Doune Hillclimb – a guide for spectator photographers

Address: A84 Doune, Stirling, Scotland, FK16 6HF

Lat: 56.201691 Long: -4.071786

Website: www.dounehillclimb.co.uk

Where to take photos at Doune Hillclimb

22 July 2021

Doune is a hillclimb located on the A84 about a mile west of the village of Doune itself on the right hand side just before you reach Buchany.

This photographic guide will take you around the hillclimb using the maps and pictures below as a guide. The areas indicated on the map will have a corresponding example of the type of shot you can expect to get at each location.

You will need a standard motorsports 70-200mm zoom lens and it is highly recommended that you also have a superzoom to hand. 

David Harbey visited Doune, this is his report.

The best laid plans …. With the impact of the pandemic, the decision had been taken to abandon attempts to go to Le Mans and Nurburgring for 2021.

However, that particular cloud had a silver lining – a northern road trip which included a first visit to Doune Hillclimb for the British Championship rounds in June.

However, as the months rolled on and lockdowns came and stayed, it was looking unlikely that the event would be open to spectators.

An email to the organisers, Lothian Car Club resulted in a late call just before we left Milton Keynes to agree that I could attend on Sunday to compile this guide. “Fill in the online signing on form and report to the Media Co-ordinator at 8.15 on Sunday morning” – which I did.

Doune Hillclimb is between Stirling and Callander and runs, nay hides even, behind an Antiques Centre. A simple looking, very narrow road heads up the hill for 1,350 excitement filled metres.

The map on the Doune Hillclimb website gives NO idea whatsoever what is to come.

Overview Area A - E

Spectators (and I restricted myself to those areas for the purposes of this guide) take a path to the right and above the narrow, Armco lined strip of tarmac from the start (A) to Junction (E).

Area B Spectator Path

At first this is relatively open with views up and down the course (B).

Area C Oak Tree

Then at Oak Tree (C) the trees on the left of the course are heavier and overhang.

Area D Garden Gate

Just beyond Garden Gate (D) there are trees both sides of the course giving a really dark tunnel and fabulous impression of the speed of the quickest cars as the branches of the trees were left blowing around in their wake

Area E Junction and F East Brae (Meadow)

Approaching Junction (E), the Meadow opens up with a view across to East Brae (F). A simple course map however gives no idea of the short, very steep climb to East Brae.

The Meadow might conjure up visions of the Von Trapp children skipping along singing a happy song. The bountiful presence of bullrushes indicated a rather squelchier affair – and there were definitely bovine residents of the Meadow before I got there !

Area F Meadow

At the top of the hill the course turns sharper right than is apparent, so there needs to be a fine balance between speed up the hill and making the corner at the top.

Area G Esses

Walking further to (G), as far as I could go as a spectator, there is a neat shot through the trees as the competitors take the Esses before the short blast to the finish line.

Equipment wise, I stuck with the 70-200mm zoom all day, although there would have been benefit in having the 200-500mm zoom for head on shots.

Doune is known as “The King of Hills” – with the early dampness under the trees, the incredibly narrow course and the need to get East Brae just right to get a top time, I am not going to argue. On Sunday we saw three new hill records set !

From the driver’s seat …

Don’t take my word for it – Caroline Ryder was competing on Doune for the first time, having previously been there to support son, Matt.

“Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend and would be keen to go back again. Having been before but not competed, I thought I knew what I was letting myself in for.

However, I wasn’t prepared for the immense thrill that I got from just getting to the top each time, regardless of what time I had done.

My initial goal was to get below 60 seconds, which I managed on my first run in the damp with a 58 second run, so I quickly reduced my target to below 50 seconds and by the end of the weekend I had got down to a 46.40. There is still a long way to go and of course it becomes more difficult as you progress but it’s an immense hill and I can’t wait to go back.

To go up this hill at the speeds that the Top 12 do is definitely not for the faint hearted !”

My thanks to Lothian Car Club for allowing me to attend; it was a privilege to see cars in action on the hill.  I hope that this report inspires you to go and watch action at Doune – the next meeting is in September.

You can see more of Davids work by following the links below. Full galleries for Rounds 11 and 12 of the British Hillclimb Championship at Doune can be found on Davids Flickr account.