Very strange rattle

[Mk2George]

Ok this is going to be hard to explain but my Golf has developed a loud rattle over the past week and it is driving me insane!!!! 

The noise comes from around behind the steering wheel but I am undecided whether it is coming from the engine bay or inside the car behind the dash. There are very thin plastic panels that are under the bonnet just below the windscreen and I thought it might be one of them, but no. The best way to describe this rattle is .... Imagine that there was a nut or bolt that had been left on top of one of those plastic panels and it was `vibrating and jumping` on the plastic as you accelerate .... odd way to describe it I know, but its the best I can think of!

The noise happens mainly when I am accelerating and can be heard faintly sometimes on tickover, and it gets more intense the more I accelerate. Totally lost with this one and it really is the most annoying thing so any help or advice would be great

Thanks 

[Sphinx]

sounds like mine ( gear box issues ) see if it makes a difference with the clutch if its depressed or not

[Mr Blue]

hold the brake pedal down slightly and see if the noise goes away.

I get this . my out cv has gone

[...joe]

rattles are almost impossible to diagnose by explaination! my golf has loads inside the dash, i just put alot of it down to it being an old car!

[E405]

Mk2s do love to rattle everywhere but if it was only when moving I'd check the speed cable (mine on the valver ticks quite alot - Ill fix it when it snaps!) - also check the heat shields close to  the exhaust manifold / down pipe - they sometimes come loose...