The Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally is set to embark on one of its biggest route changes in years in 2027, with a spectacular new-look Friday night format, the return of stages south of Kelso and a sizeable increase in competitive mileage, taking the event to over 115 stage miles.
Sponsored once again by the innovative local brand Borders Competitions, a leading name in online raffles and draws across the UK, the event will run from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 May. The 2027 Jim Clark and Reivers Rally will once again bring the very best of closed-road rallying to the Scottish Borders, with Duns retaining its position as the spiritual home and central base.
All pre-event formalities will remain in Duns, including Friday morning’s shakedown, while the traditional ceremonial start, regroup and finish celebrations will continue to take place in the heart of Duns Square.
But after the ceremonial start on Friday afternoon, the rally will head south to Kelso for a dramatic new chapter in the event’s history.
A short holding control at Kelso High School will welcome crews before three completely new-look stages form the opening leg of the Jim Clark Rally, with the spectacular Floors Castle providing the backdrop for the first competitive action.
Built in 1721 and the home of the Innes-Ker family for more than 300 years, the magnificent Floors Castle will provide an extraordinary setting for the rally, with a brand-new super special stage created thanks to the generosity of His Grace The Duke of Roxburghe.
There is even better news for spectators, with free access to visit the castle grounds and all proceeds from the parking charge to the stage be donated to charity. It is a further demonstration of the generosity of His Grace The Duke of Roxburghe and his commitment to supporting both the rally and the local community.
The stage will take competitors through the castle grounds before joining closed public roads to the west, while a purpose-built grandstand will provide spectators with spectacular views of the action.
From Floors Castle, crews will head south-west of Kelso for an 11-mile, extensively revamped Roxburgh test before tackling another completely new stage at Crailing. Running for more than 11 miles on fantastic closed roads just south of Kelso, Crailing will provide another major challenge before crews return to Duns for service.
The Friday night loop will then be repeated under darkness, adding an entirely different dimension to the stages as the crews tackle the same roads at night.
The result is a huge 56 competitive stage miles on Friday, setting the scene for one of the most challenging opening legs in the rally’s history.
Saturday will see the Jim Clark Rally return to some of its much-loved Borders classics, with Polwarth, Blackadder and Eccles forming the backbone of another action-packed day.
However, even these familiar names will provide something new for many crews, with the stages appearing in a guise traditionally associated with the Jim Clark Reivers Rally’s Sunday programme.
A further 58 competitive miles will be covered on Saturday before crews return to Duns Square for the traditional ceremonial finish and champagne celebrations.
Combined with Friday’s 56-mile opening leg, the Jim Clark Rally will offer more than 115 competitive stage miles, more than 15 miles further than the 2026 route and making it the longest Jim Clark Rally route in more than a decade.
The changes do not stop there, however, with the Borders Competitions Jim Clark Reivers Rally also receiving a major route overhaul for 2027.
The compact one-day event on Sunday will give Reivers crews the opportunity to tackle some of the most iconic stages traditionally associated with the Jim Clark Rally’s Friday night action.
Bothwell and Abbey St Bathans will form part of the Sunday route, bringing the classic Borders stages to a new generation of Reivers competitors, while the addition of Manderston adds another new dimension to the one-day challenge.
Around 58 competitive stage miles will be on offer, creating a compact but hugely challenging Sunday blast before the crews return to Duns Square for the event’s traditional finish celebrations.
As with the main Jim Clark Rally, Duns will remain at the heart of the Reivers, hosting the ceremonial start, regroup and finish podium and providing the backdrop for the weekend’s award celebrations.
Organising Committee Chairman Dan Wright is delighted with the proposed 2027 route and believes the changes represent one of the most significant developments for the rally in many years.
“We are incredibly excited to unveil our proposed route for the 2027 Borders Competitions Jim Clark Rally and Reivers Rally,” said Wright.
“We have had a format and route which has been hugely successful, but we also want the Jim Clark Rally to remain innovative and continue to evolve.
“Bringing the rally back into the Kelso area on Friday night is a hugely exciting development. The people of Kelso have been wanting to see the rally return to the area for quite some time, so we are delighted that this year’s route allows us to do that in such a spectacular way.
“Floors Castle gives us an incredible backdrop for the opening stage and, thanks to the generosity of the estate and the Duke of Roxburghe we have been able to create something genuinely different for competitors and spectators.
“The fact that spectators will be able to enjoy the stage at Floors Castle free of charge is fantastic, and we hope it will provide a real focal point for fans on Friday afternoon.
“Then we have Roxburgh and Crailing, both of which offer fantastic closed-road rallying, before the crews come back to Duns and tackle the whole thing again in darkness. Fifty-six competitive miles on Friday night is going to be a serious challenge!
“Saturday then brings the Jim Clark back to some of its classic stages, while the Reivers gets a significant shake-up of its own.
“We wanted to give the Reivers crews the opportunity to experience some of the stages that have traditionally formed part of the Jim Clark Friday night route, including Bothwell and Abbey St Bathans. It gives the Sunday event its own identity while offering competitors some fantastic roads.
“Ultimately, we want the rally to be exciting for crews and fans alike. There is a huge amount for everyone to look forward to, and with the increased mileage, new stages and new locations, we hope to attract another sensational entry to the Scottish Borders.
“Fan zones will again be a major focus for us, giving spectators safe and spectacular opportunities to watch the action throughout the weekend.
“We cannot wait to welcome everyone to Duns, Kelso and the wider Borders region on Friday 28, Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 May 2027.”