WITHIN its 700-mile route the three-day Perth Scottish Rally, the most

demanding round of the Mobil/Top Gear British rally championship, throws

down a unique challenge for the competing crews from Knockhill racing

circuit to the mountainous high-altitude Drummond Hill forest stage.

Run from the start at Perth ice rink at 5pm today to the finish in the

city's elegant King Edward Street just under 48 hours later, the rally

has a compact format spanning 26 timed special stages over 158 miles,

with wide spectating scope for the committed enthusiast and casual

onlooker alike.

After the cars rumble off the starting ramp they head south-west into

Fife to tackle two 1.9-mile runs from 6pm, running anti-clockwise on

Knockhill's tarmac race track, backed by Burmah, sponsors of this year's

Scottish championship.

This section has a habit of tripping up the unwary driver whose brain,

eyes, arms, and feet are not yet synchronised. It boasts the creature

comforts of a racing track, including toilets and eating facilities plus

commentary, while spectators get the chance to watch service crews

fettle machinery. Knockhill is located on the A823 north of Dunfermline,

signposted from the M90's junction four.

The stately surroundings of Scone Palace provide a new venue roughly

one hour later, again run twice round a 1.35-mile gravel road bounding

the horse-racing course. Scone Palace is two miles from Perth on the A93

to Braemar.

Restarting at 7am from Perth tomorrow, the competitors plunge straight

into serious rallying terrain, rattling through the less accessible

Leanach and Corrie stages in the Trossachs before their first assault on

the Rest and Be Thankful, near Arrochar, which should start around

10.40am, returning at 4.40pm, run uphill and downhill respectively.

Glenshellish, at 11.35am and 3.15pm, is near Glenbranter village and

is a daunting 17-mile run set in stunning scenery. The survivors then

tackle Carron, which runs alongside the midge-infested valley's

reservoir bearing its name around 7pm, returning to Perth, via Devilla,

east of Kincardine at 7.55pm and the rerun Glenshellish and Rest and Be

Thankful duo in Cowal.

Eight stages, consisting of four run twice, provide a classic sting in

the tail on Sunday in Perthshire with the quickfire sequence of

Craigvinean (8.12am and 12.02pm), Fonab (8.52am and 12.52pm), Errochty

(9.36am and 1.26pm), and the 14-mile Drummond Hill challenge (10.21am

and 2.11pm).

Forest rallying provides a special combination of open-air adventure,

and if well planned with a leapfrog routine taking in selected stages,

the time to enjoy some of Scotland's most spectacular scenery.

The sense of anticipation is palpable as the bark of a

high-performance machine can be heard echoing through a glen or forest,

bursting out from a gap in the trees to blast past in a shower of dust

and gravel, the driver straining muscles and senses to keep the machine

on the narrow track.

Get there early, travel light, choose your viewing location carefully,

and do what spectator marshals request. Leave dogs, prams, and small

children at home and do not smoke.