Ok, so you’ve got your new outfit and you’ve got your tags, finally the day has arrived and you have to work out how to get to Henley. Some clubs organise coaches to take supporters to and from the event, others prefer to take the train. For those of you wishing to drive, we now look at the delicate subject of "where to park the car"

Before setting off in you car please take note: if you are coming to partake of "The Royal" from a non-competitive angle, you must endeavour to be driven, as you will be incapable of getting a car through the three wobbling gates at the end of the day, i.e. you need to employ a chauffeur - this could be a competitor; someone allergic to alcohol (The rabbit's personal favourite) or someone gullible enough to agree to stay sober for the duration.

Of course, if attending all 5 days, you may wish to drive yourself on the Friday thus enforcing a mid week "be nice to your liver day"

It should also be taken into consideration the fact that it is likely to take an hour or more at peak times to either enter or leave the car parks, no matter from which direction you try to come. Adding to this problem in recent years has been the increase in popularity of large 4X4s, which don't pass well on the narrow roads to and from the car parks.

It is very possible that those travelling by car to HRR could face significant delays, so you are advised to allow plenty of time to reach the Regatta site. Leaving at the end of the day can be problematic as well, especially on Saturday night after the fireworks, when the lane grinds to a complete halt. NOTE - it's really NOT a good idea to attempt to drive down the lane towards the course while everyone else is attempting to leave - even if you have promised your other half that you'll collect them.

Bad traffic can impact competitors as well as spectators, for example, several years ago one St Edward's boy who got stuck in traffic; had to leg it across Fawley meadow, then got a lift across the river in a boat and finally had to run like mad up the towpath in order to make his race on time - after under-estimating just how impossible it is to get into Henley during the Regatta.

Indeed, this can be a really bad problem on the first day of the regatta, not because of the large numbers of spectators (because there aren't that many on the wednesday), but because the usual local non-regatta traffic will have forgotten about the royal and the need to find an alternative route.

Finally, one other point of note - Henley Bridge is closed on the Saturday of HRR (owing to the numbers of inebriated people staggering around town) - so remember you'll have to head up the hill and round via Marlow or Reading if you need to get to the Bucks side of the river.

If this all sounds like too much bother - try getting the train.

www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk

The Car Parks
As you should be starting to realise, everything at HRR has a hierarchy, and car parking is no exception. Depending on the car park, your allocated slot may be based on your position in the rowing world hierarchy or your longevity as a member of club or enclosure, or simply on how early you requested the pass.

There are only five car parking areas worth their salt along the whole of the regatta course, these are:

The Competitors car park,

Lion Meadow,

Butlers’s Field,

Green’s field and

Remenham Club (Including the allocated Remenham Club spaces, i.e South end, of the Copas Hillside carpark).