Kentish Hop Rally

16th August 1985 - Burnt Ash MCC

I'm sure it was at the same field as it was the last time I attended this rally, but it seemed a bit trickier to get into the field for the 8th Kentish Hop Rally. On reflection, it probably would have been better if I had checked that the guy I was blindly following had been here before and knew the correct way in.

Having gained entry and booked in, the afternoon progressed is a relaxed way through to the evening, when a vast quantity of intoxicating liquor was consumed on the premises. Unfortunately for some, they made the classic mistake of consuming some before putting their tent up, much to the amusement of the rest of us.

This being the 1980s there were tent poles for people to climb, but I cannot recall how many attempted this, nor whether anybody removed clothing while aloft.

On the Saturday, there was no set run out, but groups of people went to favourite locations. My club went to the charmingly named 'Frog & Bucket' pub, not too far away. I have heard that there is one called 'Frog & Helicopter', but have never seen it.

Back at the site it was quite a warm day and people were removing clothes quite happily, some without having beer poured over them first. Others were engaged in other summer-time mucking about while the games happened in another part of the field.

In the evening, another attempt to destroy all the alcohol in the area commenced, with varying degrees of success. There was also the wet t-shirt competition, which used up a bit of film, even though some of the competitors excused themselves after the first round, (the 'wet' bit). A few girls that weren't even in the competition were persuaded to expose a bit, after sufficient beer had been drunk, and the party went on into the night, as they tend to do.

As far as I recall the good weather continued through to Sunday, leading to a pleasant ride home.

- Phil (the Spill) Drackley