Your favourite hill climb?

[beach]

As a Cornish Marshal I think Tregrehan[BitshortI Know}
Castle hillclimb run by Camel Vale werrington Park run by Plymouth MC Wiscombe great Venue,like Prescott sadly Couldnot make it this Year friendly People adrian

[keith h]

The car? yup the venue ?yup but what sort of mobile phones are scott and roger useing?they are reeeely small!!!

[Fireblade]

Originally posted by FLoads
I see in the MAC magazine that there is a meeting at Loton on 28/29 March [dates ?]. Is that the first ?

It seems so FLoads although it is not a British Championship round. It is the Easter Loton meeting but the weekend of April 9th/10th is the British/Midland Championship weekend. All down to it being an early Easter next year. In fact it is that early I suspect that it is the same weekend as we change the clocks.

Best get a sheepskin if you plan on going hillclimbing that weekend.
I will pass on that one although might go to the bike hillclimb at Red Marley.

[mcb666]

Yellow.

[Woolley]

An ex-boyfriend of my sisters hill climbed a March-Lotus some years back. The guy he bought it from advertised it as 'complete with full set-up data' These were:

Tregrehan (dry)
Tregrehan (wet)
Tregrehan (very wet)

I suspect that car had had a very sheltered life before he had it!

[Fireblade]

Or not sheltered as in the case of Options No 2 and 3 Woolley.

Now if you want wet weather shelter for your hillclimber there is only one place...........lol

(hopes Judd notices this one)

[MGDavid]

eastwyke, who mentioned Dec 5th? - not I ! I've much enjoyed a couple of sprints at Longcross, done the Scorpion and the other one in the opposite direction, a cracking venue and well organised by an excellent club IMO.

[Judd]

Hey Fireblade

I see you!! I had the pleasure of being parked in one of the very bottom sheds at Shelsley when it rained - the ones at the back on the right if you are standing at the start looking towards the camping field. Yes, my hair was dry, but after about two minutes the whole paddock had funnelled all the rain water towards me and the tidal wave that approached soaked everything I had left behind the car. Ah, the joys of british weather!

[Fireblade]

Well keeping my hair dry is not a No 1 priority nowadays, Judd. Perhaps we should just call you Noah from now on.

Such short memories people have though. Its not that many years ago since we had a brook running through Shelsley. It has since been culverted but do you remember how it flowed through the paddock like the Severn Bore in times of heavy rain?

I recall standing in the paddock with Reg Phillips one wet Shelsley weekend and someone commented on the precipitation that had dampened the weekend. And Reg quite sagely remarked "and what do think they built the sheds for all those years ago?" Quite right Reg.

Looking back at old reports of Shelsley from the 30's and 40's it is apparent that they had a run of wet meetings hence the place being referred to in a motoring magazine as "Shelsley Squalsh". One of those years was of course 1936 on the return of Hans Stuck in the Auto Union. By all accounts it was quite spectacular watching him trying to get some power down in those conditions.

[ranoff]

Originally posted by Fireblade
One of those years was of course 1936 on the return of Hans Stuck in the Auto Union.

And we still have a couple of members who were there at the time. No names, no pack drill!

And of course Judd has a family name on a plaque on one of those sheds so perhaps he had an ancestor at the same meeting. Mr Loads went to review all the names on the plaques on Saturday and it made interesting reading although he now has a crick in his neck.

All that history!

[Judd]

Hi Ranoff,

My ancestor would have been 16 at the 1936 meeting, I think this is before his interest in hillclimbing. Although "ancestor" is too strong a word - OED defines it as "A person from whom one is descended, especially if more remote than a grandparent". Not true in this instance.

I was reviewing some photos from the late 40s early 50s at the weekend, one of which clearly shows the quality of the tarmac at the esses. Its pretty awful, some huge lumps of gravel and it looks badly worn too, with big gaps and odd patches. I doubt one would take much speed into the esses with any confidence on that quality of surface.

[Fireblade]

The only person I know who was at that 1936 Stuck meeting was the past MAC Secretary and current Archivist, Mark Joseland. He did assure me that he was very young (well he would say that, wouldnt he? it was 1936) but said the day was impressive and he still had strong memories of it.

As regards the patchy suface Judd, I have some photos from not too distant times showing at least 3 dfferent types of surface on the startline area alone. We never really notice modern day impovements until we see past pictures reminding us of what it was like.

[ranoff]

Originally posted by Fireblade
The only person I know who was at that 1936 Stuck meeting was the past MAC Secretary

I had Mr Joseland down on my very short list, and the other person I had in mind is John Ryder. He had some amazing experiences as a child including being flown to Brooklands at age 8 by his father in the ex Amy Johnson DH Moth aeroplane named Jason. Proper Boys Own stuff.

Originally posted by Judd
My ancestor would have been 16 at the 1936 meeting

If he was at that meeting, potentially that makes three current MAC members, and all ex competitors, who were there.

[Steve Wilkinson]

Let me just run through a few:

Baitings Dam - no longer in use but one of the best spectator venues in the country as you could see all of the hill from off the ubiquitous dam. Wonderful when the 500 Owners Club were there.

Barbon Manor - the most pictureque venue in the country. Narrow and fast - the closest hillcimb venue to home.

Craigantlet - wow! Hillclimbing on Public Roads has not to be missed.

Doune - Well organised venue. On the hill you have wonderful sections like Oak Tree, Garden Gate, The Tunnel, Junction, EAST BRAE and then if that wasn't enough The Esses! Like Stuart Hill I can't comprehend how they can get up there so BLINKING FAST!!!!!!!

Durris - another 'lost' venue. Fast and bumpy. One hazard you don't often see but I managed to was a HUGE Red Deer ambling accross the track!

Finlake - another to slip away! The huge banks and deep ditches typified a South West hill. But in places it was like a motorway!

Fintray - blink and you missed it! At only 725 yards it is short. With only three corners it must be easy? Think again! A slight mistake at say Ruin and you would be down the class.

Gurston Down - Favourite spot is Ashes where you can see the cars airbourne and then sliding wide out of the tricky left hander. Well organised by Team Harrat.

Harewood - Easy access for spectators. You can go Kite spotting! But on track there are some fantastic corners - Orchard being my favourite followed closely (not on the track) by Quarry!

Lhergy Frissel - another course on Publuic Roads. Fantastic. This LONG hill has its bland spots but Waterworks Two blows your mind! Scenic views at the Gooseneck to rival any in the country.

Loton Park - I like the technical Loggerheads section followed by Fallow. By the way has anyone ever found where the straight the commentators witter on about?

Oddicombe - Bumpy, narrow, twisty and exhilarating! You have to visit this one before it falls into the sea!

Prescott - Semi-Circle is the place for the first timed runs on Sunday. The Esses are superb but the light a bit of a problem for us snappers!

Scammonden Dam - The final long left hander is all that commends the hill. The early corners have become obscured by tree planting.

Shap Wells - another lost venue - fast, tricky and with four foot deep ditches not a place to go off!

Shelsley Walsh - fast, fast and finally fast! Bottom Ess is the place.

Werrington Park - A gem of a hill. I personally like the CATTLE GRID as it lends a sort of Russian Roulette element in the wet! In the estate building complex you get close up views of cars on the limit - fabulous.

Wiscombe Park - just a taste of Martini is all you need! High speed approach, late braking, tight climbing hairpin and a short blast to the line. Abigail's Dad knows how tricky this one is!

So which is my favourite? Well as you can see I haven't ventured to the Channel Islands (yet) however I have been to some wonderful venues (and some not so wonderful!). My all round favourite is Doune BUT if I could only ever go to one more hillclimb event then it would have to be..........













SHELSLEY WALSH

Why well it is the history, the atmosphere and the speed I find compelling. I don't want to like the place. It has limited possibilities for photography, there are too many trees casting nasty shadows but I still want to go. Not every week but at least once a year to get my next adrenaline fix!

[FLoads]

As you know of quite a few venues I would be grateful if you would list all known current Hillclimbs - no need to include the Championship tracks. I will, in the New Year, have more time to visit them and I am sure that others might also go. Some of the tracks need more spectators - I was at Harewood, a marvellous venue, for the VSCC 70th Anniversary this year when it was reported they had their biggest crowd for years but I would be surprised if it had reached 1000 including drivers/mechanics etc.

[Steve Wilkinson]

This is a list requested by Floads of Non-championship hillclimb courses still in use.

Benbradagh - Co Londonderry
Cairn Castle - Co Antrim
Castle Hill - Lostwithiel
Croft - Co Down
Cultra - Co Down
Drumhoc - Co Down
Eagles Rock - Co Londonderry
Fintray House - Aberdeenshire
Forrestburn - Lanarkshire
Garron Point - Co Antrim
Goodwood House - It has to have a license but it ain't a proper hillclimb!!!!!
Llys-y-Fran - Haverfordwest
Longleat - Wiltshire
Oddicombe - Devon
Olivers Mount - Scarborough
Porlock Toll Rd - Somerset
Scammonden - West Yorkshire
Tregrehan - Cornwall
Werrington Park - Cornwall

I have not listed the Channel Island non-championship venues as I am unsure if they are still used.

[FLoads]

Thank you very much. Plenty to go at in retirement - early I might add but only just. I think a little Googling is called for to further details.

[Steve Wilkinson]

FLoads - Try www.ukmotorsport.com

Loads of links to club and venue sites.

Like you i too took EARLY retirement - best thing I every did

[FLoads]

Stev
I am counting off the days and I alreday feel better every day. I will try that site.

[b1ackcr0w]

Originally Posted by Steve Wilkinson

Finlake - another to slip away! The huge banks and deep ditches typified a South West hill. But in places it was like a motorway!

Hear Hear - RIP Finlake. If you never went there, you missed out, fantastic place. It was in a holiday park with Swedish stlye log chalets in a forest setting. On the morning of an event you often had to knock on chalet doors to get people out of bed to move their cars. Great fun when they didn't know why because you had to explain there was a motor-race

I have to say I can't answer this one easily because there are so many that are brilliant fun. However, none of them is safe from a fate like Finlake's, so it's time to get behind them whenever you can.

By the way Steve, here's one that you missed, which I only mention because it has such a fabulous name...... Rest and be Thankful. I don't know anything about it other than in the Fifties, some bloke called Tony Marsh took two FTD's in one day, anyone know how??

[Fireblade]

In answer to your question blackcrow.

I think that you refer to the occasion in 1956 when Tony Marsh won 2 classes at the Rest-and-be-Thankful venue in the Cooper Climax. His car qualified for the unlimited racing and the sports car class.

Although the "Rest" was long before our time I worked there for a fortnight in the early 90's whilst running a film location communications system. It was for a series called The Good Guys for BBC starring Nigel Havers and Jenny Agutter of Railway Children fame. The old Army road that formed the hillclimb was my main route up to the main transmitter mast and I used it many times a day on my quad bike whilst on the way to refuel my generators. I had great fun, having unlimited access to the road used by Mays, Wharton, Marsh, Henderson etc. Needless to say as the days went by I got bolder and braver until I inevitably stuffed it big style. The remainder of my time there was spent on a 4 stroke quad instead at a much more leisurely gait.

As regards double BTD's, Shelsley Walsh lays claim to having 2 BTD's in one day.

As the Shelsley June 1926 racing car class was abandoned due to inclement weather it was decided to hold it at the next meeting in September. So the record books show that Basil Davenport had 2 wins in one day recording a time of 48.8 secs(Record) for the "June" Meeting and 49.0 for the September meeting all on the same day, 4th September 1926.

[tony griffiths]

Virginia City ...... Nevada !

[Steve Wilkinson]

I 'failed' to list Rest & Be Thnkful as I had never visited the venue.

Others that I 'missed' were:

Bo'ness - near Grangemouth
Dyrham Park - near Stroud
Great Auclum - near Bristol
Pontypool Park - GUESS
Stapleford - ?
Tholt-y-Will - Isle of Man
Westbrook Hay - nr Berkhamsted

A few years back I compiled a list of over 100 hillclimb venues that had been dropped from the motor sport calendar. This was for the RAC MSA who wanted the list to for the English Tourist Board!

[Anuauto]

Dyrham is nearer to Bath. Great Auclum is near Reading and nowhere near Bristol. Stapleford was Stapleford Tawney airfield (Essex), a marginal gadient to qualify as a hill.

[Woolley]

Don't worry, Steve, in a list so comprehensive you can be forgiven for omitting a couple! I can't even remember all seven dwarfs, so your list is mightly impressive.