The Hill Climb Hector Wood
My wife and I have been involved in the church fete since 1948 and one memory I have is of the motor cycle Hill Climb
This took place on the Castle Side Farm side of the hill (being the steepest). It created great interest over the years, but it was very hard work to get the track prepared each year. Labour for this was provided by local farmers such as Edgar Wood, Beeston Hall; Charles Ryder, Castle Gates Farm; Herbert Major and Leslie Winward, Castle Side Farm.
Preparation involved scything the race track and then roping it off. This took most of the day.
Spectators lined the track on each side and in dry weather, were showered with dust brought up by flying rear wheels of the bikes, trying to reach the top, very few did as I remember. Only one bike at a time made the attempt.
At the end of the day. you can imagine the chaos at the gate with literally hundreds of people and bikes trying to get away. Looking back, it was a great time, not forgetting the money it brought in to the fund each year.
