with buildings added during the
1900’s. Dave Gould told me he had visited once before with his
father-in-law who had been based there for training during WW2.
If in the area with time to spare call in, there are a small number
of businesses there including a bookshop with the obligatory coffee
shop. Another place we passed through was Naseby and alongside
Naseby Field. Due to the A5 road closure we covered probably about
120 miles on the run, my total mileage for the day was 243.
The return journey home was a re-run of the journey down, Sywell,
Brixworth, South Kilworth and round Lutterworth to pick up the A5 at
Magna Park and onto the A444.
I received an email on Thursday from Trevor Pinfold to tell me I had
again won the Northamptonshire Challenge Trophy for the Best
Performance on a Late Classic machine, the 3rd year I have won
something, maybe I now become an Honorary Member of the Northants
Section. Malcolm Bridges
