The Leyburn Rally Strikes a Chord

When they’re deciding what clobber to pack, the ever changing English weather must confuse the hell out of foreign tourists who visit our shores.

By way of an illustration as to what I mean, take last weekend for instance: June 3rd – 5th, which was when we were away again in our van at a YDCC organised rally situated in a freshly mown field at Cow Close Barn, which itself is just outside the pretty town of Leyburn in North Yorkshire (Map Link).

Caravan Rally Events - 2011

The Friday we arrived the weather was absolutely scorching hot with a cloudless sky where, after ‘legs down’, we spent a good chunk of the afternoon erecting our new Pyramid awning for the first time. This process would normally takes us less than 50 minutes, however it came to pass that we had two poles missing, which coupled with the fact that the awning erection process was different to our other, meant we sizzled in the afternoon Sun for over two hours as we struggled to get the thing up. Admitedly, this time was peppered with numerous conversations with fellow ralliers as they came over to see and discuss what we were up to.

We got there eventually albeit several shades of pink later thanks to the Sun which continued to blaze down into the early evening.

1st Time Up - Pyramid Corsican awning

Some time was saved with the set-up by the kids on the camp who were offering a water filling service for 50p and before we knew it we were sat proudly outside our unit and freshly erected awning with a tinnie each which Floyd promptly knocked over. Thanks pup!

Weather Aside

So, weather aside for now; what do we think? Well as far as the awning goes, we forecast the next time we put it up – it’ll be easier than our old Isabella one! This is down to the quick release poles and hinged junction points which feature prominently with this awning. A cool feature which makes the erection process easier (oo-er!) – this and the fact that we’ve now coloured coded each pole with electrical tape, these aspects should hopefully, speed up the task exponentially for next time. Let’s see!

Cow Close Barn Caravan Site and Farm

As for the site – spot on. It was only a field next to a CL site with an Elsan chemical disposal point (basically a lidded hole in the ground next to a hosepipe) and a fresh water cold water tap as amenities, but this is typical of rallies. However at only £13 for the both of us, our unit and both dogs for the weekend, who’s complaining?

This site has some great aspect views of the surrounding Dales countryside and the Marshalls pitched us down the far corner of the field with 180 degree uninterrupted views of the distant hills through our front windows. Beautiful.

First Arrivals (Pic by Karen Shackleton)

Directly outside the gate is a farm track across which is a stile into fields and paths that lead into Leyburn which is about a 20 minute walk away. Ideal for the dogs where they can run free.

Ralliers

The Friday night was spent at the ‘flag’ which is a social gathering of all our fellow ralliers under the Club’s flag pole and next to the Marshall’s van. This is a bit like the ‘welcome meeting’ one might go to on a package holiday to the Canaries. Similar in that some booze is distributed, in this case a nice Vodka rich punch (bring a glass) and folk are welcomed and told about events etc that are happening over the weekend.

The Friday Night 'Flag' Meet-Up

However that’s where the similarity ends and to the uninitiated this gathering may all sound a little twee and clanish, but it isn’t, honest! And no one tries to flog you over priced guided tours to some tacky tourist destination on a camel. Instead, it’s a great opportunity to meet other ralliers and catch-up with people we’d met at the last one. Clearly these ‘flag meetings’ are valued as this one was packed with plenty of patter filling the air.

Saturday

Back to the weather and Saturday was over-cast, rain was on the breeze and there was a fair nip in the air. Talk about contrasts. See how the tourists can easily become confused?

A ‘family walk’ of 5 miles had been organised and I took our two dogs along as about 10 of us set off under the guidance of the walk leader’s portable GPS unit. If I was on my own with the pooches, I’d expect to do this walk in two and half hours. However on this walk, given that there was kids walking along with a mix of adult age groups – 3 hours I thought.

Four and a half hours, encounters with marauding herds of cows, a few wrong turns and fruitless trudges through crops of rapeseed later, we arrived back at the site having done, not 5 miles, but 7.2! Ah well, it was a laugh and the dogs enjoyed it. I’ve never seen them drop off to sleep as quick. Zoink!

Give Us a Bash

Saturday night, even though light rain was setting in as well as a down-right chilly breeze, was communal barbecue night. And popular it was too. Bring your own grub and booze was the order of the day with instructions to find a space on the rather large home made welded barbecue someone had made. It was already chucking out some serious heat by the time we arrived.

Word had got round after the last rally we did, that I like to have a bash or two on the guitar and as such, in advance of this rally I was asked to bring along an acoustic for a communal sing-song around the barbecue once the effects of the booze had set in.

This I was not initially keen to do as;

1. I can’t sing in tune half the time and
2. What songs do I play to such a mixed audience?

Tags: Awnings, Cow Close Barn, Farms, Guitar, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, Pyramid Corsican, Rallies