World-class rally cars return to the Teifi hills
Headquarters sit in Aberystwyth. Plenty of the stages do not. From Friday night the cars leave the promenade for the same narrow mid-Wales lanes farm traffic uses the other 360 days of the year — banks, gateways, chapel corners, and on Sunday the roads that drain towards the Teifi.
This is the third year the event has counted for the FIA European Rally Championship, and the first it also hosts the European Historic Rally Championship. That means modern Rally2 machinery sharing a weekend with Escorts, Porsches and the rest of the pre-1992 circus. Organisers say 149 cars are entered. Last year’s winners were Jon Armstrong and Shane Byrne.
If you live on or near a stage, this year’s bulletin is the one that matters. Last year’s map is not good enough. Official fan zones are the only authorised places to watch a competitive stage.
What happens when
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Rali Show & ceremonial start, Aberystwyth Promenade from 16:30. Cars on display, autographs, free to walk up. Competitive action has not started.
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Shakedown at Pendam in the morning — no public access. Then two runs of the Aberystwyth street stage from about 19:05, followed by night stages at Elerch and Blaenmelindwr. Blaenmelindwr is closed to spectators.
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Inland loop: Aberffrwd, Soar y Mynydd and Cwm Elan, run morning and afternoon, with service back in Aberystwyth. Two more Aberystwyth street-stage runs close the day. Farmers’ market in town is due to run as normal.
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Teifi-side day: two passes each of Gorsgoch and Ty Glyn (Lampeter / Aberaeron country). The second Ty Glyn is the ERC Power Stage and has no public spectator access. Ceremonial finish back on the promenade.
Closures, buses and parking
Expect stage roads shut for hours, diverted buses, and a Friday-night crowd in Aberystwyth before the cars head inland. The council’s interactive closures map is the live document — not a screenshot in a WhatsApp group.
In Aberystwyth itself, Park Avenue / Lower Park Avenue is already shut from 6am Wednesday until 8pm Sunday. New Promenade and Maesyrafon close from 6am Friday until 6am Sunday. Use other parks and do not block farm gates or passing places on the hill roads.
Watch only from official fan zones. They have parking, toilets, catering and commentary. Tickets have been sold through the rally site; programmes are sold at the zones. Standing in a gateway “just for one car” is how people get hurt and how stages get cancelled.