Anchor Rally
The Anchor Rally was held at The Anchor Inn, Eaton Hastings near Farringdon Berks.
The camping was behind the pub, next to the river Thames.
I can't remember much about the '75 event, because that year I was chasing the Denholme and District "most rallies in a year award" (which I won!) and the Anchor was one of four rallies I went to that weekend. Yes, sad I know, but a man's got to have a hobby and I still like riding my bike!
I do remember it was a bit of an epic weekend, starting wih the Bulldog in Whitehaven (Cumbria) then the Sidecar Fed Annual rally at Eldersfield, Gloucester, the Anchor and finishing at the Fox Rally at Donington Park! This was in August so plenty of daylight.
In '77 I decided to go again and this time spend the full weekend. So I set off after work on the Friday in the dark because the Rally had moved to November for some reason. It was as I reached the outskirts of Farringdon I realised that I had left my invite with the site details at home. No problem, we had been before so I stopped to ask my riding companion Barry Clark if he could remember the site. No chance said he "I just followed you, it could be anywhere!" Oh well, time to study the map then. Did either of us think to bring one? NO CHANCE AGAIN!
We rode round for ages, hoping to see somewhere that looked familiar or to see another rallyist en route but it was late evening so we were out of luck. At last we were saved by one of Britains finest stopping to see what two obviously lost motorcyclists were doing on his patch! We got in his car and studied his map book, found the site and got an escort to the turn off for Eaton Hastings!
The pub was closed and every body was in bed when we eventually got there but we made up for that on Saturday.
Sunday morning bright and early we discovered we were on the flightpath for Fairford. God Bless the American Airforce or something similar!
- Ted Trett