London to Lisbon
A 10 day event over some 2000 miles (3500kms) with a good number of regularities and a few tests. The 2019 event will take a different route than previous events, keeping to the west coast of France before spending a day or so in the Pyrenees. The route will then head across the centre of Spain before entering into Portugal and the finish in Lisbon.
The London-Lisbon Classic Rally returns in 2019 for a 10-day adventure passing through four countries on its way south to the finish line along the shores of the Portuguese Atlantic coast. The event caters for all levels of ability and is aimed at novice and intermediate ability crews who wish to tackle longer events. The London to Lisbon rally will suit the husband and wife teams with plenty of rest halts and opportunities to take in the splendid scenery.
The route will be presented completely by the form of a tulip road book with no plotting required, so from the moment you leave the start line at Brooklands you’ll be spiralling into a journey of the unknown.
The days will vary in length with some early finishes allowing crews to enjoy the surroundings of a comfortable Hotel where possible and there will be some longer more challenging days as we venture South. The social side of the event is of key importance so some days will use different forms of seeding to allow crews to mix with other like-minded car enthusiasts. The Pyrenees will be a major highlight for many as the roads wind up and over the mountains that divide France and Spain.
Regularity sections will be included each day and will vary in length. There will also be a number of tests during the event to keep those competitors with a heavy right foot content.
3500 KMS
on 25th April
350 Kms
On event
On event
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A busy day getting ready for the off, Scrutineering, signing on, novice briefing and crew briefing. A free evening to socialise.
An opening test follows the 11am start at Brooklands Museum before the event heads south to Portsmouth Ferry port, via three Regularities and an Afternoon Tea Halt near Winchester, before boarding Brittany Ferries over night sailing to the picturesque French port of St Malo.
A short day in comparison of around 300kms taking in the beauty of the Brittany countryside as we meander South. A test and some Chateau spotting will be the order of the day but with fewer overall kilometers, competitors will feel relaxed as they acclimatise to the new surroundings.
One of the first long days covering 350kms as we make our way south from Nantes to Bordeaux for the overnight halt to the north of the historic town. The countryside of Northern France gives way to the Marais of the west coast, but with six regularities and a test drivers will be kept focused. A regularity through some of the finest vineyards in the region should be a pleasant end to the day as we close in on the world’s major wine industry capital.
Across the flat-lands and towards the hills. A short distance day of 320km which starts with a beautiful trip through the rolling countryside south-west of Bordeaux. As we cross the Garonne River mid-morning, the scenery changes almost instantaneously and we pass through the countryside of Gascogne National Park before a beautiful lunch. As the afternoon rolls on with another couple of regularities we see the Pyrenees begin to loom ahead in the distance. The spa town of Dax will be a comfortable evening rest for crews
A longer day today as we visit the beautiful terrain of the Pyrenees. After the previous four days of warm up, competitors will be ready to tackle the infamous mountains that separate France and Spain. The sight of the classic cars climbing the mountain passes and reaching the Cols will be a glorious sight and as we reach the border to cross into Spain, we can look forward to a warm welcome in our third country on this tour south. Six regularities will be an exciting challenge and a test will end the day before we run into Logrono for our evening halt
We have eased Day six into a more relaxed and shorter day being a festival in Spain and following the busy day 5 in the Pyrenees. There will be no shortage of mountains; almost immediately out of Logrono and we are into the Parque Natural Sierra de Cebollera. Six regularities will keep the competition alive, before a warm welcome into the Parador de la Granja and the world famous Palacio Real de La Granja de San Ildefonso.
Day seven could have been a very short day, but the attraction of the Sierra de Guadarrama and Sierra de Gredos was too appealing. And so we return to the playground of former HERO Classic Marathons and London to Lisbon Classic rallys. Five demanding regularities in some beautiful scenery will occupy competitors before the delightful City of Salamanca beckons.
We have provided a busy day as we head west for the Portuguese border. The day will begin crossing the rolling hills Northwest of Madrid before some interesting regularities in the Las Batuecas-Sierra de Francia Natural Park. Once across the border into Portugal, a final couple of regularities in the foothills of the Serra de Estrela National Park will have crews welcoming the overnight rest in their hilltop Hotel.
The day will start with an enjoyable climb to the highest point in Portugal as we return to the Parc Natural da Serra da Estrela. Then another busy and challenging day in the fabulous roads in the Serra da Estella and around Arganil; made famous by Rally Portugal. After lunch we keep the pressure up with more regularities, making a total of seven today.
Day ten, the final day. Just four regularities – two north of Tomar and two in the Parque Natural das Serras de Aire e Candeeiros - and two tests before the drive into Estoril, Lisbon for the ceremonial finish and evening Awards Dinner.
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