The "Lakeland Trial" is an event for vintage cars,
organised by the Vintage
Sports Car Club
The event is based around the North West corner of The Lakes
as one of the enthusiast who started the event lives locally.
There's a day of driving for the participants through forestry
and public roads but the main spectator event is at Honister
where the cars tackle the hill climb to the top of the Honister
Mines.
There's perfect weather for the event today.
This was the view looking up Buttermere Valley
from Hause Point.
There have been lots of vintage cars on the
roads this last few days, all gathering for today's event.
There's a short, off road section through the
woodland adjacent to Wood House on the Buttermere road.
Here the competitors have a mini hill climb
to get them in the mood for the big one at the head of the valley.
The marshall sets them off up the track.
This was an all-lady crew number 170, Rachael
Williams driving a 1930's Austin Seven special.
It's a pretty rough track for such old cars.
Close to the top, where the guy in the yellow
jacket is standing, they have to do a stop and re-start just
at the steepest point of the climb.
Still . . . they made it over and now wait behind
another competitor while he re-joins the main road.
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Richard and I park at the top of Honister Pass,
as the event is centred around the Mine Buildings.
There's a short level section of mine road for
the cars to drive up before they attempt the challenge proper,
a climb up the steep and un-surfaced mine track
towards the top of the fell.
Another 1930's car, number 245 is an Invictor
A type, driven by Patrick Blakeney-Edwards.
He has a local chap as front seat passenger
. . . though he is difficult to see above the dashboard and
folded screen.
BS 9708, competitor number 236, is a 1928 Morris
Oxford Special driven by Michael New.
Presumably he has already completed the climb,
based on the direction he is facing.
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Not all cars here today will be competing . . .
this one looks to clean !
The badge on this older car tells me it is an old
Alvis.
The top of the radiator cap proudly boast
a replica Peter Rabbit mascot.
I presume this owner also has some local connection.
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Richard kindly holds the dogs while I capture
a few photos of the car.
He's looking up the track to see what is going
on higher up.
The best way to find out is to walk up there
ourselves.
245 follows us up to the start control for the
hill section.
Four fellas in this one have a look of anticipation
on their faces.
A Ford Model A . . . driven by charlotte Bowyer,
ably assisted by her enthusiastic female crew.
This is another car expecting its 100 birthday
in just a few years time . . .
A Peugeot190S - Harley Davidson special (driver
Ben Mellors), waiting for his turn to try the hill.
The slight delay is to allow earlier competitors
to descend the hill and so clear the track.
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The event is organised by the Vintage Sports Car
Club
and is well supported by their voluntary marshalls
who supervise the event and radio in results
to the control team.
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The rules are simple . . .
Cars must drive up the coarse and score points
based on how far up the hill they get. The runs are not
timed in any way.
The marshalls note record the number of the
highest flag they pass.
Competitors who come to a halt on the course,
or hit a marker, are scored by the previous flag they have successfully
passed.
The winner is the one with the highest aggregate
score totaled from all the special sections undertaken today.
Time to be heading on up the hill.
A whistle notifies spectators of an approaching
competitor.
This is Derek Brown in his 1931 Austin 7.
. . . going well as he rounds the bend above
us.
Archie Collings in his Austin 7 Ulster replica,
again built in 1930.
Likewise he makes the corner above us despite
the loose surface of the track.
A slight lull in proceedings a we wait for more
competitors.
What goes up . . . must come down . . . and
they take the opportunity to send several cars back down the
coarse.
The Austin 7 Ulster descends, locking wheels
and sliding (hopefully in a controlled manner) on the loose
surface.
The cars are light but the tyres are narrow
so grip on the road is often quite good.
Passengers and 'bouncers' are not allowed to
descend with the cars for safety reasons.
Consequently there are more people walking down
than walked up !
Watchers of the early series of Top Gear may
recognise this gentleman on the left.
We are higher now so the cars taking that same
bend are below us this time.
Successfully passed 11 and climbing well to
flags12 and 13
is Peter Walby in his Bugatti Brescia . . .
car number 144.
Making the bend is Doug Cawley in his Ford Model
A, car number 208.
Sadly the older car on the left was one of the
competitors who failed to make the top and had to retire to
a safe waiting area.
If enthusiasm was what got you to the top, this
crowd would have full marks on every stage !
Sorry, can't identify this one . . . but he's
travelling at speed and kicking up the gravel as he takes the
turn.
[ My seemingly almost encyclopedic knowledge
is purely down to reading an event program kindly offered by
one of the marshalls.]
Richard, the dogs and myself have gradually
made it to the top of the course where we emerge into the sun
once again.
The temperature difference was noticeable now
that we've left the the lower, shaded part of the course.
However the sun causes its own problems for
this Austin 7 Ulster . . .
. . . as both James Painter and his co-driver
both search hard for the road ahead.
No other problems and they made it successfully
to the top and gained full marks on the section.
- - - o o o - - -
As we were this high up the track , we decided
to walk just a little further . . .
Up into the standing stones to where the dogs
could have a run off-lead and we could enjoy the ever expanding
view.
In the distance the Helvellyn Range seems to
have a covering of snow, as did Skiddaw (out of picture).
The blue skies of the earlier part of the day
are fading as the sun begins to set.
This is the picture looking across to the Drum
House and the start of Mosses Trod underneath Brandreth.
The top of Great Gable just shows over the high
ground and it is just brushed by the smallest of high clouds.
Kirk Fell, Wasdale's Red Pike and the start
of the High Stile Ridge form the skyline
as the sun sets into the cloud high over Black
Sail Pass.
We retrace our steps in time to see the Austin
7 descending the course.
We would follow it down and reach the start
point once again
just as the clerk of the course sent the final
car up and then closed the track at the end of the day.
This is an annual event first started in 1969
and a great spectacle if you can make it here on the second
Saturday of November each year.
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Click
here for the Spectator Information Booklet (backspace to
return)
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Technical note: Pictures mainly
taken with my Panasonic Lumix Gx8 camera.
Resized in Photoshop, and built
up on a Dreamweaver web builder.
This site best viewed with
. . . a calendar, to note all the planned events in your life.
Go to Home Page .
. . © RmH . . . Email
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Previous
walk -
8th Nov 2023 - Cogra
with Angela and John
A
previous time up here -
13th November VSCC
Honister
Hill Climb
Next
walk -
12th Nov 2023 - Mockerkin
Mob - Tower Ridge
- - - o o o - - -
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- - - o o o - - -
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- - - o o o - - -
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