‘Go touring with intent’
A real voyage of discovery where you set the route
Whilst most of us don’t need a reason to ride, dreaming up a destination can often leave one at a loss as to where to actually go. Fear not, for the annual Round Britain Rally can provide a whole summer of interesting locations to solve that issue. The basic premise is to snap photographic evidence of your trusty steed at various landmarks, working from a list of up to 100 provided by the organisers. Every effort is made to ensure there’s at least one in every county, and many are likely to be unfamiliar to anyone but locals, which means there’s a lot to learn from a historical perspective too. Much of the enjoyment is to experience the roads less travelled, so you’ll often be exploring hidden lanes in the back of beyond. Points are awarded based on the geographical location and difficulty of finding each landmark, for example you’ll get a higher score for finding the millennium cairn at Durness in the northwest Highlands than you would for tracking down the R101 airship monument in Cardington, Bedfordshire. At the final tally various levels of achievement are recognised, and whilst everyone gets a certificate, only those who score maximum points will receive the accolade of 100% All Rounder. It’s an event that could be ridden solo or with mates – maybe even get a few to sign up for a bit of friendly competition. The really great thing about the RBR however, is that unlike many other challenges you don’t have to do it in a day. While there are some landmarks you could probably nail in a morning’s ride, the more remote ones could entail a weekend or even a whole week away – just imagine all those amazing rides blocked out in your calendar! The RBR is open from April 1 through to October 31. Entry is just £40 and it’s open to all motorcycles, sidecar outfits and three wheelers.