Weymouth 2026 – Sunshine, dancing and parking tickets!

I always look forward to Weymouth rallies, not only because it was my first ever rally back in 1983 but it’s a perfect distance from home, around 100 miles. This time though we were reeling from the devastating loss of clubmate Rob Champion, but being together would hopefully help us all in the grieving process, remembering him and being there for much-needed hugs. Having been at Big 7 with him just four weeks earlier it’s a sharp reminder that nobody knows what is around the corner, making it even more important to create memories together while we still can.

Emsworth to Corfe Mullen

We gathered at our regular petrol station in Emsworth, where Dean was sporting Lee’s chop on his chest in the form of a Margate rally shirt! Mark had a senior moment and somehow filled up his petrol can with E10 despite putting E5 in his scooter moments before! Not only that, he’d already put oil in so we made plans to drip feed it into his tank, and also sneaking it into Donna’s when she was looking the other way!

Talking of Donna, the birthday girl was excited to be spending her special day on two wheels in the scorching sun, so once everyone had arrived we put on our helmets and headed west.

Chief navigator Keith led us up over Portsdown Hill (which features the best views over Portsmouth and across to the Isle of Wight) and through Wickham towards Romsey. We always try to take a scenic route which avoids motorways so joined the A31 at Cadnam and rode a few miles to the Stoney Cross services for our first petrol stop.

Scooters flew past us as we filled up and then chatted, before setting off again through Hampshire and into Dorset. Our next stop was the Lambs Green Inn at Corfe Mullen where we found a shady spot in the garden to rehydrate and enjoy an al fresco lunch.

Corfe Mullen to Weymouth

Then it was back on the scoots for the final leg, on the back roads to Weymouth via Warmwell and the Osmington White Horse to Weymouth Rugby Club, the rally hub for the weekend.

Booty was waiting for us, having arrived with the Nuneaton posse, and had already pitched his tent. So we adjourned to the cool of the clubhouse for a refreshing drink and to see who else had arrived.

As I had been sporting a cut-down ScooterNova t-shirt I tried to avoid Andy Gillard’s eyeline, not wanting him to see how badly I’d butchered my new shirt, but he spotted me and insisted on taking a photo to show Ann!

It was time to check into our guest house so we left the campers and caravanners to sort out their accommodation while we headed into town.

Staying at the ‘Robot Hotel’

To cut a long story short (as Spandau Ballet once sang) we finally got into our room about 45 minutes after we parked up. Jonah and Jacquie later called it a ‘robot hotel’ and they weren’t far off. It was like the opposite of an escape room, where you have to solve various clues to get IN. You needed a code to get in the front door which you needed to ring a special number for, which I didn’t have, and didn’t have any signal to find out. Once we had the code, we got in the front door but then needed another code to get in a lock box. Hey presto, this contained our keys and we were able to access our first floor room which was actually really nice!

We had a quick shower and then met up with Tori and Rich for a yummy dinner in Weymouth’s #1 rated Chinese restaurant, Ming Wah. There was lots to catch up about too, and it was a rare treat to have more than a quick five minute natter. Suitably refreshed, we parted ways, with them going for a freshen up and us looking for the others, finally finding them in The Gloucester.

Talc-assisted dancing

Everyone was getting nicely merry at the Gloucester as evidenced when Gail let me take her photo without complaint! Emma Cox was on the decks and I was more than ready for a dance. The floor wasn’t exactly northern soul-friendly but luckily Lee and Booty’s mate Weasel had plenty of talc! Everyone was so grateful and although the young bar staff team came to inspect the pile of white powder on the floor, we reassured them that it was nothing untoward…

As the night went on, the temperature indoors rose so much that everyone went outside for a breath of fresh air. I was drinking gallons of iced water to keep me hydrated through the dancing, but then it even got too hot for me so we adjourned to the harbour to look for a cooler pub. We tried the rally-friendly Tap House but it was rammed, with queues 5 deep for the bar. So we hit Wetherspoons around the corner where I bought a rare pint of cider to raise a glass to our absent friend, Rob Champion. He always called it “easy rider” and on the rare occasions I drink alcohol I will always think of him. I can hear him now, saying “you having another easy rider Ali?”, one of so many fond memories I have…

The Pavilion do

We then walked the short distance to the Pavilion for the do. We’d just missed the band, which didn’t actually bother me as Disco Daz was playing some top tunes so I went straight on the dancefloor for a boogie. They had tables and chairs in there too – a fantastic change from last time when we had nowhere to sit. At our age, having a comfy chair is a must, especially with my bad back!

The A5s were there so I had a chat with Sandra, before heading back to the dancefloor when Daz played The Enemy’s We’ll Live And Die In These Towns. It’s such a great song and very special for all Cov fans like Lee, who was sadly too sober to join me for a dance…

One of the Scootermaniacs had been stickerbombed so I couldn’t resist adding our cog to his collection – very childish, but fun too!

We stayed much longer than I expected to and it was gone 1am when we left – which is very late for us! Luckily it was a short walk to the robot hotel and we caught up with Jonah and Jacqui who hadn’t sussed how to get in, so we helped them through the door and up to their room.

Custom show

Saturday was another hot, sunny day, but luckily in the dining room it was nice and cool. I wasn’t overly impressed with the ‘poached’ eggs (runny yolk with even runnier white!) but raided the granola instead for a breakfast treat. Jonah gave us Crusaders stickers so I popped back down to reciprocate, at which point he pulled out a special shiny one to say thank you. I love anything shiny!!

We then jumped on the scooters and rode to the rugby club to catch up with our gang who were having their morning coffee in the shade. Then it was time to do the usual trek around the stalls and watch the custom show scooters arrive. There were some I hadn’t seen before, like Dave Lloyd’s stunning red Vega, and Sean Robinson had built a sidecar/Vespa combo which was also on display.

After checking them all out, we needed to cool down so went with Keith, Dean and Booty to get some petrol and then rode to the harbour. As usual there was nowhere to park so we left the scooters on an island near the Pavilion, confident it wasn’t blocking pedestrian access, and wandered over to the harbour. (famous last words…)

After getting some refreshments and sitting inside the King’s Arms to cool down, we then got drinks and cakes from a coffee place near the Old Rooms Inn, which was the perfect spot to see the rideout. Somebody counted the scooters as they left the campsite and there were over 350 in total, which is pretty good on a hot day when most people would rather be cooling off in the sea! I took some photos and shot some video and then we dispersed, with Burger King luring some of the gang who were staying at a Haven caravan site, while the rest of us went to Prezzo for a late lunch.

Parking ticket hell

While we were there, my phone started pinging… it turned out a few scooters had been given parking tickets, including us! So we walked back to see what was going on and it was true, all the scooters with a number plate on show had got a ticket. Thanks to Spencer Dyke for the shot of the island from his hotel, which shows the traffic wardens in action.

After much debate about the whys and wherefores, Keith and Dean rode back to the campsite while Lee and I deliberated what to do. As we were staying nearby we had to park them somewhere, so should we just leave them there as we could only get one ticket? Or move them to where Jonah’s scooter was parked nearby, which had escaped a ticket? Or put them back in the car bay where we’d left them the previous night? We decided on the latter, so rode them over and I went off in search of some tape to cover up the number plates. This turned into a hike, as the nearest place I could find was WH Smith (ok, I know it’s TG Jones, but it’ll always be WH Smith to me!) so parted with £2 to try and avoid another ticket.

Lee taped up the number plates and by this time I was thirsty and in need of some comfort, so we went to Wafflicious for ice cream treats! Then it was another hike back to the hotel (I did over 16,000 steps that day!) to freshen up we headed out for the evening.

Saturday evening

We started at the Gloucester again, where a band was just finishing. They seemed to have gone down really well as the place was rammed! The leading topic of conversation was naturally our parking tickets, and many people confirmed that they thought an amnesty is usually in place over the rally weekend, simply because there aren’t enough spaces to park all the scooters.

Whatever the rights and wrongs were, I was determined to have a good time and although I was knackered from the previous late night I really wanted a dance. Emma was once again on the decks and the floor was covered in talc so it was perfect for a little shuffle. Another DJ took over and kept the dancefloor busy, with some really good dancers on show.

We couldn’t stay late though, and it was very hot in there, so we wandered back to the hotel at around 10.30 for an early night.

Riding home

On Sunday we got up and out early, meeting Keith, Dean and Booty at the campsite. Mark, Jez and Wayne had gone home on Saturday so we were a much smaller group. Booty headed north while we rode to Donna’s caravan park where she was ready to join our procession. At the first petrol stop I asked Lee if I could ride the GTS for a change, as it was the only part of the journey which was dual carriageway and I was curious to see if it would make me more confident.

If anyone’s ridden with me recently they’ll know I get quite anxious about going over 50mph. Or even 45 – that would be my perfect top speed, and I don’t know if it’s my age but I can’t help it. I love riding in a group along country lanes, and the journey to Big 7 is the best as it’s really scenic. But put me on the A27 (let alone a motorway!) and I turn into a quivering wreck!

So Lee rode my Lammy and I hopped on his GTS, the first time I’d ridden it. It was a revelation! I’ve owned and ridden one before but not for a very long time. I was so relaxed! We went up to 60mph and I didn’t blink an eye. I could have gone faster and still been happy. Such an eye opener… I bloomin’ love riding my Lammy but might have to think about what to do for further rallies, not that we do as much as we used to, as it’s just so much more pleasurable riding on a scooter that you can relax on.

(and I know there will be auto-haters reading this… I love owning and riding a classic, but if my body or my mind dictates that I need a different scooter for certain journeys then so be it – I’m open to the possibility!)

We made really good time, having left around 8am, and got home around midday. Funnily enough, Booty got home around the same time, which was good going considering it was a much longer journey. We do like a natter when we stop though, and a cheeky hot chocolate to warm us up…. (yes, it actually got chilly until the sun came out properly!)

All in all it had been a brilliant weekend. I really love this rally and appreciate the time and effort that Andy, Stu and the team put into it. The parking tickets aside, you couldn’t ask for much more; fantastic weather, a lovely seaside town and lots of friends to hang out with. That’s what it’s all about isn’t it?

RIP Champs…