IMAGINE sitting in an open-topped sports car. Stretching out in front of you are 1,000 yards of single-track, tarmac road: sinuous, uphill and closed to all other traffic. There are no speed limits as you are on a private country estate. The tarmac is yours alone to enjoy. For me that dream became reality. My car was a three-liter Morgan Roadster Lightweight and the place was Shelsley Walsh, a legendary motorsport venue in rural Worcestershire whose first event was held in 1905, meaning it predates the likes of Indianapolis (1909), Monza (1922) and Le Mans (1923). What car would you choose? And where would you like to experience your thrill on a hill?
My need for speed was first satisfied at Shelsley Walsh by taking part in a hillclimb school. The day started in the classroom and ended with multiple runs up the hill, trying to learn the best racing lines and braking points while having fun. There was no one else on track with me, so I could drive at my own pace. While my Morgan was in full race trim, all roadworthy cars were welcome, with most others taking part in normal family saloons and even the odd 4x4. There was an equally enjoyable day at the Prescott hillclimb school, set in 69 acres of glorious Cotswold countryside.
While most participants simply want to experience the exhilaration of driving at a famous venue, my ultimate aim was to compete. This I did at Shelsley's Autumn Speed Finale. That is when the strange mix of adrenaline, anticipation and anxiety kicks in. What if I am really slow? Or too fast and find myself in an unforgiving barrier? Will I make a small mistake: a lift of the throttle too early; a fluffed gear change; a lock of the brakes; or miss an apex? Any error will impact on the time it takes me to complete the course. All these thoughts whirl through my mind as I sit on the start line. Then the lights go out, I increase the revs and drop the clutch.
THE ROOTS OF HILLCLIMBING
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Rory Stewart - The former Cabinet minister and hit podcast host talks to Alec Marsh about the parlous state of British politics, land management and his deep love of the countryside
The gently spoken 51-year-old former Conservative Cabinet minister is a countryman at heart. That's clear: he even changes into a tweed waistcoat for the interview, which takes place at his London home and begins with a question about his precise career status. Having resigned from the Commons and the Conservative Party in 2019, the former diplomat and soldier has reinvented himself, first with an unconventional but promising run as an independent for the London mayoralty (abandoned because of COVID19 in 2020) and then as a media figure, co-hosting one of the country's most popular podcasts, The Rest Is Politics, alongside Alastair Campbell, the former Labour spin doctor.
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