Well it\’s that time again… I have to ride the ten miles all the way to Mill Rythe Holiday Park on Hayling Island for the SWSC rally. Decisions, decisions, do I pack my swimming trunks or not (I don\’t, somehow I don\’t think the scootering world\’s quite ready for my legs just yet).
After a very short and uneventful ride I arrive at Mill Rythe early, as I had my now traditional stint on the gate to do, you can always recognise me, I\’m the one in a hi-viz vest taking photos and generally being a bit of a nuisance!
As always it\’s busy from the start, the rider\’s patches had run out by 4.30 pm, that\’s 300 scooters through the gate in just a couple of hours. With loads more arriving in cars and on foot, as quite a few people camp locally, mostly at The Oven Campsite. We even have a couple of people turn up \’who want to see the Mods, as their nephew has a scooter and is here\’, they left, without seeing their nephew, when they found out they\’d have to pay just like everyone else.
After I finish on the gate I head off to the site restaurant as food is included in the accommodation price, those that know me know how much I like my food and I definitely get my money\’s worth!
Then it\’s time for the usual catching up with people I haven\’t seen since my last rally. I like Hayling, it\’s got various buildings around the site which house the Northern Soul room at one end and the Darkside room at the other, with the main venue sandwiched between. Friday night\’s band is The Jam\’d, which although not really my cup of tea they\’re very good at what they do. The rest of the night slides by far too quickly and all too soon I\’m tucked up in bed… I think I may be getting old.
Saturday morning brings blazing sunshine, somehow Hayling always has glorious weather, this in spite of the weather this year running up to rally was decidedly iffy.
After breakfast I\’m off to marshal the rideout, I hold the traffic at the entrance to Mill Rythe, the cars all wait patiently, though I think they might have been a little bemused when someone on an ET4 clipped the back of my scoot! At least he said sorry before he rode off. Apart from my slight mishap, the rideout goes without a hitch arriving at The Inn On The Beach after a nice buzz around Hayling.
Game on
Back at Mill Rythe, punk band No Lip are setting up ready for their afternoon set and once everyone returns they play a blistering set of punk anthems to a very appreciative audience.
As the evening draws in the areas between the venues which are normally buzzing with people becomes strangely quiet… the entrance hall, where there\’s a number of TVs, seems to have sucked in everyone that would normally be outside chatting. Apparently, there was a football match on, which, so I\’m told by some, whose favourite colour is red, was a great game, who knows, I know nothing about football.
The headline Saturday band is Orange Street, which for those that don\’t know are a cracking south coast ska band who every time I see them (and I\’ve seen them a lot) always put on a great show, full of fun, energy and great music.
After the band I head back to my chalet, yep, definitely getting old, but not as old as my mate Digger apparently, as he\’s already back there snoring his head off!
Sunday starts with breakfast, then the short ride home after what is always a great weekend. SWSC always put on a good do and Hayling consistently has been no exception. If you\’ve never been to Hayling get yourself down there next year, you won\’t be disappointed.
Words and photos: Booga
Hayling Island 2020 booking open now!
If you want to be at Hayling Island in 2020 booking opened this morning, give them a call on: 02392 460044 but hurry because it will sell out…
Rallery by Booga on page 2 – feel free to share on your social media
Well it’s that time again… I have to ride the ten miles all the way to Mill Rythe Holiday Park on Hayling Island for the SWSC rally. Decisions, decisions, do I pack my swimming trunks or not (I don’t, somehow I don’t think the scootering world’s quite ready for my legs just yet).
After a very short and uneventful ride I arrive at Mill Rythe early, as I had my now traditional stint on the gate to do, you can always recognise me, I’m the one in a hi-viz vest taking photos and generally being a bit of a nuisance!
As always it’s busy from the start, the rider’s patches had run out by 4.30 pm, that’s 300 scooters through the gate in just a couple of hours. With loads more arriving in cars and on foot, as quite a few people camp locally, mostly at The Oven Campsite. We even have a couple of people turn up ‘who want to see the Mods, as their nephew has a scooter and is here’, they left, without seeing their nephew, when they found out they’d have to pay just like everyone else.
After I finish on the gate I head off to the site restaurant as food is included in the accommodation price, those that know me know how much I like my food and I definitely get my money’s worth!
Then it’s time for the usual catching up with people I haven’t seen since my last rally. I like Hayling, it’s got various buildings around the site which house the Northern Soul room at one end and the Darkside room at the other, with the main venue sandwiched between. Friday night’s band is The Jam’d, which although not really my cup of tea they’re very good at what they do. The rest of the night slides by far too quickly and all too soon I’m tucked up in bed… I think I may be getting old.
Saturday morning brings blazing sunshine, somehow Hayling always has glorious weather, this in spite of the weather this year running up to rally was decidedly iffy.
After breakfast I’m off to marshal the rideout, I hold the traffic at the entrance to Mill Rythe, the cars all wait patiently, though I think they might have been a little bemused when someone on an ET4 clipped the back of my scoot! At least he said sorry before he rode off. Apart from my slight mishap, the rideout goes without a hitch arriving at The Inn On The Beach after a nice buzz around Hayling.
Game on
Back at Mill Rythe, punk band No Lip are setting up ready for their afternoon set and once everyone returns they play a blistering set of punk anthems to a very appreciative audience.
As the evening draws in the areas between the venues which are normally buzzing with people becomes strangely quiet… the entrance hall, where there’s a number of TVs, seems to have sucked in everyone that would normally be outside chatting. Apparently, there was a football match on, which, so I’m told by some, whose favourite colour is red, was a great game, who knows, I know nothing about football.
The headline Saturday band is Orange Street, which for those that don’t know are a cracking south coast ska band who every time I see them (and I’ve seen them a lot) always put on a great show, full of fun, energy and great music.
After the band I head back to my chalet, yep, definitely getting old, but not as old as my mate Digger apparently, as he’s already back there snoring his head off!
Sunday starts with breakfast, then the short ride home after what is always a great weekend. SWSC always put on a good do and Hayling consistently has been no exception. If you’ve never been to Hayling get yourself down there next year, you won’t be disappointed.
Words and photos: Booga
Hayling Island 2020 booking open now!
If you want to be at Hayling Island in 2020 booking opened this morning, give them a call on: 02392 460044 but hurry because it will sell out…
Rallery by Booga on page 2 – feel free to share on your social media
