Rally/drifting experience?

[Elizabeth1681]

Hello,
I’m wanting to get buy a Xmas present for my husband and was thinking of a rally or drifting experience and wondered if anyone has any recommendations please? We’re from East Anglia.
He’s previously done the Carbon licence at Lotus which was his 40th present so I’m not naive with regard to the cost of these thing, however, only looking to spend about £250 this time, not £3k! I’m not after a super car experience or anything, it’s all about the fun driving time for him.
Thanks very much!

[Cambs_Stuart]

Langley Park, near Saffron Walden offers rally days. I went to a corporate event there, it knocked the socks off any supercar experience day I've been on.

https://langleyparkrallyschool.co.uk/

[Elizabeth1681]

Thank you so much, will take a look

[ChevronB19]

I know this is a budget stretch at 399 (and a bit far away), but you cannot get better than Phil Price, full day experience on a proper gravel stage.

https://www.philprice.co.uk/courses/full-day-rally...

[DD3566]

I've done the Phil Price Rally School (paid for via work as "employee training" ) and it is really worth the extra spend! Set in a beautiful part of Wales, you get to run the hilly rally stage in a 300 BHP Impreza aswell as getting a ride in a WRC Spec car driven by a pro, on top of the "normal" training. Would recommend it to anyone!

[C70R]

ChevronB19 said:

I know this is a budget stretch at 399 (and a bit far away), but you cannot get better than Phil Price, full day experience on a proper gravel stage.

https://www.philprice.co.uk/courses/full-day-rally...

I think the Phil Price Rally School is no more. I had a voucher for them (thanks MrsC), and when I called up to book I was told that they were closing down because the Welsh govt were building a windfarm. I ended up having to do my experience at the Silverstone Rally School, which was really good fun in the end and a damn sight closer to home.

[trails]

C70R said:

I think the Phil Price Rally School is no more. I had a voucher for them (thanks MrsC), and when I called up to book I was told that they were closing down because the Welsh govt were building a windfarm. I ended up having to do my experience at the Silverstone Rally School, which was really good fun in the end and a damn sight closer to home.

Drive Tribe posted this five days ago, so it appears to be still a going concern...

[RedAndy]

chris birkbeck rally school

and stay over in whitby as it is glorious.

[C70R]

trails said:

C70R said:

I think the Phil Price Rally School is no more. I had a voucher for them (thanks MrsC), and when I called up to book I was told that they were closing down because the Welsh govt were building a windfarm. I ended up having to do my experience at the Silverstone Rally School, which was really good fun in the end and a damn sight closer to home.

Drive Tribe posted this five days ago, so it appears to be still a going concern...

I'm a moron.

I've just been back and checked my emails, and my voucher was actually for The Forest Experience rally school. Not Phil Price.

As you were.

[Chunkychucky]

Cambs_Stuart said:

Langley Park, near Saffron Walden offers rally days. I went to a corporate event there, it knocked the socks off any supercar experience day I've been on.

https://langleyparkrallyschool.co.uk/

I must admit I didn't think a lot of this outfit. All the cars were absolutely shagged, and the 'rally course' seemed to be part of a disused runway with a bit of dirt and mostly broken concrete slabs. It was nice to slide a Sierra Cosworth rally car about, but it was all low speed stuff and a million miles away from the sort of thing Phil Price & Co offer. I wouldn't go back to Langley Park, where as i'd happily pay for another trip to Phil Price Rally School; it's a bit like comparing driving around a field vs. doing some proper forest rallying. Langley Park seemed to imply you were there for the experience, where as the other lot seemed genuinely interested in developing your rally driving skills.

[ChevronB19]

Chunkychucky said:

I must admit I didn't think a lot of this outfit. All the cars were absolutely shagged, and the 'rally course' seemed to be part of a disused runway with a bit of dirt and mostly broken concrete slabs. It was nice to slide a Sierra Cosworth rally car about, but it was all low speed stuff and a million miles away from the sort of thing Phil Price & Co offer. I wouldn't go back to Langley Park, where as i'd happily pay for another trip to Phil Price Rally School; it's a bit like comparing driving around a field vs. doing some proper forest rallying. Langley Park seemed to imply you were there for the experience, where as the other lot seemed genuinely interested in developing your rally driving skills.

Yup, hence Phil Price doing BARS exams and navigator specific training. They’re the real deal along with offering experiences. My Xmas present from the Mrs this year as I’m thinking of moving from racing to rallying.

[C70R]

Chunkychucky said:

Cambs_Stuart said:

Langley Park, near Saffron Walden offers rally days. I went to a corporate event there, it knocked the socks off any supercar experience day I've been on.

https://langleyparkrallyschool.co.uk/

I must admit I didn't think a lot of this outfit. All the cars were absolutely shagged, and the 'rally course' seemed to be part of a disused runway with a bit of dirt and mostly broken concrete slabs. It was nice to slide a Sierra Cosworth rally car about, but it was all low speed stuff and a million miles away from the sort of thing Phil Price & Co offer. I wouldn't go back to Langley Park, where as i'd happily pay for another trip to Phil Price Rally School; it's a bit like comparing driving around a field vs. doing some proper forest rallying. Langley Park seemed to imply you were there for the experience, where as the other lot seemed genuinely interested in developing your rally driving skills.

I'll say the same about the cars at the Silverstone Rally thing too - the cars were all on their last legs. Their mk2 Escort had a sticky throttle that would randomly jam wide open, which isn't hugely helpful when you're trying to perfect turning the car on the handbrake. The Impreza I drove (complete with welded diff and bald tyres) decided to randomly stop working halfway through the day.

I can only assume it's just not profitable to do anything other than make these cars work at the most basic of levels. It was fun, and I did get to learn some cool skills, but it felt a bit more like preparing for a banger race than rallying.

[Chunkychucky]

C70R said:

I'll say the same about the cars at the Silverstone Rally thing too - the cars were all on their last legs. Their mk2 Escort had a sticky throttle that would randomly jam wide open, which isn't hugely helpful when you're trying to perfect turning the car on the handbrake. The Impreza I drove (complete with welded diff and bald tyres) decided to randomly stop working halfway through the day.

I can only assume it's just not profitable to do anything other than make these cars work at the most basic of levels. It was fun, and I did get to learn some cool skills, but it felt a bit more like preparing for a banger race than rallying.

This was exactly the same as when I went to Langley Park! The Sierra had about 2 inches of play/flop at the top of the throttle pedal, which teamed with a laggy YB engine meant it was 'interesting' to say the least, and the WRX Impreza they had was mysteriously broken on the day so we didn't even get time in that! Maybe it's all part of the standard rally experience...?