Your favourite hill climb?

[911thillclimber]

Although I am very biasd, after 18 years of full hillclimb seasons, it must be my club's hill Loton for the driver facilities, the length of track (inc downhill section) and the speed of the place.

Prescott is second only because it is so easy to spectate, has great civilised faciliites and is a 'nice hill' to drive.

Shelsley next for sheer atmosphere and very hard to go fast on.

HOWEVER for a real treat there are 2 to try

Epynt

You must do this Welsh hill. I've done it twice and it IS a blast and very very fast in a truely spectacular location. Do not miss the 2 next year. It will become a premier event very soon.

Barbon

It is just a great place with a good fast hill with a twist in the tail at the end. Just a very nice clubbie event, and if the sun shines? Bliss.

My very favorite hillclimb tool:

[rescue dude]

Originally Posted by 911thillclimber

My very favorite hillclimb tool:

I can certainly say it's an exciting car to ride in as a passenger too.

[911thillclimber]

That dinner time was such good fun for the Marshals and those drivers who 'went for it'!
Why go slow when you can go quite fast?

[AUTOLEGEND]

I'd have to say Pikes Peak. Place is legendary. Audi, Peugeot, Toyota, and Suzuki have all left that place victorius and with an achievement that rivals all their others.

+ climb dance is a great visual on how crazy it is to go up the mountain. I suggest anyone go to youtube and see it.

[rescue dude]

Pikes Peak looks absolutely stunning and is a venue i'd love to visit.

[Woolley]

Fantastic place, but not sure it qualifies as a 'hill'! I wonder how far a Gould could get up it? I think it would need refuelling stops!

[Steve Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by Woolley

Fantastic place, but not sure it qualifies as a 'hill'! I wonder how far a Gould could get up it? I think it would need refuelling stops!

Wooley, I am absolutely certain that Pikes Peak actually goes up, therefore in the strickest terms it is a HILL. It may well be more of a MOUNTAIN but it is still as far as the FIA are concerned a Hill Climb.

[gsyracer]

Greetings all (especially those who already know me)

Obviously I'm going to say Val Des Terres - the local hill - but can imagine any of the UK hills will be just as exciting.

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by Steve Wilkinson

it is still as far as the FIA are concerned a Hill Climb.

But as far as the FIA is concerned, F1 is motor racing...

Pikes Peak is really more rallying than speed hill-climbing, else you'd include Esgair Dafyd, Queenstown and others. However, try as I might, I can't convince myself it's not a valid inclusion either!

[b1ackcr0w]

I was just thinking about the current and historical definition of a Hillclimb. Going back to the genesis of all motor sport, Pike's Peak's surface and extreme test of a car's ability is probably the closest modern day equivilent of those original UK Hillclimbs. Even TWF adopting a tarmac surface means it's nature has changed somewhat. (Observations not critcisms!)

[Woolley]

Ooh, controversial! Actually, I agree on the whole.

[mallockman24]

A newbies ha'penny worth. While I agree with the majority of comments on Shelsley, Loton, Prescott, I have to make a case for some of our excellent hills in the SW. Wiscombe - what a setting, challenging hill, challenging paddock, enthusiastic organisers and marshalls. Castle Hillclimb, worth it for the blind, butt clenchingly high speed last corner, v friendly host club. Werrington, very fast, very bumpy, 101mph exit from final esses from a 1700cc pushrod! Spare nosecones useful.
Good thread.

[Mark.A.S]

For me, to drive on, Wiscombe as it really flows up to the first Hairpin, then it would be either Loton or Doune.
The Ramsey I.O.M course was great as well, especially driving through town on slicks to the petrol station!

[JasagRacer]

Has to be Gurston Down.

Thoroughly enjoyed Valence School Hillclimb, when it was running; also anyone remember Bodiam in Sussex?
Harewood is also a good challenge for us Southerners.

[Alan Brown]

Originally Posted by bwatt

Are we allowed to nominate venues which no longer exist ?.

If so, great though Shelsley, Prescott & Loton are, I'd like to nominate Great Auclum.

Challenging course, totally informal, excellent beer, delightfully idiosyncratic - but sadly hasn't been held for some thirty years now, and the site is surrounded by houses.

Now I've made myself feel old....

Another oldie here. Always a great Saturday at the beginning of August. "Idiosyncratic" is the perfect word, a downhill start and a banked bend which Rivers Fletcher would use and large trees seemingly inches from the track.

The one which gave me most pleasure was my local, as a youngster that is, Brunton near Collingbourne Kingston in Wiltshire (between Andover and Marlborough), because I attended so many meetings (B.A.R.C. Soth Western Centre) there between 1954 and 1970. If anybody has any material, information etc on it please let me know.

[twisted]

Has to be Collingrove South Australia....cos I am fast on it Ha ha lol!

[mike.bills]

As i have only marshaled at Shelsly i cant make the decision but that will be rectified very soon

[RTH]

Westbrook Hay near Hemel Hempstead


Any memories anyone ? It is the drive up to a private school operational during the 1950s and a part of the British hillclimb Championship. Its all still there !

[Claypole]

Harewood is great, I have no experience of other hillclimbs, just glad to be able to post on this thread at last.
Cheers Claypole

[Fireblade]

Originally Posted by Woolley

I can't even remember all seven dwarfs, so your list is mightily impressive.

All to be found generally officiating as Clerks at any Shelsley Walsh weekend, I will try and get them to wear name badges so that you can refresh your memory regarding their names.

[MGDavid]

haven't read the thread but did anyone mention Oddicombe yet? Imagine hurling a Montego Turbo up there, inches from the rock wall.... absolutely loved it, happy memories...

[chrisdrewett]

Originally Posted by Alan Brown

Another oldie here. Always a great Saturday at the beginning of August. "Idiosyncratic" is the perfect word, a downhill start and a banked bend which Rivers Fletcher would use and large trees seemingly inches from the track.

The one which gave me most pleasure was my local, as a youngster that is, Brunton near Collingbourne Kingston in Wiltshire (between Andover and Marlborough), because I attended so many meetings (B.A.R.C. Soth Western Centre) there between 1954 and 1970. If anybody has any material, information etc on it please let me know.

Brunton was the scene of my first attempts at Hillclimbing, first in 1962 in a Frazer Nash Le Mans Replica and a year later in a Lotus 18. I've still got the programme and a small silver pot to prove it!
Chris

[Fireblade]

Originally Posted by Fireblade

All to be found generally officiating as Clerks at any Shelsley Walsh weekend, I will try and get them to wear name badges so that you can refresh your memory regarding their names.

Except for Brian Lyle who bears a passing resemblance to the Jolly Green Giant.
All other PORGS (Persons of Restricted Growth) who aren't clerks can be found in Course Control

[chunder]

Rechberg!! Thats my vote

And boy would I love to go to one of those Euro Berg climbs

[Derwent Motorsp]

High Auldgirth near Dumfries. A great challenge and three hairpin bends and some fast straights. Sadly no longer used. I hold the classic class record, presumably for all time!
I never liked Doune but it is well run.
Harewood is great in every way except the food, and perhaps too many runners which makes for a long day and not many runs.
Scammonden is in a God forsaken place for a good hill and you get lots of runs. No facilties of course.
Baitings was great and a pub at the top of the hill. I think I still have a class record there as well!
Olivers Mount was OK but the organisation was dreadful.
Forrestburn - I never did as well there as I felt I should but the organisation is great. Another God forsaken place though!