Stroud and Districts Cotswold Clouds stands alone. It is not part of any championship and there is no triple or anything linking it to other events. It’s to be enjoyed for itself and it’s over subscribed entry stands testimony to its popularity. It has some good sections in a very nice part of the country. But to me it’s the organisation that stands it apart from the rest. It has a very relaxed and informal atmosphere, but it’s very well run. The Stroud boys (and girls) certainly know how to run a trial and the list of officials reads like the top half of the ACTC championship table. It’s not just the main official’s. Nearly every hill had well-known competitors marshalling. No shortage of experience here.
A quartet of Falcon crews gathered at the Stonehouse Little Chef for breakfast before the off. The New Falconers were joined by Clive Booth and John Allsop with Clive’s Dellow Rep. Neil Bray had a puncture on the way down so departed early in order to use the Garages bead breaker so he could fit a new tube.
The approach to Sandfords was frosty and hard. Perhaps the soft ground at the bottom of the section would be easy to traverse. There have been years when even getting to the section was difficult. The first bit was OK, but just before the gate it got really boggy and Michael Leete had difficulty getting through. Fred’s troubles started on the line when the Dutton coughed and stalled. A turn of the key saw Fred and Pete away and they were delighted to hear the marshals had taken sympathy and given them a clear.
Crooked Mustard was on form. None of the Falcons made it out of the top but Neil Bray got to the three to get the furthest. This is definitely one of the stiffest challenges in the trials calendar. Rushmire didn’t present any problems, despite the re-start but Fred’s Melos had fluffed badly and team Falcon descended on it with the spanners at the holding control for Axe. The points had closed up and the timing was way out. This was put right and the Melos went better, but the motor was clearly on the way out, and at times it was hard to know if the smoke came from the oil or the tyres! Axe is a nice long hill, but it’s not too difficult, and all the Falcons made successful climbs, at the cost of a puncture for Neil and Marc.
Nailsworth Ladder was next on the agenda. Six, sevens and eight’s had a restart just before the step. This made things very tricky. Fred and Pete couldn’t get the Melos away from the re-start. Michael struggled in the Beetle but Mike stepped up the bouncing and got the wheels to grip. They got over the step but didn’t have enough speed and spun to a stop just after. Clive and John struggled to get away but once they started to move they rocketed up. Our class fours didn’t have this hindrance and were able to blast straight through in front of a spectating Stuart and Andrew Cairney. They reckoned Murray hit it the step hardest, the 1302’s suspension soaking up the blow and gliding serenely over. However, Neil was the most spectacular, getting the Skoda’s rear wheels right up in the air.
Mackhouse two was a shock. It started as a straight muddy track with very little gradient. You had to be careful though and it caught out Simon Robson who didn’t have enough speed and got bogged down. The muddy bit went on for some time then opened out as the section followed the edge of a field before diving into a rocky gully which Fred reckoned was filled with Dinosaur eggs! After a short while the section turned right out of the gully over a rocky steep lip. It was a question of how brave you were on the last bit. It needed plenty of power. Michael didn’t give it enough welly and needed a pull from a Land Rover to get out of the section into the field above. There he saw Neil Bray changing his third wheel of the day. The drama wasn’t over as the exit road was just as exciting as the section!
The lunch-time break was taken at the Stroud Tesco’s as usual. The club must have some influence to let us trapse into the coffee shop in our muddy boots! There was no rest for Neil, he had to flats on the back while the rest of us ate our lunch he was of in search of a tyre depot.
After the first special test came Fred’s Folly. A nice blast up through the trees. I wonder how the hill got it’s name? Was it because our Fred had some of his rear glass pop out when competing in his first Cloud’s in a FWD Renault? Merves Swerve was it’s usual slippery self, with differential start lines and re-starts to handicap the higher classes. And we had to perform in front of a spectating Mike Furse and Ken Green. Neil was the only Falcon to get out of the top with Murray and Simon stopping just short of the one.
The Highwood sections were up to standard. Although they are right next to each other in the same complex they have a completely different character. The main feature of “One” is a fearsomely steep slope, dead straight, and slippery today now the ground had thawed out. “Two” doesn’t have much gradient but is muddy without a lot of bottom, so it needs a good blast. Murray, Simon and Neil were allowed a clear run at “one” but the slippery gradient defeated them all. Michael, Fred and Clive had a re-start just before the steep bit so couldn’t take a run at it. They all failed on the lower reaches so were spared the fearsome reverse back down and the omni present threat of the plunge to oblivion!
“Two” consisted of a blast through the tree to a muddy chicane with a re-start immediately afterwards. This wasn’t too difficult if you could get that far,which Michael couldn’t. Clive got to the restart but couldn’t get away and the others cleared the section OK. Climperwell is a muddy meander through the trees up a gently rising muddy track with ruts so deep you needn’t worry about steering as they act as railway lines. The excitement is provided by a restart with two huge holes for your wheels to fall into!
Bull Banks one and two provided the finale. They are both about restarts on polished pebbles. As one of the Stroud boys said “don’t lift off!” Murray, Neil and Simon cleaned them both, Michael and Clive failed both and Fred failed one. The challenge was definitely the first section as we had to perform in front of Stuart and Andrew! That was the last of sections. It just remained to drive a few miles back to the finish at the Ragged Cot Inn at Hyde to sign off. Another great “Clouds”.
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