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Route announced for the 1000 mile trial

The 1000 Mile Trial will take drivers on an epic classic car rally across the United Kingdom that will closely follow the original route taken by daring motorists in 1900.

A celebration of the event, which was first run in 1900, is to be re-created from 12th to 19th July 2014 by the Royal Automobile Club in partnership with the Historic Endurance Rallying Organisation (HERO), and will be a qualifying round of the 2014 HERO Cup, in association with EFG International. The event will also be included in the packed Year of Homecoming celebrations in Scotland.

PatrickBurke, joint Managing Director of HERO, said: "We will follow the original route as much as possible but in many places the roads used in 1900 either no longer exist or are now major trunk roads."

He added: "The event is to have up to four regularities and two or three tests per day, many on the original test areas and hill climbs, and will also visit several stately homes and venues. However, unlike the first run of the 1000 Mile Trial, the crews will start the event and finish at Woodcote Park!"

On 13th July 2014, eighty pre-1940 cars will tackle the first test of this adventure which will be the hill climb from the Royal Automobile Club's Woodcote Park clubhouse, up the Club's Captain's Drive, towards Epsom Downs.

Ben Cussons, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club's Motoring Committee, said: "There is an air of excitement in anticipation of seeing the cars head up the Captain's Drive from our Woodcote Park clubhouse to begin the 1000 Mile Trial. It is a fitting venue from which to start the Trial, which will closely follow the route taken by the pioneering motorists of 1900, and we are thrilled to be hosting the start of that epic journey".

Gregor Fisken, Director of Fiskens, said "We at Fiskens are honored to be involved in our own capacity with the celebration of the 1000 Mile Trial - with our shared passion for the greatest pre-war and pre-great war historic automobiles, we fully support the chance that this event represents for a growing number of enthusiasts to enjoy using their cars. The 1000 Mile Trial represents a landmark; it is the ultimate challenge for drivers and navigators of the finest pre-war cars."

Crews will take on several tests and regularities throughout the first day, one of which will allow them to try to emulate Top Gear's famous character "The Stig". Competitors will finish the day at the Hilton Puckrup Hall in Cheltenham.

Day two will startwith a series of tests before some great driving roads take crews to a hill climb and other stately homes including Arley Hall & Gardens for a traditional afternoon tea.

Day three takes drivers from Preston to Edinburgh on a busy route full of tests and regularities. Crews will reach the most northern point of the event in Edinburgh before arriving on the quayside in Leith prior to the centre piece dinner aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia.

Britannia is a floating palace, home to Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family, and roving ambassador for Great Britain for over forty years. The Royal Yacht played host to kings and queens, prime ministers and presidents, sailing over 1,000,000 miles around the world.

AndrewThomson, Head of Hospitality and Events at The Royal Yacht Britannia, said: "The 1000 Mile Trial is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Britannia. We wanted to create a very special evening to mark the occasion. The evening will be a truly splendid affair for guests and we are sure they will enjoy their special dinner aboard the Royal Yacht."

Caroline Packman, Director of Homecoming Scotland 2014 said: "2014 promises to be a very exciting year for Scotland where we can celebrate all that's great about our country and place the spotlight on our greatest assets. We are delighted to have the 1000 Mile Trial as part of the ever-extending Homecoming Scotland 2014 programme."

The next day crews will be allowed a late start to recover from the night before, catch up on business commitments and fettle the cars. The route will take them on a scenic trip through the lands of the legendary F1 racing driver Jim Clark, before reaching the overnight halt at Slaley Hall in Hexham.

A challenging day five will sees competitors driving through the magnificent scenery of the Yorkshire moors, where they will take on a selection of regularities and time control sections before finishing the day with a test at the Harewood hill climb.

Navigation on day six will become more taxing as crews continue their way south to visit one of the original venues of the 1000 Mile Trial at the Welbeck Estate. A number of open flowing tests and roads will then take the crews to the overnight halt near Silverstone, the spiritual home of British motor racing.

The final day will see competitors arriving back at Woodcote Park, The Royal Automobile Club's 350-acre estate in Surrey, with a series of tests and regularities. The Veteran Car Run will join them for the last 100 miles for a spectacular finish in front of the Woodcote Park clubhouse.

There are some important entries so far including a 1932 Rolls Royce Phantom II, which is coming out of the Caramulo Museum in Portugal specifically to take part in the event, and an original 1929 Bugatti Type 37A once owned by Tazio Nuvolari, the famous Italian motorcycle and race car driver.

PatrickBurkesaid: "These are just a few of the interesting cars that will be campaigned on this event but we know of a number of international collectors preparing and restoring similarly important and impressive vehicles to take part".

The 1000 Mile Trial is open to cars manufactured before 1940. Entries are still available.

The event is supported by the Royal Yacht Britannia, Gregor Fisken, Octane, Hagerty, Motors TV and Orianda (www.orianda1937.com), who sponsors the first prize of the HERO Cup by offering a week sailing in the Mediterranean on board this splendid yacht.