Rest and Be Thankful Speed Hill Climb
Rest and Be Thankful Hill Climb is a disused hillclimbing course in Glen Croe, Argyll, Scotland. The first known use of the road for a hillclimb was in 1906. The event used to count towards the British Hill Climb Championship.
In 1952 Motor Sport described the course: "The three danger spots on this course which is 1,425 yards long, and rises over 400 feet, are Stone Bridge, Cobblers Corner and the hairpin bend at the finish and of course there is always the occasional sheep that has to be driven off the road."
On 1 July 1961 Jackie Stewart drove a Ford 105E-engined Marcos at an event here. He said: "it's a special place for me, the cradle of my life in motor racing."
In 1970 Motor wrote:
"The Rest, the famous Scottish Rest and Be Thankful Hill climb, will be used for the last time this year. Like many long established venues, time has overtaken it from the safety angle. A lot of money needs to be spent on barriers and banks and the Royal Scottish Automobile Club who run the National Open Hill Climb there say it will cost far too much; so this year it will only be used by clubs for restricted events and then no more."
The venue has also been used for rally special stages and classic car events. The "Friends of the Rest" are working to revive the course.
In September 2018 a project to establish a Scottish Motorsport Heritage Centre at the Rest and Be Thankful was granted official charitable status.
The Scottish Charity Regulator OSCR has approved the project which would pay tribute to the Scottish motorsport heroes of the past – and present.
It’s planned to be established near the classic hairpin at the top of the Rest which has been an iconic motorsport location for many years in hillclimb, international rallying and motorbike events.
The project is the brainchild of Douglas Anderson, the Dundee man responsible for the return of the Monte Carlo Rally to Scotland over recent years. His vision is that the centre, on the dramatic hillside, would breathe new life into the popular stopping place and bring tourism spend and jobs to local communities as well as acknowledge the Rest as one of the most important motorsport locations in Scotland.
"The location of the proposed building at the Rest and Be Thankful, Argyll, has great significance in motorsport terms because of the famous hill climb races and international rallies,” said Douglas.
“It was seen as the ultimate test for drivers in many ways because of the steepness and conditions and many greats like Jackie Stewart raced
there. It is therefore the ideal place to celebrate Scotland's impressive motorsport heritage.
"The idea is to mark that connection within a permanent exhibition space but the project itself is much more than that. The building would be a multi-use facility which could be used by the local community for film, business and cultural events and there would also be retail and a restaurant area."
"There would be jobs in the construction phase and full and part-time local jobs when complete.”
The concept has already been given the backing of F1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, multiple British Touring Car Champion John Cleland and veteran Scottish rally driver Jimmy McRae.
Rest and Be Thankful Hill Climb past winners
| Year | Driver | Vehicle | Time | Notes |
| 1906 | Broome White | Mercedes 60 h.p. | 2m 19sec | Distance about 1 mile. |
| 1949 | Raymond Mays | E.R.A. | 68.00 sec | 9 July; 1,800 yards. |
| 1950 | Dennis Poore | Alfa Romeo #65 | 57.60 sec | 1 July. |
| 1951 | Dennis Poore | Alfa Romeo | 56.32 sec | 7 July; 1,425 yards; wet. |
| 1952 | Ken Wharton | Cooper | 54.23 sec R | 5 July; 1,425 yards; fine. |
| 1953 | Michael Christie | Cooper-J.A.P. 1,100 c.c. | 55.81 sec | 4 July. |
| 1954 | Michael Christie | Cooper 1,098 c.c. s/c | 63.87 sec | 3 July; 1,425 yards; wet. |
| 1955 | Tony Marsh | Cooper #96 | 56.12 sec | |
| 1956 | Tony Marsh | Cooper 1,100 c.c. | 53.75 sec R | |
| 1957 | Tony Marsh | Cooper-J.A.P. | 56.31 sec | Showers. |
| 1958 | David Boshier-Jones | Cooper-J.A.P. | 53.82 sec | |
| 1959 | David Boshier-Jones | Cooper-J.A.P. | 55.45 sec | 4 July. |
| 1960 | David Boshier-Jones | Cooper-J.A.P. | 52.05 sec | 1 July. |
| 1961 | Tony Marsh | Lotus-Climax 1,500 c.c. | 54.04 sec | 1 July, wet to sunny. |
| 1962 | Tony Marsh | Marsh Special | 52.52 sec | |
| 1963 | Peter Westbury | Felday-Daimler 2.6-litre s/c | 29 June. | |
| 1964 | 27 June. | |||
| 1965 | Peter Meldrum | Lotus 20-Allard s/c | ||
| 1966 | Peter Boshier-Jones | Lotus-Climax 1,200 c.c. | 50.88 sec | 2 July. |
| 1967 | Tony Marsh | Marsh Special | 2 July. | |
| 1968 | Martin Brain | Cooper T81B F1-1-67-Chrysler V8 7.2-litre | 29 June. | |
| 1969 | David Hepworth | Hepworth Traco FF Chevrolet 4.5-litre | 53.07 sec | |
| 1970 | Ted Clark | Lotus 51 | 55.26 sec | 16 May. Round 2 of the inaugural Scottish Hillclimb Championship. |
| 1970 | Jim Dickson | BVRT Mini | 58.63 sec | 12 September. Round 5 of the inaugural Scottish Hillclimb Championship. Final hillclimb event at the Rest and Be Thankful. |
Key: R = Course Record.