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Armstrong Galloway Hills returns for 50th running after one year absence

AnyFans 2025-09-13

By Stuart Gillespie

The Armstrong Galloway Hills Rally returns this weekend. The event was cancelled last year but is back for the 50th version – and it’s part of the Asset Alliance Motorsport UK Scottish Rally Championship. The Dalmellington-based event will see rally crews test themselves on Black Loch and Cairn Edward in The Galloway Forest. The Galloway Hills is one of Scotland’s longest running motorsport events and has been sponsored by The Armstrong Group for a quarter of a century. It is organised by Solway, Marhars and East Ayrshire Car Clubs and is also part of both the Autoshop.co.uk MG3 Rally Challenge and the Northern Historic Gravel Rally Championship, as well as being the penultimate round of this year’s Scottish championship. Hopes of a Dumfries and Galloway win are high, with Dumfries’ Mark McCulloch currently leading the standings with Michael Hendry in his Proton Satria Evo. However, multiple champ David Bogie from Dumfries and Kirsty Riddick from Haugh of Urr are closing in after winning the last two rounds in their Skoda Fabia RS. Competition on the Galloway Hills is likely to come from Castle Douglas’ Jock Armstrong, who’ll be accompanied in his Fabia by Collin’s Owen Paterson. And Kirkgunzeon’s Rory Young is returning to action in his Fabia. Other four-wheel drive entries include Angus Lawrie of Castle Douglas in a Mitsubishi Evo 9, Craig Henderson of Dumfries in a Subaru Impreza and Stranraer pair Martin and Andy Lock in their Impreza. There’s plenty of interest in the two-wheel drive categories, with Niall Cowan Senior of Dumfries in an MG 3 and Niall Cowan Jnr in an MG ZR. And another MG 3 is notable as it’s being driven by Alan McMorran from Castle Douglas. He took part in the first Galloway Hills in 1974 and has been given the honour of car number one. Another MG 3 will be co-driven by Annan’s Paul Gribben, with Rian Walker in the driver’s seat. Click here for more news and sport from Dumfries and Galloway. Scott Peacock of Castle Douglas will be accompanied in his Ford Escort Mk2 by Craig Wallace of Westmuir, with Bridge of Dee’s Donald Peacock taking to the stages in his Escort with Torthorwald’s Mark Roberts. Crews will tackle each stage twice in one direction and once in the opposite direction. The first car will leave Dalmellington at 10am with the first crews expected back to the finish just after 5.40pm. There will be a regroup in the middle of the day at around 1.40pm.