Rest and Be Thankful Hill Climb is a disused hillclimbing course in Glen Croe, on the Cowal Peninsula, in Argyll and Bute, west of Scotland. The first known use of the road for a hillclimb was in 1906. The event used to count towards the British Hill Climb Championship. It is named for the Rest and be thankful, a steep incline, on a section of the old military road in Glen Croe, leading to the pass into Glen Kinglas.
Descriptions
In 1952 Motor Sport described the course: "The three danger spots on this course which is long, and rises over , are Stone Bridge, Cobblers Corner and the hairpin bend at the finish and of course there is always the occasional sheep that has to be driven off the road."Motor Sport, August 1952, Page 361.
On 1 July 1961 Jackie Stewart drove a Ford 105E-engined Marcos at an event here. He said: "it's a special place for me, the cradle of my life in motor racing."Jackie Stewart, Winning is Not Enough: The Autobiography, Headline Book Publishing, 2009, ISBN 9780755315390, Pages 69-70.
In 1970 Motor wrote: "The Rest, the famous Scottish Rest and Be Thankful Hill climb, will be used for the last time this year. Like many long established venues, time has overtaken it from the safety angle. A lot of money needs to be spent on barriers and banks and the Royal Scottish Automobile Club who run the National Open Hill Climb there say it will cost far too much; so this year it will only be used by clubs for restricted events and then no more."Motor, 20 June 1970, Page 58.
The venue has also been used for rally special stages and classic car events. The "Friends of the Rest" are working to revive the course (2009).
In September 2018 a project to establish a Scottish Motorsport Heritage Centre at the Rest and Be Thankful was granted official charitable status.
Past winners
YearDriverVehicleTimeNotes1906Broome WhiteMercedes 60 h.p.2m 19secT.R. Nicholson, Sprint – Speed Hillclimbs and Speed Trials in Britain: 1899-1925, David & Charles, 1969, page 78. See also: Distance about 1 mile.1949Raymond MaysE.R.A.68.00 secMotor Sport, August 1949, Page 319; Split Seconds: My Racing Years by Raymond Mays "ghosted" by Dennis May, G.T. Foulis & Co. Ltd. 1952, Page 291. Also picture Page 161. 9 July; 1,800 yards.1950Dennis PooreAlfa Romeo #6557.60 secMotor Sport, August 1950, Page 370. 1 July.1951Dennis PooreAlfa Romeo56.32 secMotor Sport, January 1952, Page 11. 7 July; 1,425 yards; wet.1952Ken WhartonCooper54.23 sec RMotor Sport, January 1953, Page 10. 5 July; 1,425 yards; fine.1953Michael ChristieCooper-J.A.P. 1,100 c.c.55.81 secMotor Sport, January 1954, Page 7. 4 July. 1954Michael ChristieCooper 1,098 c.c. s/c63.87 secAutosport, 9 July 1954, Pages 52, 54; The Autocar, 9 July 1954, Pages 54-55. 3 July; 1,425 yards; wet.1955Tony MarshCooper #9656.12 secThe Motor, 13 July 1955, Pages 928-929. 1956Tony MarshCooper 1,100 c.c.53.75 sec RThe Manchester Guardian, 9 July 1956, Page 2; Motor Sport, January 1957, Page 15; The Motor Year Book 1957, Temple Press, Page 202.1957Tony MarshCooper-J.A.P.56.31 secAutosport, 5 July 1957, Page 11; Motor Sport, January 1958, Page 22. Showers.1958David Boshier-JonesCooper-J.A.P.53.82 secMotor Sport, January 1959, Page 31.1959David Boshier-JonesCooper-J.A.P.55.45 secThe Autocar, 14 August 1959, Page 30; Motor Sport, January 1960, Page 20. 4 July.1960David Boshier-JonesCooper-J.A.P.52.05 secMotor Sport, August 1960, Page 641. 1 July.1961Tony MarshLotus-Climax 1,500 c.c.54.04 secThe Autocar, 7 July 1961, Page 35; Motor Sport, January 1962, Page 32. 1 July, wet to sunny.1962Tony MarshMarsh Special52.52 secThe Autocar, 6 July 1962; Autosport, 6 July 1962, Pages 24-25. Arthur Owen, Cooper, won the R.A.C. Championship class.1963Peter WestburyFelday-Daimler 2.6-litre s/c Motor Sport, September 1963, Page 678. 29 June.196427 June.1965Peter MeldrumLotus 20-Allard s/cMotor Sport, September 1965, Page 745.1966Peter Boshier-JonesLotus-Climax 1,200 c.c.50.88 secThe Autocar, 15 July 1966, Page 169. Peter Boshier-Jones: "failing by 0.80 sec to beat the record he himself established in the 1964 event." 2 July.1967Tony MarshMarsh SpecialMotor Sport, August 1967, Page 702. 2 July.1968Martin BrainCooper T81B F1-1-67-Chrysler V8 7.2-litreMotor Sport, June 1968, Page 42. 29 June.1969David HepworthHepworth Traco FF Chevrolet 4.5-litre53.07 secMotoring News, 10 July 1969, Page 24.1970 Ted Clark Lotus 51 55.26 secMotor Sports Extra Vol.1 (1970–1984), ed. Jack Davidson, Page 63. 16 May. Round 2 of the inaugural Scottish Hillclimb Championship. Jim Dickson BVRT Mini 58.63 sec 12 September. Round 5 of the inaugural Scottish Hillclimb Championship. Final hillclimb event at the Rest and Be Thankful. Key: R = Course Record.
See also Bo'ness Hill Climb Doune Hillclimb Fintray Hillclimb Forrestburn Hillclimb
Footnotes