46 replies to this topic

[Darren Galpin]

Following on from Holger's mention of collating Hillclimb venues, here is a thread dedicated to the subject.

To kick it off, Shingle Hill. Located on the east coast of America, used in 1908. Does anyone have any length information, maps etc?

[D-Type]

In Kenya we had:
Brackenhurst hillclimb - The hillclimb took place in the fifties and early sixties on the back road leading to Brackenhurst Hotel, Limuru. Limuru was about 20 miles northwest of Nairobi. the road was dirt until the early sixties when it was tarmacked. In 1965 or so the hotel closed and was bought by an american missionary organisation. The venue was lost to motor sport.
Lukenya - with the demise of Brackenhurst, an alternative venue was found in the Lukenya Hills to the south west of Nairobi. The event was still caled the Brackenhurst hillclimb. I don't know how long it kept going.
Menengai - Menengai Crater lies to the north of Nakuru and dominates the town. A Menengai Hillclimb appeared in the REAA (Royal East African Automobile Association) motor sport calender in the late fifties. I don't know whether it ever took place but believe it did.

The above is all from memory, all I am sure of is that the Brackenhurst hillclimb took place in the years 1959 to 1963.

Sorry, no maps, or lengths. My mother threw out my programmes 35 years ago.

[Gary Davies]

Our South Australian hillclimb - Collingrove - may be of interest. Go here - http://www.sportingcarclubsa.org.au/ - and click the Motor Sport link through to Collingrove.

[Ray Bell]

That's not to imply that it's the only South Australian hillclimb, surely?

There was one at the Glen Ewin (?) jam factory, and of course, Lobethal hosted a hillclimb the year before it hosted road racing for the first time.

[Darren Galpin]

Many thanks D-Type et al for posting here. Sorry for not getting back to D-Type earlier, but I was on holiday......

[Holger Merten]

@Darren, I didin't forget you, just trying to get e better copy of the map....sorry.

[Darren Galpin]

A couple more for querying:

Camp Fortune, Canada - used in the 1960s. Located in a ski area.
St.Catharines, Canada - used in the 1950s-1960s.

[Marcor]

Darren, interested by a 1929 Gurnigel hillclimb map ? I've seen it in a Swiss newspaper. I Can't post it quickly as I had first to copy from the library. The length was 9.000 km. Start at Dürbach, altitude 834 metres, finish: Selibühl, altitude 1.610 metres.

[Darren Galpin]

Interested!

[eldougo]

;)
Vanwell-----35.03S 138.45E I take it that you live in the WARRADALE area of is that correct.
an i suppose your going to the MALLALA meeting this weekend the historics
are playing there over the next few days SHOULD BE GOOD.

[Darren Galpin]

If you keep your eyes open, more keep creeping out of the woodwork. Can anyone supply more information on the following:

Madonna del Pilone-Pino Toerinese
According to rdrcr in his "On This Day In Motorsport" posting, it was 5km long, and was the first Italian hillclimb, being used on the 21st April 1900. Does anyone know for how long it was used, map etc?

Opbrakel, Belgium.
Marcor mentions it was used in 1934 in his posting on the "Arthur Legat" thread. Does anyone have any further details?

[Hans Etzrodt]

The Madonna del Pilone-Pino Torinese climb was held only in 1900 on a 5.000 km road section. [source for this: Emanuele Alberto Carli: Settant'anni di gare automobilistiche in Italia, pg.33]

[Hans Etzrodt]

The Madonna del Pilone-Pino Torinese climb was held only in 1900 on a 5.000 km road section. [source for this: Emanuele Alberto Carli: Settant'anni di gare automobilistiche in Italia, pg.33]

[Marcor]

Opbrakel: near Renaix (Ronse), 1 flying km, 5%.
This section road was included in the road Renaix (Ronse) to Ninove.
Used in 1934 as a National event, for the 10 years birthday of the organiser Club, the AMC Renaix.

[Ian McKean]

The Midland Automobile Club (UK) seems to have always had an interest in hill climbs.

1) They held their first event at Gorcott Hill on the main Birmingham-Alcester road in 1901, and again the following year.

2) in 1903 they instead used Sun Rising Hill on the Stratford-Banbury road. Their badge still uses an image of a rising sun.

3) Shelsley Walsh, first used in 1905, was their first closed road hillclimb, and is the UK's oldest motor sporting event, I believe.

Sorry cannot provide any more information about the first two venues.

I suspect that Birdlip hill near Gloucester was also used pre-Great War, but do not know for sure.

Another venue I vaguely remember reading about was a motorcycle hill climb by the side of a castle in Wales. Was it Carmarthen? If anyone's interested in motorcycle hillclimbs and someone else doesn't come up with the answer, I know who to ask.

[Hans Etzrodt]

Originally posted by Ian McKean
...Sorry cannot provide any more information about the first two venues...

I will cover these and many other hill climbs in my upcoming project, hopefully by either end of May or in June. Due to the availability of data made available to me for those events, presently somewhere over 2100, this ever-growing list has been delayed several times.

[bill moffat]

Originally posted by Ian McKean


Another venue I vaguely remember reading about was a motorcycle hill climb by the side of a castle in Wales. Was it Carmarthen? If anyone's interested in motorcycle hillclimbs and someone else doesn't come up with the answer, I know who to ask.

Welsh hill climbs alongside castles? Well there was the Caerphilly Hill Climb which climbed the Mountain from Caerphilly town (with its very impressive castle). A lesser known venue was at Castell Coch (the "red castle") in the Taff valley north of Cardiff.

In the early 70's the British Hill Climb fraternity visited Penrice Castle on the Gower Peninsula (west of Swansea). The course was impressive and Prescott-ish..ie a long curving blast, a hairpin and then the charge up the hill. The scenery was stunning and the initial few hundred metres took the contestants past a heron lake.

Coincidentally I visited the Castle last weekend and all was peace and quiet. This area of Wales is so very beautiful and environmentally sensitive ...even I (with Castrol R coursing through my veins) understood when the Hill Climb was axed.

[Darren Galpin]

Some Belgian venues now. Can anyone supply any info on these?

Firstly, pre-WW2 venues: (shows date I think they were first used)
Côte de la Citadelles, Namur - 1901
Côte Spa-Malchamps - 1900
Côte de Wavre - 1923
Côte a Ciney - 1924
Côte de Bertrix - 1926
Côte de Mont-Theux - 1923
Côte de Huy - 1947


Others:
Côte de Laroche
Côte de l'M. de Bomeree
Leffe-Dinant
Côte des Fagnes
Côte de Houyet
Andenne
Côte de Durnal
Côte de Felenne
Côte de La Roche en Ardennes
Côte de Alle S/Semois
Côte de Marchin
Côte de Grandcourt
Côte de Grandpont
Côte de 36 tournants (Engis).


In addition, this time in France:
Côte de Wimille, nr Boulogne, used in 1928

And, in Luxembourg:
Côte de Lorentzweiler

[Ian McKean]

Originally posted by Ian McKean
...Another venue I vaguely remember reading about was a motorcycle hill climb by the side of a castle in Wales. Was it Carmarthen? If anyone's interested in motorcycle hillclimbs and someone else doesn't come up with the answer, I know who to ask.

... A bit more info from Stuart Bladon...

"Dear Ian,

It was the descent from Harlech town centre down to the lower road,
which is now effectively the Harlech by-pass, passing Harlech Castle on the
right.

Regards, Stuart"

[Marcor]

Wavre (1923).
2,500 km. Start from the main square of the city (La Place du Sablon), in the direction of Namur, up to the Lauzelle wood (now near Louvain-La-Neuve). Wavre is 30 km to Brussels. 8%, paved.
The first part of the track was very streep, the second part was near flat and in straight line.

Côte de Ciney (1924)
I suppose it was the Falmignoul hillclimb, when you quit the Mosean valley from Dinant. 1 km, 7%.
It used the road to Ciney. The 1924 event was included in the "Circuit de Belgique de la Fédération des Automobiles Clubs Provinciaux".


Bertrix, first used by the cars in 1926.
Herbeumont road, place "Les Maugires"
3,000 km
The organisers = Motor Union de la Semois (a Motorcycling Club)

Mont-Theux
1,000 km, max percentage = 12,6%
First used by the racing motorcycles
Between Lièges and Spa.

Huy, La Sarte
Used in 1913, then in 1924 and 1925.
1,000 km
Also known as "L'escalade des Longs-Thiers"

Côte de l'M. de Bomerée
1st used in 1934 (August, 15). The event was titled "GP du Hainaut". Bomerée is in the south of Charleroi. 1,700 km
After WW2 the track changed by addition of chicane(s).

Wimille (Boulogne), first used in 1927 (September 9th)
1,000 km.

Spa- Malchamps
The length changed several times. The "classic track" = 5,000 km.

[Frank S]

I've just done a Web page from parts of the October, 1955 issue of Road & Track. Something for everyone there, including
· Buffalo Bill Mountain Hill Climb
· Maryhill Loops Hill Climb
Road & Track, October 1955

Also tendered in this amazing Volume 7, No. 2, are:

· A withering critique of Torrey Pines' organizers (and pictures of Carroll Shelby, Pete Lovely, Phil Hill, Paul O'Shea, Tom Bamford, and Bill Murphy in action);
· Beverly, MA · Hawaiian · Los Angeles Hansen Dam Sports Car Races
· A one-page report on a Put-In-Bay race, complete with a (blurred) photo of "Cemetary Corner."
and
· Marketplace Classifieds
· Technical Correspondence
· Autobooks Advertisement

If you see anything interesting on the Table of Contents that doesn't appear on the page, I can probably get it to you in a day or two.


Frank S

[Darren Galpin]

Thanks Frank!

[Frank S]

Here's one I had forgotten:
Jerome, AZ Hill Climb SCG 1959

And my Impression of Jerome, AZ, made on the basis of observations from the cockpit of an MGTD, driven with due haste down the Oak Creek Canyon and across the desert, well after midnight on a spring date in 1958 or so:


The Lights Of Jerome
--

Damn' fish tank is talking to me.

Its voice is bubbled out through dual filters. It speaks in a fragmented, incomprehensible, conversational tone.

The lights of Jerome AZ, the ones on the side of a mountain. They were trying to spell something.

Just as I concentrated on those lights and saw them shift through and away from a meaningful pattern before I could grasp it, I listen hard to the fish tank. I never quite get what it is saying.

I wonder if there is a shortcoming in my perception. Are the fish tank's messages laden and fully formed? Are they not well enough articulated? Enunciated.

Are the contents, if any, still available for interpretation and understanding? Are they lost forever if I am not at present an appropriate or capable receptor?

What increment of valence or ken, or decrement of inhibition could complete the connection? Is neither of us ready? Just one of us deficient in some way?

Are we or one of us early, or too late? What half-beat in our histories upsets the phasing?

The lights of Jerome. They were, after a fashion, all in a row. Street lamps on a steep road that doubled back, and back, and back again, up the mountainside.

When I tracked them down they were 4-AM gleeful, laughing with me through the racketing exhaust note that sought and was repelled by false-front stores on empty, skewed sidewalks.

I think the fish tank is a little more serious. Urgent.

Listen. There.

Hear that?



Frank S

[Stephen W]

Venues that have hosted British Hillclimb Championship rounds:

Bo'ness; Shelsley Walsh; Bouley Bay; Craigantlet; Prescott; Rest & Be Thankful; Westbrook Hay; Great Auclum; Stapleford; Wiscombe Park; Barbon Manor; Dyrham Park; Loton Park; Harewood; Longleat; Doune; Fintray; Gurston Down; Le Val Des Terres; Lerghy Frissel; Pontypool Park; and Tholt-y-Will.

Of these Shelsley Walsh, Bouley Bay, Craigantlet, Prescott, Wiscombe Park, Barbon Manor, Loton Park, Harewood, Doune, Gurston Down and Le Val des Terres all still host championship rounds whilst Longleat, Fintray and Lerghy Frissel retain their licences and still run club hillclimbs.

[RS2000]

Originally posted by Darren Galpin
Some Belgian venues now. Can anyone supply any info on these?

Firstly, pre-WW2 venues: (shows date I think they were first used)
Côte de la Citadelles, Namur - 1901
Côte Spa-Malchamps - 1900
Côte de Wavre - 1923
Côte a Ciney - 1924
Côte de Bertrix - 1926
Côte de Mont-Theux - 1923
Côte de Huy - 1947


Others:
Côte de Laroche
Côte de l'M. de Bomeree
Leffe-Dinant
Côte des Fagnes
Côte de Houyet
Andenne
Côte de Durnal
Côte de Felenne
Côte de La Roche en Ardennes
Côte de Alle S/Semois
Côte de Marchin
Côte de Grandcourt
Côte de Grandpont
Côte de 36 tournants (Engis).


In addition, this time in France:
Côte de Wimille, nr Boulogne, used in 1928

And, in Luxembourg:
Côte de Lorentzweiler

"Citadelle de Namur" was still in use in the 80s (and beyond?)(but not now) and was still running single seaters then. This was surprising since it was almost entirely a cobbled surface! Ran from near river level via hairpins to near top of the Citadelle. It is still used as part of a stage on the Rallye de Wallonie (and was hairy enough in a rally car when I competed there in the 80s...).

[Peter Leversedge]

Graigmore New Zealand, does any one know if is still held and if not when the last time the event was held

[RS2000]

Just been reminded that Rallye de Wallonie is actually this weekend - and in the historic section the Steve Stringer Lotus Sunbeam and the Kevin Hasleden Mini Cooper should be seen on the former hill climb course stage of Citadelle de Namur.

[RS2000]

Originally posted by Peter Leversedge
Graigmore New Zealand, does any one know if is still held and if not when the last time the event was held

Afraid I don't know the locality - but a UK hillclimb/sprint acquaintance has just been to visit his best friend who moved home to Dunedin and he reported 14 hill climb venues within 30Km and entry fees in the region of £15! He is now planing to emigrate there....

[David McKinney]

Craigmore was near Timaru - more like 200km from Dunedin
Sorry I can't help with your query, Peter. I thought it stopped some time in the mid/late '60s but now find there was an event as late as 1975 - don't know how much later than that it ran

[Peter Leversedge]

David I competed at Graigmore in a car that I built in 1973 [ a Chev V8 powered supper modified ] but I can't remember what year, maybe 1974 or 1975. At the time Maurice Stanton [ Stanton Corvette ] held the outright record witch I bettered and then Leo Leonard bettered my time in a rally car!! Although that was the last time I competed there I am sure that the event was held for some years afterwards

[D-Type]

In about 1969 I attended a Scottish Championship Hillclimb at the Kinkell Braes caravan site in St Andrews. This was on the roads through the caravan site so it must have been late in the year after the tourist season was over. Google map etc show the site is still there but I'm not sure which of the roads were used.

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by Peter Leversedge
David I competed at Graigmore in a car that I built in 1973 [ a Chev V8 powered supper modified ] but I can't remember what year, maybe 1974 or 1975. At the time Maurice Stanton [ Stanton Corvette ] held the outright record witch I bettered and then Leo Leonard bettered my time in a rally car!! Although that was the last time I competed there I am sure that the event was held for some years afterwards

That was the 2 March 1975 Gold Star round, which Leo won in his Dastusn 1200SSS. The Stanton record had stood since 1961

[bob grosseteste]

Hello! Please can you contact me by e-mail on: bobgrosseteste@gmail.com
Thank you

[bob grosseteste]

Hello! I'm having difficulty in posting my 10 cents worth. Let's try again.

I'm hoping someone out there remembers the hillclimb venue at Castel Farm, near Bridgend in South Wales, UK. These meetings were organised from mid 1950s - late 60s/early 70s by SWAC - South Wales Automobile Club and the Swansea Motor Club. Local drivers included Peter 'Taffy' Cottrell (Lotus 15, Felday Daimler and Gilbern), Ken Wilson (Knobbly Lister Jag & BRM), Maurice Charles (D-type Jag) and members of the Boshier-Jones clan. Tommy Pascoe (Porshe 356, reg. no. TP 150) also springs to mind.

[Tom MacMillan]

Originally posted by D-Type
In about 1969 I attended a Scottish Championship Hillclimb at the Kinkell Braes caravan site in St Andrews. This was on the roads through the caravan site so it must have been late in the year after the tourist season was over. Google map etc show the site is still there but I'm not sure which of the roads were used.

The last meeting to be held at Kinkell Braes was on 13th October 1979. The venue was replaced by Strathclyde Park, now also sadly no more.

[richardspringett]

Hi

Does anyone have info on Schaan, Lichtenstein? Definately running hill climbs in 1964 but no other info.

Would love to see entry list/results or source for 1964....

Thanks Richard

[Allan Lupton]

Schaan itself looks as if it is on one of the flat bits of Liechtenstein, which with so much mountain around seems a waste. Must have used one of the nice-looking dead-end tracks up the hill to the East, I suppose . . .

[MCS]

What superb pictures, Steve

More please !!

[Peter Leversedge]

I liked Graigmore near Timaru New Zealand which was a single surface as were a large nimber of hill climbs in NZ. It was held maybe twice a year from the late 50's to sometime in the late 70's> I guess I liked it because I did quite well on a number of times I competed there and even broke the outright record which had been held by Maurice Stanton but it did not go in the record book because Leo Leonard bettered my time the same day. Another time Brent Hawes & Leo Leonard where driving the same car and I split there time for 2nd fast time. I can't remember if it was Brent or Leo got FTD

[Terry Walker]

There's a scan of the official Mount Brown, York hillclimb map on mywebsite you can have.

www.terrywalkersplace.com then look under "articles".

[Twister]

Our South Australian hillclimb - Collingrove - may be of interest. Go here - http://www.sportingcarclubsa.org.au/ - and click the Motor Sport link through to Collingrove.

or try collingrovehillclimb.com.au

Edited by Twister, 14 January 2010 - 22:06.

[fbarrett]

Friends:

Am surprised that no one has yet mentioned Pikes Peak in Colorado, first run in 1916 and still going. See Pikes Peak.

Other Colorado hillclimbs are still held (need to find a list), then there's the venerable Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association, which ran at Hershey, Giant's Despair, etc.

Then there was--and maybe still is--the Ten Sleep Hillclimb near Worland, Wyoming.

Frank

Edited by fbarrett, 15 January 2010 - 00:54.

[Stephen W]

What superb pictures, Steve

More please !!

I must apologise for the disappearance of the photos - this was due to some housekeeping so am posting some additional ones as well:


Branislav Sudjic in his Stutz Speedster at the 2009 Bo'ness Revival Hill Climb Meeting


Peter Moores in his Austin 7 Special at Prescott in 1976


Peter Matthews in his Mallock U2 at Doune in 1971


Tim Cameron in his Cooper Mk2 at Loton Park in 1989


SHK Butcher in his Talbot leaves the startline at Barbon in 1982


Wiscombe Park 1989


Martin Stretton in a Fraser Nash at Shelsley Walsh August 1981


Scammonden Dam 1975


Chris Cramer in his March at Harewood 1974

[MCS]

Peter Matthews in his Mallock U2 at Doune in 1971

Great stuff as ever, Steve - thanks. But the watermark is a bit obtrusive if you don't mind me saying.

[Stephen W]

Great stuff as ever, Steve - thanks. But the watermark is a bit obtrusive if you don't mind me saying.

They are off the webiste I use to sell my photos, hence the watermark.

[MCS]

They are off the webiste I use to sell my photos, hence the watermark.

Ooh, really? What's the url then?

[Stephen W]

Ooh, really? What's the url then?

www.photoboxgallery.com/3013010