The history of Coltness

Coltness Car Club was originally formed in 1954 by a bunch of motoring enthusiasts whose tastes were not sufficiently catered for by existing motoring organisations. This was in the days before breathalysers, speed limits and radar guns.

It was also the days of live axles, sliding pillar suspensions, distributors, carburettors and cross-ply tyres. Sadly, we are all a lot more sensible nowadays and the cars have changed, it's only the enthusiasm that remains. In the 50s and 60s, the club specialised in road rallies, and in the later 70s and early 80s introduced a special stage event 'The Coltness Stages' utilising farm roads, private forest roads and quarries in Lanarkshire. Sadly, the fast developing rural landscape gradually reduced the available venues till there was nothing left.

The club then achieved UK-wide acclaim when it introduced the longest hillclimb course in the country at Strathclyde Park. For almost ten years, hillclimbers from all over the UK flocked to Lanarkshire for the 1 mile thrash through the public park. And therein lay the cause of its final demise. The club was unable to reach agreement with Park authorities on the adoption of required motor sports safety measures. The authorities would not allow us to remove trees which were too close to the track or install armco barrier. The club therefore had no option but to cease hillcliming at this super venue and challenging track.

We bounced back in 1994 ( After trying to run an event in 1993 but being thwarted by non motorsport believers!) when Coltness Car Club took over the running of the Old Border Counties Rally, a counter in the national Scottish Rally Championship. Thus was born the Colin McRae Forest Stages rally. Happiness was restored and reigned again, the Bears were back in their spiritual home - the woods!