Forrestburn Speed Hill Climb: design and implementation

Design and implementation of Forrestburn Speed Hill Climb – a 1030m hill climb track as part of a proposed international motor racing complex near Kirk o’ Shotts in Central Scotland.

Forrestburn Speed Hill Climb is the first purpose built speed hill climb track to be built in the United Kingdom since the construction of the facility at Brooklands in 1907. It was planned in the early 1990s as the first phase of a larger motor sport complex including international and club circuits accessed from Junction 5 of the M8 Motorway. With its dramatic scenery, remoteness from centres of population but with proximity to the M8, Forrestburn is an ideal location for a motor sport complex.

The hill climb track was built in 1992-93 with financial assistance from Monklands District Council and the European Regional Development Fund. The track was designed to merge with the landscape of the area and looks ‘as if it had always been there’. The hill climb has developed into a popular and successful venue. Over 70 hill climb events have been held at Forrestburn as well as numerous other motor sport events including stages of the Classic Car Rally.

Monklands Sporting Car Club manage the site and organise events there and there are some short video clips on YouTube of various competitors on the track. Here is an example: