Epic rally with epic past

The 1000 Mile Trial dates back to 1900. There’s still time to prepare for the 2016 running of this award-winning event

MUD, BLOOD, OIL, goggles, tweed and speed – the fourth running of the Historic Endurance Rally Organisation’s (HERO) Royal Automobile Club 1000 Mile Trial is a barmy British motoring event of the first order. You don’t have to be mad to take part in the oldest 1000 Mile Trial ever, but it certainly helps.

Winner of the International Historic Motoring Awards ‘Rally of the Year’ in 2014 and 2015, as well as winner of the 2015 FIA ‘FMC Heritage Cup’ award, the RAC 1000 Mile Trial is one of the best events for pre-war motor cars you will ever experience.

This grand motoring adventure starts on 11 July with dinner on The Royal Yacht Britannia, Edinburgh, finishing five full-on days later at the RAC’s country clubhouse, Woodcote Park in Surrey, with a final blast up the exclusive Captain’s Drive.

As well as being the premier reliability trial for pre-war cars in the UK, the 1000 Mile Trial is a great social event and the accommodation, food and hospitality are of the highest standard. The route takes in 1000 miles of the UK’s most beautiful roads, plus stately homes, castles and museums.

The first RAC 1000 Mile Trial was run in 1900, predating the Mille Miglia by 27 years as well as many other long-distance reliability trials. At the time there was a degree of scepticism about the newfangled automotive contraptions that had just appeared on the roads, as they were seen as being unreliable and untrustworthy devices. In order to prove the validity of the automobile, Claude Johnson of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars (and secretary of the RAC) organised the first trial from London to Edinburgh. Intrepid motorists took 20 days to travel the length of the country at average speeds of up to 14mph.

The first Trial was won by Charles Rolls driving a Panhard et Levassor, proving that automobiles had a future. He even managed to breach a heady 38mph in the 12hp Panhard, busting the 14mph speed limit. Don’t forget that, at the time, most people had not even seen a motor car and the crowds en route were flabbergasted by these futuristic machines that