THE toughest historic rally in Britain takes to the road this weekend.

For the fourth year, the Land's End to John O'Groats Reliability Trial - nicknamed Le Jog - will test the skill and stamina of 125 cars and crews.

Driving vehicles that are at least 25 years old, the competitors face a punishing schedule of 1,650 miles of challenging roads and special tests through some of Britain's most rugged terrain.

All have to make the journey in just three and a half days, with only one night halt in Edinburgh, and gruelling all-night sections through the Welsh mountains and the wilds of northern Scotland.

"It's not a race, and there are no outright winners," explained a spokesman for the organisers, the Historic Endurance Rally Organisation.

"The crews compete against each other in 21 classes and five different age categories, The rally is all about reliability, regularity and accurate timekeeping. "If they do well they can win medals - gold, silver and bronze - but in the past three years, only four crews achieved the coveted gold.

"John Brown, a successful rally navigator in his own right, has planned the route with meticulous care to test both cars and crews to the full.

"As well as passing through some spectacular scenery, they have to tackle 17 manoeuvrability and other tests, keep to exact time over 14 regularity sections with around 60 secret checks and be on schedule at 22 time controls on difficult road sections at night."

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