GB & Ireland Hillclimb Venues
Angel Bank
0.5 mile course used in 1922.
Aston Clinton
Located near Aylesbury on a public road which ran through the estate of Alfred de Rothchild. It
was first used in 1904, over a 0.75 mile length. A 750 yd version was used in 1921, a 1200 yd
course in 1922, and both 1400 yds and 968.5 yds in 1923.
Baitings Dam
A narrow, bumpy and steep, circa 400m course on dam access roads located two miles outside of Ripponden off the A58.
Used from 1966-2002.
Balkum's Hill
Located in Gouldhurst, Kent, and used in 1923.
Ballyallaban
A 2.2 mile hillclimb in County Clare, Ireland. Used at least from late 1990s onwards.
Barbon Manor
Located near Kirkby, Cumbria. Used since 1960 - 890 yards long.
Beacon Hill
Located near Woodhouse Eaves in Leicestershire, this 1300 yard hillclimb was used in the 1920s.
Benbradagh
First used in 1977. Located in County Londonderry.
Blandford
A half-mile course used in 1948.
Bodium
Located on the grounds of Bodium New House Farm in Sussex, it was used in the 1950s.
Bo'ness
A half-mile course. First used in 1934 Bo'ness is short for Boroughstounness, the name
of the nearby town. The climb is situated on the Kinneil Estate originally owned by the
Duke of Hamilton. It hosted the first ever round of the British Hill Climb Championships
in 1947.
Bore Hill
Located near Dorking and used in the 1920s.
Bottledown
Used by the Essex County & Southend Aero Club on the 28th June 1924.
Bouley Bay
Hillclimb venue in Jersey. It is the entrance road to a hotel, so if you
are staying there when a round of the British championship is held, you
can't drive out.
Brunton
A 1/3 mile course used in the 1940s and 1950s. Located in Wiltshire near the villages of Ludgershall, Collingbourne Dulcis and Collingbourne Kingston, it started in a farmyard, with the start banner slung between two barns, one of which housed the timekeepers.
Caerphilly
A 1,194 yard long course with an average gradient of 1-in-8.6, which rose
to 1-in-6.2, when the first open event was staged on September 11, 1907.
Cairn Castle
First used in 1967. Located 6 miles north of Larne, County Antrim.
Castel Coch
Known as Red Castle in English, it is located in the Taff Valley to the north of Cardiff.
Castel Farm
Venue run by the Swansea Motor Club from the mid-1950s to the late 1960s.
Castle Howard
Used in the 1960s and 1970s. Was 750 yards long, with three corners.
Catsash
South Wales hillclimb used in the 1920s.
Chalfont St Peter
Hillclimb used in the 1930s.
Chatcombe
A 0.5 mile hillclimb near Cheltenham used in the 1920s.
Chevin
A 1 km hillclimb located near Otley, used in the 1920s.
Coulsdon
0.5 mile hillclimb used by the Epsom Motor Club on the 11th August 1923.
Craigantlet
First used in 1947, and still used today, located near Stormont in Belfast.
Cricket St Thomas
Located in the grounds of a wildlife park, near Chard in Somerset. Used 1980-1998.
Croft
First used in 1977, it is located on the Creighton Green Road, 1.5 miles from
Holywood, County Down.
Cultra
First used in 1905, it is located 2 miles east of Holywood, County Down.
Dalgain Brae
Used by the Scottish-Western MC in 1923 and 1924.
Darnacle and Waterworks
Located in Northaw, London, this 600 yd course was used in 1923.
Dean Hill
A 0.75 mile hillclimb used in the 1920s.
Deemster Lane
Located in Saffron Walden, this 700 yard hillclimb was used on the 16th April 1923 by the Disabled Drivers' Motor Club, with N.Black winning in a GN in a time of 30.4s. It was used again in 1924.
Ditcham
An 880 yard climb near Petersfield used from June 1968 to September 1972.
Doune
Located near Stirling, Scotland, on the estate of
the Earl of Moray. The track is just under a mile long at 1680 yards.
Druids Temple
A 0.5 mile course used on the 14th May 1923 by the Inverness & District Motor Club.
Drumhorc
Located four miles from Banbridge, County Down.
Dyrham Park
The course is the front drive of the Dyrham Park manor house, situated to the north of Bath on the A46.
It was used by the Bristol Motor Club in the 1960s, and was part of the British Hillclimb Championship
in 1963, 1964 and 1966. The course was 800 yards long - the holding area was in front of the manor
house, and the paddock was at the top of the hill on the right hand side, now a tourist car-park. The
venue stopped being used after Ian Swift put his Cooper-Ford into, or more up a tree at Neptune (named
after the statue at the apex of the hill to the left of the course). The smaller image to the right
shows contour lines (one per 10m), to give an indication of the steepness.
Eagle's Rock
First used in 1967, it is located 5 miles north-west of Coleraine, County
Londonderry.
Ely Grange
A 1100 yard course on the Ely Grange estate in Frant, East Sussex, used for a one-off event on the 19th October 1974.
Epynt
First used on the 17th June 2007. It is 1650m long, climbing through 130m.
Everton Brow
Used in 1896 by the Liverpool Self-propelled Traffic Association, a forerunner of the Liverpool Motor Club.
Finlake Park
Located just outside of Chudleigh Knighton (south Devon) in the grounds of
a holiday park, it was first used in the mid-1990s.
Fintray
Located on the banks of the river Don to the north of Aberdeen airport.
First used in 1966.
Firle
Located in the Sussex Downs near Eastbourne, Firle was used by the Bentley Drivers' Club on the 4th September 1955.
Forrestburn
Scottish hillclimb venue located just of the M8 near the Harthill Service area.
Fort Tourgis
Hillclimb venue located on the island of Alderney. The climb was 845m long, but was shortened
for 2001.
Garron Point
Located 4 miles north of Carnlough, County Antrim.
Garrowby
Yorkshire based hillclimb used in the 1920s.
Gorcott Hill
Located on the Birmingham-Alcester Road, the Midland Automobile Club organised
events here in 1901 and 1902.
Great Auclum
This hillclimb, which varied in length (mostly over 400 yds - it was 600 yds
in 1948), was used between 1938 and 1974. The two pre-WW2 meetings were
organised by the Sporting Owner Drivers Club (1938) and the Frazer Nash-BMW
Car Club (1939). All post war meetings were organised by the Hampshire and
Berkshire Motor Club.
Greenhow Hill
A 1 mile course used by the Junior Car Club on the 23rd June 1923.
Greymare
Greymare, near the Bodmin Road, was a 0.5 mile course used on the 9th September 1922.
Gurston Down
Used since 1967 - 1057 yards long.
Haggerston
May have been a hillclimb, may have been a sprint venue. Used in the 1930s, it was
based on the Haggerston estate in Northumbria.
Handpost
Located near Northaw, used in the 1920s.
Harewood
Originally 1448m long, extended to 1584m in the 1990s. Located near Leeds, and
used since 1967.
Harleyford
A 800 yd course on the Harleyford Estate on the banks of the Thames near Marlow. It was used in September 1958.
Holme Moss
Located near Huddersfield and used in the 1920s.
Howcleugh
A 1/2 mile climb on the now disused Glasgow to Carlisle road used twice, in 1937 and 1938. The
course crossed a bridge which was deemed unsafe for competition, causing the abandonment of the
venue.
Irondown
An 800 yd hillclimb near Diddington, used in the 1920s.
Keckwick Hill
Used in the 1920s, located near Warrington.
Kidd's Hill
A mile course near Hartfield used in 1922.
Kingdown Hill
A 0.5 mile climb on the outskirts of Bath, used in the 1920s.
Kinkell Braes
A hillclimb based on the roads through a caravan park near St Andrews in Scotland. It was used in the late 1960s.
Knockagh
Located near Belfast, used in the 1950s.
Kop
Located in Essex, public road events were cancelled after an accident on
this 902 yd hill in March 1925. A spectator was run over, and his leg broken - events
on public roads were banned thereafter.
Leighton Hall
Based on the main road leading to Leighton Hall manor house. Last used in 1969 after local
objections.
Lhergy Frissel
Used from 1994-1998, located on the Isle of Man.
Lisdoonvarna
Located in County Clare, Ireland. Was used in the 1950s.
Llinegar
Hillclimb near Mostyn, first used Easter Monday 1923, and last on the 21st April 1924. It was
1056 yards long.
Longleat
First used in the 1960s for national championship
events, it was revived as a venue in 1991.
Loton Park
Loton Park a deer park owned by Sir Michael Leighton, located near
the village of Alberbury, 8 miles west of Shrewsbury on the B4393 off the A458.
The course is 1349m long with an average gradient of 1 in 25 (4%), the
steepest being 1 in 7 (14%).
Lydstep
Welsh hillclimb used in the 1950s.
Manor Farm
An approximately 550m course first used for cars by the Woolbridge Motor Club in 2010 - it had
previously been used for motorcycles. Located in the Manor Farm Holiday Park outside of Charmouth,
Dorset.
Naish Hill
The site of the first timed speed event by the RAC after World War II, Naish
Hill was used on the 18th August 1945, and was 800 yards long. The road was loose surfaced,
and was on the land of Naish House, to the south of Clapton in Gordano (west of Bristol and
south of Portishead). The hairpins were later concreted. The M5 now truncates the course.
Newlands Corner
A 0.5 mile hillclimb in Surrey used in the 1920s.
Oddicombe
Oddicombe was first used in the early 1960s, when the 650yd course went
from the beach alongside the cliff railway. The track is very narrow and bumpy,
with racing cars over 1600cc not being allowed to run on the course. The modern
course is 850yds long.
Pateley Bridge
A hillclimb used by the Junior Car Club on the 22nd July 1922.
Pebblecoombe Hill
Used by the Ealing & District Motor Club in the 1920s.
Penkridge Bank
Hillclimb used in the 1920s.
Penrice Castle
Located on the Gower peninsula in Wales, it was used in the early 1970s.
Pen-y-ball
Hillclimb near Holywell, used in the 1920s. It used a road which is now either side
of the A55.
Pontypool Park
Used from 1972-1977.
Porlock
Uses the Porlock Toll Road in north Somerset.
Post Hill
Located near Farnley.
Prescott
Located near Cheltenham. Used continually since 1938, it opened as an 880 yard
course with an added loop which took the course length to 1127 yards.
Redland Hill
Located near Dorking, it was used in the 1920s.
Rest and be Thankful
Originally 1 mile course, later reduced to 1475 yards. The hill starts in Glen Croe (Scotland) and goes up Ben Arthur. Used before World War II, it was later paved, and used until 1970.
Ringinglowe Road
A 0.5 mile hillclimb near Sheffield, used in 1922 and 1923.
Ringland Hill
Located near Norwich, this hillclimb was used in 1922 when it was won by the lady driver Maitland Keddie in an Alvis.
Rotherfield Park
Located near Alton in Hampshire, used from 1988-1992.
Rushup Edge
A 0.5 mile hillclimb located near Chapel-en-le-Frith, used in the 1920s.
Saltersford
A 1166 yard course near Bollington, used in 1922.
Scammonden Dam
A 550 yard course using the service road behind Scammonden Dam near Huddersfield. It has been in use since the 1970s.
Sharnden Hill
Located in Mayfield, Kent, it was used on the 18th August 1923.
South Harting
A 1 mile hill near Midhurst, used in the 1920s.
Shelsley Walsh
Spelga Pass
First used in 1962, located in Northern Ireland.
Spread Eagle
A 0.75 mile hillclimb near Shaftesbury, used in the 1920s.
Stainborough Lowe
A 1100 yd course, used on the 4th July 1907.
Stanmer Park
A 1200 yd course, used 1948.
Stapleford
The perimeter track of the Stapleford Tawney Aerodrome in Essex was used in the 1950s - it was 1320 yards long.
Staxton
Used in the 1920s, located near Scarborough. 0.75 miles long.
Stile Kop
Used in the 1920s.
Storeton
Used in the 1920s, located near Liverpool.
Stricker's Lane
Hillclimb in Garstang, near Blackpool, used in 1922.
Sun Rising Hill
Used in 1902, organised by the Midland Automobile Club.
Sutton Bank
Almost a mile in length, this hillclimb near York was used in the 1920s.
Tholt-y-Will
Used for the British Hillclimb Championship in 1968 and 1969.
Thundersley
Used in the 1920s and located on Church Hill, Thundersley, near Southend.
Tregrehan
A 600 yd course situated on the outskirts of St.Austell, Cornwall.
Trengwainton
Hillclimb in Cornwall used in the 1950s, circa 600m.
Two Church Hill
Located in Laindon, Essex, this 0.75 mile circuit was used in 1922.
Val des Terres
Hillclimb venue in Guernsey.
Watergate Bay
A 720m course which uses a closed section of the B3276 between Padstow and Newquay. It was first used on the 15th-16th September 2018.
Werrington Park
A 1200 yd cours near Launceston.
Westbrook Hay
Ran by the Herts County Automobile & Aero Club in the 1950's and 1960's, it was 650 yards long.
Windmill Hill
Located near Brighton, it was used in the 1920s.
Wiscombe Park
Located near Honiton, Wiscombe Park is the front drive
to the Chichester family home. It is 1000 yds long, with a yump half way along
where faster cars become airborne. Used since the 1950s - it was a shorter length
before 1961.
Woburn
Located on the driveways of Woburn House near Milton Keynes from 1968-1969.