The 2026 Beacons 2-Day Rally - Dust, Sweat and Gravel: Blasting Through Crychan Forest as Rider #64
- Kelvin Prevett
- 1 day ago
- 10 min read
The Welsh Trail Riders Association (WTRA) hosted the 2026 Beacons 2-Day Rally on 18 and 19 July, incorporating Rounds 5 and 6 of the ACU British Bike Rally Championship and Rounds 6 and 7 of the ACU British Sidecar Enduro Championship.
When the morning mist hangs low between the pines above the Rhandirmwyn campsite in Wales you know you’re in for a treat of a day. Setting off early for Llandovery, entering the paddock where a mass of bike activity adds to the buzz, you know you're somewhere special.
For one weekend in July, the vast wilderness of Crychan Forest transformed into a rally rider's dream. Forest roads that normally lie silent echoed to the sound of engines, while riders from across the UK gathered to test themselves against the clock, the terrain and their own endurance.
As I rolled into the paddock, fitted the yellow race numbers and collected my transponder, the event suddenly became real.
Rider #64.
Perhaps just a number to everyone else, but to me it represented preparation, anticipation and that familiar mix of excitement and nerves that accompanies every rally start.
If you've ever wondered what it's like to ride flat-out (ok I wasn't flat out apart from the easy bits) through some of Britain's finest off-road terrain, grab a brew and settle in. This is the Beacons 2-Day Rally from inside the helmet.
Day One: Finding the Rhythm, Chasing the Dust
Rallying isn't simply about holding the throttle wide open and hoping for the best.
It's a constant balancing act between speed and precision, aggression and restraint. Every second counts, but every mistake has consequences.
Saturday morning start time arrived quickly.
I rolled away from the start alongside my team-mate Andy Iceton, Rider #63. Sadly, our third musketeer, Mike Green (#65), had been forced to withdraw before the event after battling illness during the previous week, although in true team spirit he made the journey to the start to wish us well and see a bit of the action. Anyone who competes understands that disappointment, getting to the start line is often the hardest battle of all.
The initial liaison section provided just enough time to settle the nerves.
Then you reach the special test, with the timer counting down. When it reaches zero...GO!
The world immediately narrowed.
The handlebars vibrated beneath my gloves. The front wheel danced across loose gravel. Trees flashed past in a blur of green and brown as Crychan Forest swallowed us whole. Ok slight exaggeration, I’m not that fast; however, you get the idea.
The Character of Crychan
One of the joys of the Beacons Rally is the sheer variety of terrain packed into every mile.
Long gravel highways, high speed fire roads, carve through the forest, inviting riders to carry speed through sweeping bends.
Get it right and the bike drifts gracefully through the corner, the rear tyre searching for grip as dust billows behind.
Get it wrong and you'll be having a close-up conversation with a gorse bush or, worse still, a stack of freshly cut timber. Focus!
In between these fabulous fire roads are the Technical Forest Tracks. These sections demanded absolute concentration.
Deep ruts lurked beneath the shadows. Tree roots crossed the trail like hidden tripwires, while rock steps punished heavy-handed throttle inputs.
Momentum was everything.
Special Tests
For many riders, this is where the real magic happens.
Timed to fractions of a second, every corner became a calculation. Every braking point mattered. Every clean run felt like a tiny Dakar victory.
Crossing the finish line on Day One, covered head-to-toe in a layer of glorious Welsh dust (don't often get to say that in Wales) and wearing a grin large enough to split my helmet, I glanced at the live timing app.
The results confirmed one thing: I won't be troubling the Dakar Rally elite anytime soon, but that hardly mattered. I'd completed it, well day one at least, and that was enough.
The competition was fierce throughout the field, with riders separated by surprisingly small margins. Whether competing on lightweight two-stroke enduro bikes, big-capacity adventure machines or championship-winning sidecars, everyone was pushing themselves against the same unforgiving terrain.
And everyone finished the day with stories to tell.
Day Two: Digging Deep
If Day One is about finding your flow, Day Two is about discovering what you have left in the tank.
The aches arrive first. Shoulders complain. Forearms tighten. Legs feel the punishment of standing on the pegs for hour after hour.
Then the course evolves; Lines become deeper. Braking bumps get rougher. Corners become more polished as hundreds of tyres carve their mark into the forest floor.
Crychan was ready for another day of fight and delight.
Despite the prolonged hot spell that had baked much of the UK, a few muddy surprises remained hidden in the valleys, catching out the unwary and reminding us that this was still Wales after all.
By this point the rally had become less about speed and more about determination.
Every rider was feeling it.
Every rider was still pushing.
The View from the Other Side of the Tape
It's easy to see the event solely from the rider's perspective, but throughout the weekend I couldn't help but appreciate the #orangearmy (yellow in this instance) of volunteers who make events like this possible.
Long before the first rider even thought about entering the event, the WTRA were busy organising the event, and before any of the competitors left the start line, the marshals were already in position.
While competitors were in the paddock drinking energy drinks and making last-minute adjustments, they were standing in remote forest locations, checking radios, monitoring safety points, setting timing controls and preparing for a long day ahead.
While the riders experienced the rally in short, adrenaline-fuelled bursts, the marshals witnessed the entire story unfold. They saw riders arrive nervous at the first controls and return later covered in dust with newfound confidence. They watched competitors dig deep after mechanical setbacks. They offered encouragement to exhausted riders and provided calm reassurance whenever things didn't go to plan.
Some stood in blazing sunshine, others beneath the trees where clouds of dust lingered long after each bike had passed. Without them, none of us would ride this event. Every wave, nod or thumbs-up exchanged between rider and marshal became part of what makes events like the Beacons Rally so special.
They are far more than officials. They are guardians of the event, custodians of the sport and passionate enthusiasts who freely give their weekends and more, so the rest of us can experience moments we'll remember for years.
More Than Just Racing
What truly sets the WTRA Beacons Rally apart isn't the speed, it's the people. Pull into a time control and another rider might offer a useful tip. Stop in the paddock and someone will help solve a mechanical problem. Gather around after the day's riding and stories flow as freely as the tea and bacon rolls.
Near misses become legends. Small mistakes become epic adventures. Championship contenders and first-time competitors share the same conversations. Whether you're chasing points or simply aiming to reach the finish, the forest treats everyone equally. The camaraderie is genuine, and it's one of the strongest reasons riders keep coming back.
"It doesn't matter whether you're riding a well-used trail bike or a £18,000 rally machine. Once you're out there in the forest with a number on your bike and a timer counting down, you're a rally rider."
Why You Should Ride the Beacons Rally in 2027
If reading this has stirred something inside you, consider this your sign.
Stop watching from the sidelines.
Enter.
A Rider's Reflection
As the forest faded in my mirrors and the journey home began, I found myself reflecting on what keeps drawing me back to events like this.
It certainly isn't the trophies as I am way too far down the pecking order to even dream of them.
It isn't the timings either, as you can see from the results posted at the end of this post, although I do love looking at the stats, even if they prove I was a tad on the slow side and spent a disproportionate amount of time in the dirt!
For me, rallying has always been about something far deeper. For two days, the pressures of everyday life disappeared behind the goggles. There were no emails, no deadlines, no distractions. The only things that mattered were the track ahead, the bike beneath me and the next challenge waiting around the corner.
There were moments during the rally when I felt completely in tune with the machine. Flowing through a sequence of gravel bends, standing on the pegs as the bike danced beneath me, it felt as though everything slowed down. The forest became a blur, instinct took over and for a few precious seconds nothing else existed.
Of course, there were tougher moments too, especially the bog I somehow managed to find and then struggled to escape from!
The aching muscles post Saturday race and on Sunday morning. The concentration required after hours in the saddle. Those occasional mistakes that leave you shaking your head inside your helmet. But somehow those challenges make the finish line feel even more rewarding.
What stays with me most isn't a particular stage result or special test. It's the feeling the event leaves behind: shared effort, quiet determination and the simple satisfaction of spending two days chasing adventure through one of Britain's finest rally venues. The friendly nod from another rider at a time control, the marshal giving encouragement from the side of the track, the laughter in the paddock at the end of a long day and the shared understanding that every one of us has come here seeking the same thing: adventure.
Standing in Crychan Forest as Rider #64, watching the dust settle through the sunlight filtering between the trees, I felt incredibly fortunate to be part of something special.
Because rallying isn't just a sport, it's an escape from routine. It's a challenge that rewards perseverance.
It's proof that genuine adventure still exists, often just beyond the next bend in the trail.
And long after the dust has been washed from the bike and the race numbers peeled away, those memories remain.
That's why we'll be back.
Accessible Entry
You don't need a Dakar support truck or a professional race team.
A suitable road-legal motorcycle, basic off road riding gear and the appropriate ACU licence (day licence is also available, which is what I use as an add-hoc rally rider), along with an ACU approved helmet are enough to get you to the start line.
A Class for Everyone
From lightweight two-strokes to big-bore and multi cylinder adventure motorcycles, championship competitors to first-time entrants, there is a place for riders of all abilities.
Outstanding Organisation
The Welsh Trail Riders Association continues to set the standard with superb route marking, professional timing systems and an outstanding team of volunteers and marshals.
Terrain You Simply Can't Experience Anywhere Else
Forests like Crychan are rarely accessible to riders in this way. The opportunity to legally ride these incredible roads, tracks and special tests at rally pace is a privilege few forms of motorsport can offer.
Ready for 2027?
Entries don't stay open for long and places have a habit of disappearing quickly.
If you find yourself on the start line next year, watching the countdown timer tick towards zero and feeling those familiar butterflies, remember this:
The adventure does not begin with the first special test.
It begins the moment you commit to entering.
Before long, you'll be somewhere in the dust, perhaps knee-deep in Welsh mud, creating stories you'll still be talking about long after the rally has ended.
Hope to see you somewhere in the dust cloud, or knee-deep in a Welsh mud bath, in 2027.
Links
Welsh Trail Riders Association - https://www.wtra.co.uk
Day 1 results by Race Result - https://my.raceresult.com/411364/live
Day 2 results by Race Result - https://my.raceresult.com/412075/live
🏁 Beacons 2-Day Rally — Kelvin Prevett (No 64)
Summary Table of Results - Extracted by AI; accuracy may not be guaranteed.
Category / Metric | Day 1 (Saturday) PDF | Day 2 (Sunday) PDF |
Bike / Race No. | Kove 450 Rally / #64 | Kove 450 Rally / #64 |
Total Test Time - Not including liaison stage times | 41:19.60 Crashed a few times | 1:03:59.81 Crashed far too many times and got stuck in a bog |
Sportsman Category Rank | 19th place | 23rd place |
↳ Sportsman Finishers | 39 riders | 31 riders |
↳ Sportsman DNF / DNS | 12 DNF / 5 DNS | 7 DNF / 18 DNS |
Sportsman A1 Sub-Class Rank | 3rd place | 6th place |
↳ Sub-Class Finishers (Starters) | 8 finished (12 started) | 8 finished (10 started) |
Overall A1 Class Rank (All Categories) | 6th place | 9th place |
↳ Overall A1 Finishers (Starters) | 11 finished (16 started) | 11 finished (13 started) |
Overall Event Rank (Solo Classes) | 52nd place | 51st place |
↳ Total Solo Finishers | 75 riders | 62 riders |
Comments