EXTENSIVE work to the paddock area at Barbon Manor has taken place this Winter to allow the hill climbs to take place after last year’s cancellation.

After the cancellation of last years MSA British Hillclimb Championship round due to a waterlogged service area, the organising team sought the approval of the landowner, Lord Shuttleworth, to clean out and reinstate the land drains which run across the paddock. Having done this, a roadway was installed to enable competing vehicles to get on and off the track.

Barbon Manor is the venue for one of the oldest hill climbs in the country with the first winner being Brian Crabtree in a supercharged MG in just over 37 seconds in 1951. Nowadays, the top competitors in the MSA Series will cover the same distance in a little over 20 seconds.

Not all the competitors flash past quite so quickly, as there are classes for lots of different types of cars including road-going Mazdas, Caterhams, Formula Fords, as well as for modified and specialist ‘racing cars’.

The winner for the past couple of years has been Kendal’s Jim MacDirmid in his OMS Racing Car. The action starts at 9.30 on Saturday June 9 Children with adults attend for free but dogs and drones cannot be accommodated. More information can be found at www.barbonhillclimb.co.uk