The ‘Not The Begonia – 2024 Rally’
Those members of the SNOC Branch that used to attend the August Bank Holiday Begonia Rally will recall a well-organised and good value for money plus easy to get to event. But first Covid 19, dwindling attendees and then Landlord greed stopped the fun a few years ago.
Enter the Essex crowd who offered their version of a cheap camping weekend with all the fun of the old Begonia Rallies. Their version being titled The ‘Not The Begonia – Rally’. However, anyone playing ‘Spot The Difference’ would probably not win a prize.
OK. The motorway traffic and Dartford crossing were well up to typical British Bank Holiday madness but the rest of that weekend was just pure pleasure. I turned up around Friday lunchtime, set up my tent and then checked out the facilities. The massive event field had around 2 dozen Campervans on one side and about 30 tents in the rest.
A brand new Clubhouse was near the field entrance and was blessed with 3 blocks containing Showers, wash areas and toilets. In the Clubhouse was the event kitchen alongside the bar. Free tea, coffee and squash was available 24/7. 100 yards up the main road was a Cafe, 300 yards brought you to the Black Dog Pub and a further half mile revealed a McDonalds, Costa Coffee and a BP Petrol Station selling Unleaded 99 Ultimate E5.
A late afternoon gathering revealed 55+ Norton bikers. A programme of rides and events was announced but these were all subject to the weather behaving……which it didn’t. Nobody wanted any money until the next day. The first bike run was to be that evening. Consisting of a 20 mile jaunt to Brightlingsea on the coast and a Fish n Chip Supper. After a quick look around the town it was back to the campsite and into ‘drink the bar dry’ mode.
Inside the Clubhouse I bumped into Max Groves and Paul Gibbons of the SNOC. There being no other Solent, Sussex and Bournemouth reps around. Bristol Branch had Tony Lockwood flying their flag. He had come on a 961 which sounded good. Rattling far less than my old 961.
That night we were blessed with a serious downfall of H2O but my tent stayed dry.
Mark Maes had come over from the Flanders Branch to run the kitchen. By 8.00am I was tucking into Eggs on toast with Bacon and Beans alongside. Then the Debt Collector arrived and demanded a fiver for the Breakfast and £30 for camping. Outside, more bodies on bikes arrived but most had foreign plates and were not riding Nortons.
A small group of us decided to explore the local villages on foot and discovered a Tesco store a few miles along the main road to Clacton. Then the weather started to turn so we headed to the Cafe inside a Caravan Site. So while the rain lashed down outside we tucked into reasonably priced hot food and drink inside. Two hours later we were still there enjoying afternoon tea and cake.
The rain finally eased off and allowed us to get back to the campsite mostly dry. Where we encountered a Traction Engine pulling a home-made 6” Howitzer. The gun was unhooked, set up, loaded and then fired. Fortunately missing my tent.
That evening was the NTB Rally BBQ. The cost being a Tenner each. The choice of food was massive as well as the quantity. After stuffing ourselves silly it was back to the bar to wash all the food down. A little later a band appeared and played a range of tunes from the 60s onwards.
Sunday was dry and sunny and the opportunity was taken to dry my gear then load the bike. In between chatting to the other
The NTB Rally was well organised and reasonably well attended. Around 50+ Norton bikers plus a bundle of non-Nortons. There were more camper vans than tents……sign of the times!!! It was very interesting seeing what gizmos and new gear the tenters were using. Instant chairs and tables that collapse down to just 12″x 6″ x 4″ being very popular. I took the more traditional route with a cheapo ASDA fold-up chair. At least it had a cup (glass) holder
The Friday Bank Holiday traffic was crazy with a stationary 30 mile queue on the M27 from Guildford to Seven Oaks. Report by Phil Hannam
A brand new Clubhouse was near the field entrance and was blessed with 3 blocks containing Showers, wash areas and toilets. In the Clubhouse was the event kitchen alongside the bar. Free tea, coffee and squash was available 24/7. 100 yards up the main road was a Cafe, 300 yards brought you to the Black Dog Pub and a further half mile revealed a McDonalds, Costa Coffee and a BP Petrol Station selling Unleaded 99 Ultimate E5.
