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Gurston Down Hill Climb
Camping/RVs
Course
Paddock
Viewing
Overall site layout
For course layouts please see ‘Walking the course’ section
Date of our last visit: August 2024
Location: Wiltshire
Event type: Hillclimb
Address: Gurston Down Hill Climb, Gurston Farm, Broad Chalke, Wiltshire, SP5 5HR
Telephone: 01249 782 417
Website: www.gurstondown.org
Circuit approach: Village/country lanes with final approach via single track road. We drive a large motorhome and trailer rig so we avoid the approach from the A30 (turning left into the site) as it has some very narrow lanes and steep hills. Our preference is to take the level approach from the A354 through Coombe Bissett (turning right into the site)
Circuit entrance: Wide tarmac area
Catering facilities: Permanent café
Toilet facilities: Permanent block
Getting around – level/types of surfaces: Sloping tarmac and grass, with steeper grass or gravel hill to viewing/café area
As a competitor
Organising club: Barc SE
Club website: www.gurstondown.org
Support vehicle/trailer location: Separate sloping grass field just off from the paddock; or the camping area
Paddock surface: Tarmac on a slope
Paddock power: No
Paddock water: Yes
PA announcements: Yes, excellent volume and clarity, plus paddock marshals giving individual signals
Return running type: Batches, at the bottom of the track return to the paddock by going to the left of the barn
Numbered paddock bays: Yes, row letters and individual numbers painted on tarmac
Scrutineering: Stay with your car in your paddock space and the scrutineers will come to you
Timing supplier: www.tsl-timing.com; Your total run time is immediately displayed on an electronic scoreboard at the holding area at the end of the run; plus there is a printable version available from the hut in the top paddock and with 9 timing beams used it gives additional split times for different sections of the track.
Competitor notes: Trailers and support vehicles cannot stay in the paddock during the day. If you should want to leave the site whilst the event is running, you can leave the camping/trailer area by the lane to the left of the barn. It is traditional at this track, that you should thank the marshals by giving them a wave when you are on your final return down from the top paddock at the end of the day.
Camping
Camping permitted before an event: Yes
Camping location: On site – small charge (£10 at our event in 2022)
Camping ground conditions: Grass, to the right side is relatively flat, to the left side it starts to go down a slope.
Camping power: No
Camping water: Yes
Camping approach and entrance: Same as track then off the corner of the paddock.
Of special note: This is one of the very few sites that may also allow you to stay overnight following an event.
As a spectator
Spectator notes: Expect to pay a small entrance fee; but spectators are encouraged and very well cared for with access to the raised seating area when using the café, with electronic scoreboards and live commentary and a grass walking track which goes uphill alongside the track with sections of wooden bench seating.
There is a grass spectator car park on a slope next to the site entrance.
Accessibility
Spectator accessibility notes: As expected with most hill climb sites, very little of it is level, however the paddock surface is tarmac and access to the start line viewing area is on a gentle grass slope. There is a concrete ramp up to the elevated café position where there are also disabled toilets. To move up to other viewing areas further alongside the track is very steep and has difficult terrain. The spectator car park is just before the main site entrance and is on a sloping grass field.
Camping accessibility notes: The camping area is located just off the corner of the paddock, with a relatively level but unprepared access track through the middle. The rest of the area is all rough grass and can be level immediately either side of the access track, but will then start to slope down.
Our experience at this event
Walking the course
Additional gallery
