Back in March I headed north into the forests of Cumbria for the 47th Malcolm Wilson Rally. It was only a short visit this year, with the rally running two stages on Friday evening and five more on Saturday, but forest rallies rarely disappoint when it comes to atmosphere and action.
The Friday evening stage would be a trial by fire for my friend that was experiencing forests rallies for the first time, so we kept things simple and stayed within the marked spectator area for the opening stage. It gave us a safe place to settle in and try to capture the cars blasting through the darkness.
Night rally photography is never straightforward. The cars appear out of nowhere, headlights cutting through the trees before they’re suddenly right in front of you and gone again in seconds. With a bit of help from flashes firing elsewhere in the forest and carefully choosing our angles, I managed to come away with a few images I was happy with.
Once the stage finished, the evening wasn’t quite over yet. It was a short walk back out of the forest in complete darkness before heading off through the Lake District to find somewhere to park up for the night. The drive itself was an experience, narrow, twisting roads in the pitch black that felt just as sketchy as the rally stage we’d just watched.
Saturday morning brought better light and more opportunities. This time we decided to venture deeper into the stage, hiking in with guidance from the marshals to find a spot that would give us plenty of variety without needing to move around too much. It turned out to be a perfect location.
From our position we could see the cars approach along the hillside opposite, before they dropped down into a tight right-hander and powered toward us. Having a selection of lenses made a big difference here, I was able to shoot everything from 50mm up to 300mm as the cars worked their way through the section.
After passing our position, the drivers kept their foot in through a fast right-hander, often dipping wheels onto the grass verge and sending dirt flying into the air. That was followed by a tight left with a ditch on the inside just waiting to catch anyone who got too ambitious. On the outside sat a significant drop, meaning there wasn’t much margin for error.
Forest rallies always have a special feel to them, the sound of the cars echoing through the trees, the unpredictability of the conditions, and the sense that you’re watching drivers push both themselves and the machines to the limit. The Malcolm Wilson Rally delivered exactly that.
It’s also one of the most accessible motorsport events you can attend. Spectating is inexpensive, the variety of cars is fantastic, and the marshals are always friendly. If you’ve never attended a forest rally before, it’s well worth experiencing. It’s easier to get into than many people realise, and there’s always someone willing to help you find your way around a stage.
This will be my last rally for a few months as the circuit racing season begins to get underway. My focus now shifts back to the tracks until late autumn, when hopefully the forests will be calling again.
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