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Chillin' At The Bruce Pollard Rally
Rally Dates 7-9 February 2025
By Ren Withnell
Camping in winter. Lufferly.
"Are you doing the Bruce Pollard Rally with us?"
"The what?..."
You've all heard of The Dragon Rally ain't you? I've always known The Dragon Rally as "The six inch rally". Stop sniggering at the back you lot. The idea is that there will be 6 inches of either snow, mud, or permafrost, hence the name. To "do" The Dragon is a badge of honour and proof of what a big roughty toughty bad ass biker/adventurer/fool you really are.
This may have been true once, but given the recent years' mild winters I don't really feel that's the case any more. You need to be heading to Scandinavia to get the full on ice, snow, and hypothermia experience.
Anyhow - I digress.
Apparently the Bruce Pollard Rally is held on the same weekend as The Dragon. The official name is The Bruce Pollard Memorial Rally. I'm ashamed to admit I have no idea who Bruce Pollard was nor any reason as to why a rally is held in his memory. Apparently the rally is on the Friday evening with the Dragon being on the Saturday. The gist is a maximum of 200 attend the Bruce Pollard on Friday then join lots of other riders at The Dragon which is "just up the road somewhere".
Africa Twin Sidecar Combo. Sidecars are better in snow doncha know. It might snow.
For your delectation and information I have since found this link - https://www.real-classic.co.uk/2015/08/31/bruce_pollard/ It seems Mr Pollard was quite the character.
Right. OK. Errr. Errrrm. Even I - a genuine bona fide big roughty toughty bad ass biker/adventurer/fool(/LIAR!) - am feeling somewhat reticent at the idea of camping in February. Regular readers may recall such winter adventures as Scotland In Winter and Cornwall In Winter. On those much more challenging winter expeditions I, err, well, OK, I froze my ass off.
But this'll be a lot easier. It's only 90 miles away for starters, I can run away like a big softie and be back home in a couple of hours. It's only 2 nights (there's no plan for our lot to go to The Dragon, just remain at the campsite/pub for the Saturday). I have (slightly) better camping kit. There's a pub on site so there's access to warmth in the evening at least. Plus I know exactly where we're going as we've camped there recently.
I agree to join my friends at The Bruce Pollard Memorial Rally. Gulp.
Friday late morning sees me at Lymm Services on the M6, the CB500X straining under the load of camping kit and more thermals and jumpers than a polar expedition. Before long there's 7 of us on an eclectic mix of velocipedes. A blast down the M56 and a few chilly A roads soon sees us at The Y-Giler Arms just off the A5 after Cerrigydrudion.
Tent up, camping bed up, foil sheet on the bed, inflatable mattress on the bed, sleeping bag... And the temperature is probably 2 or 3°C which ain't that bad for February.
Are we all in? Good, carry on.
The evening is spent in the pub talking with friends although the pub is rammed solid and seating is "intermittent" at best. Actually it's too busy for my liking - I need to get outside to unfuzz my mind, to breathe, to regain personal space from time to time. I don't believe I have a social disorder, I just find cramped places a bit intense. Outside it's getting colder and there is a light fall of snow. Poop.
The night sees me in my bed. I'm not FREEZING cold with better equipment although I'm not exactly toasty warm either. I feel as though I don't sleep at all, what with the chill, the snoring, the drunken mumblings of a few campers, and the fact I seldom sleep well in a tent particularly on the first night. I must have slept at some point though as I'm not dysfunctional the next day.
SEE! Snow! So very deep we can barely move.
Breakfast of porridge in the tent. Lots of talking with friends both old and new. A chill ride to Bala, Ffestiniog, and a pub meal in Betws-Y-Coed fills the afternoon. By the time we're back at the site I'd estimate 50-60% of the tents are gone. They'll all be off to The Dragon, the rest of us remain here.
A walk and a bite to eat in Betws-Y-Coed.
The atmosphere in the pub that evening is much better. There's space to sit, it's still busy but not bursting at the seams and everyone seems to be going easy on the booze after last night's excess. Outside it's just a tad warmer, only a degree or two so the night promises some improvement.
Nope. Again I'm not freezing but I just don't seem to be able to get comfortable and settled. It's quieter, it's slightly warmer and yet sleep doesn't come. Or does it? Certainly not deep noticeable sleep and yet again I get up in the morning feeling at least a little refreshed.
Tea, at least we have tea.
More porridge, tent down, say goodbye to friends and ride to the cafe opposite A&D motorcycles in Denbigh with my friend Andy LM. There we enjoy a warm and some real food.
I haven't done the full SP on this trip because it was just a weekend away with friends. I'll not deny it was hard work but I've enjoyed/endured far worse. Did I enjoy this weekend? Yeah. I struggle with winter blues as many do and it is good to be out there with friends and riding motorcycles. The weather was NOWHERE NEAR as bad as it could have been. The site and the pub are good, the surrounding area is lovely.
I just wish I could blummin' well sleep like I sleep at home! Is it my sleeping bag? Do I not have the right sleeping garments? Do I not have the right mattress and bedding? I have experimented and continue to experiment - BUT... Even on a warm summer's evening I am not a natural camper. It takes me a while to adjust to being in the tent and even after a week I'll never sleep like I do at home.
Not to worry, summer is coming. I can lay awake in the warm then.
Advertise here - contact ren@bikesandtravels.com
Reader's Comments
ROD¹ said :-
Well done Ren. It's good to get out even in adverse conditions.
My tent which had given around 30 years service and endured many repairs finally gave up in the wind at Kirkcudbright last year. With a few more repairs it stood up to two more nights in Yorkshire but was then consigned to the bin. So after much research I found a tent with good specs at a discount and purchased this tent at the end of last year.
I decided to try the tent for the first time at the beginning of February this year in a frost. The health metrics on my smart watch confirmed that I was suffering in the frost.
After a few tweaks to my clothing ect I endured a second night which was even colder with better results.
I now know that I can still do the freezing conditions, but would I choose to? No.
It gets harder as you age, and although I know what works if I get a cold snap when touring, I will watch the forecasts with more interest and avoid frosty conditions where possible. ( Now aged 70 ).
11/04/2025 10:15:18 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
And that concludes this weeks,"Camping for Nutters".
Nuts!
Upt.
11/04/2025 13:28:06 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
70 RO?!? I hope I'm well enough to be mooching around in tents when I'm 70. Heck I might just be getting the hang of it by then. Prey tell what is your new tent? Sharon and I are looking at options at the Vango Beta 350 is on it's last legs... but the only replacement we can find that we like is another Beta 350.
Upt' - how can you know you are warm and comfortable and happy unless you regularly remind yourself what it's like to be cold, uncomfortable and miserable?
12/04/2025 06:38:45 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
That's a bit like the continental tea filled teapot calling the kettle non white.
Has that tent deteriorated from too much time left folded in warm lodges?
Uncomfortable and miserable, it's overrated, innit?
Not that you'd know though, we can all hear you now, "Sharon go on your smarty phone and find us a warm cabin for the night". I bet that tent bag is filled with some light foam for rufty tufty photo shoots.
Pffffffftttttt.
Don't forget, don't waste money on a new tent just get the bag!
12/04/2025 09:50:37 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Ren, when looking for a new tent I was drawn towards the OEX range which have good reviews and have a good specs including a HH of over 4000. For two people I would choose the OEX coyote 111.
For solo camping the OEX phoxx 11 looked a good choice,but I really wanted to retain the inner and outer pitch together feature which I had with my old tent. Outer first or pitch together is a must for myself when pitching in heavy rain so the phoxx 11 was rejected.
I then found a tent which looked similar to the phoxx11 which could be pitched outer and inner together. This tent was also a small two person tent which is what I had and is good for keeping the bike gear ect next to you when you sleep.
The tent was on a promotion as it was an updated (new model) to the range and the tent was purchased for £80.
The tent is an Olpro Beckford 2 man.
https://www.millets.co.uk/15985181/oex-coyote-iii-tent-15985181...
12/04/2025 10:54:06 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
https://olproshop.com/beckford-lightweight-2-berth-tent-ripstop/...
12/04/2025 10:55:29 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren , glad to see you're enjoying yourself and while I can say I attended the Dragon in 2008 I think I'm in the Upt North camp as regards biking and camping, as in I can do it but why!(even in summer) Enfield seat after a frosty night at the Dragon Rally
Nigel
12/04/2025 15:27:37 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
ROD - very good call on the OEX Coyote iii. Nothing is perfect though, gosh darn it. The sleeping area is the same size as the Beta 350XL, the porch is 30cm or 1 foot shorter and the height is 15cm or half a foot lower. That's a bit of a negative.
I have concerns re alloy poles. Having had a tent with ally poles that would snap on a regular basis to the point where we had to have spares with us was frustrating. Now fibreglass poles do break but they tend to "greenstick" break, they're MUCH more readily available to find spares. What I do like with the Coyote iii is the angle at the top as this must greatly reduce the bending stress on the poles.
The pack size and weight on the Coyote iii is practically half that of the Beta 350XL and that is a huge positive. I like it but her worshipful ladyship will have the last say. I am oppressed...
nab301 - that seat look positively uncomfortable. Was it a tad on the nippy side perchance?
As for Upt' Pffffffft indeed.
12/04/2025 18:12:06 UTC
ROD¹ said :-
Ren, I believe that the OEX would stand up to wet and windy weather better than the Vango. We all have different priorities when choosing a tent (as we do with our bikes) so I understand that space is a consideration.
You are correct, the angled pole tops reduce the stress on the poles on the coyote.
12/04/2025 21:16:36 UTC
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