Sunday 4 June 2023 - Another Visit to Shelsley Walsh Hill Climb

Shelsley Walsh is the oldest motorsport venue in the world still to run events on the original course and is older than Indianapolis, Le Mans or Monza.

Sunday was the perfect day for a visit. Sue's mum and dad joined us, travelling in the MG pictured above. If I'd still had my 1972 Ford Capri, I'd have come in that. It was a rather better version than the yellow object in the photo - mine was bright blue with a black vinyl roof, pictured below on a trip to Istanbul. Happy Days!

Back in the Shelsley paddock, a selection of vehicles was preparing to storm up the hill, whilst we enjoyed breakfast in the sunshine.

Visitors' vehicles were duly admired. My first car was a green version of the Mini pictured below.

Sue and I went up the hill to watch from a selection of vantage points. It's steeper than it looks!

At the top there are good views across Worcestershire from a lovely buttercup meadow.

The commentators have an encyclopaedic knowledge of everyone and their cars who are competing, from cleverly placed boxes on the course.

Buzzards circled continuously overhead.

We settled down to watch from a few spots on the hill.

This tatty Austin Seven took pride of place amongst the visiting Jaguars and Ferraris. Our friend Barry had one of these for a while. He only just fitted into it. It had a roof.

After our alfresco lunch we pottered off, back up the hill.

The next picture is for Conrad (Sir Hugh) - albeit I know it's not quite the model of company car in which he used to go racing.

There were some very powerful motors on show - these get up the hill in as fast as 23 seconds, whereas the slower racers take over 40 seconds.

That was a lovely day out.

Sadly we missed Mike Dunne's Memorial Run at Wythenshawe (see previous blog entry), but he was in our thoughts as Sue and I completed a virtual 5km up and down the hilly course, taking over an hour.