Scotland played host to some of the world’s finest classic cars last week as part of a bi-annual event.
The HERO Events, Scottish Malts Reliability Trial and Tour event kicked off from The Gleneagles Hotel, the home of this year’s 2014 Ryder Cup, and navigated its way clockwise around the finest roads and scenery Scotland has to offer in celebration of the Year of Homecoming.
Among the 60-plus vehicles which took part was a 1934 Bentley 3Ltr Hooper Bodied Sports saloon, a Porsche 911 2.7 RS Lightweight from 1973, several Mercedes SL “Pagodas” also from the 1960s and many other rare and interesting classic vehicles from the 1930s right up to the 1980s.
Crews descended from across Scotland, the rest of the UK and countries further afield including Switzerland, Argentina, Ireland, Germany, USA, Italy, New Zealand and the Netherlands.
The Malts – as the event has become affectionately known – is split into two parts, The Trial and The Tour. The Trial is a competitive event, the cars and drivers competing over regularity sections, testing navigation and timing skills and special manoeuvrability, handling and speed tests, designed to show not just the skill of the driver, but how agile these older cars really are.
Venues for these tests included whisky distilleries such as Glenlivet, Dalmore, Tomatin and Edradour and a number of private castles and stately homes also provided a perfect backdrop.
The Tour is more relaxed, while following the main route of The Trial; entrants in this category are encouraged to visit points of interest along the route, re-joining the event for lunches, coffees and evening meals.
Patrick Burke, director of HERO Events said: “We are delighted to welcome yet again some 13 nationalities on the event – a testament to the fact that the Scottish Malts has now a firm place in the diary of international crews.
“The event has become one of the best established rallies in Scotland and it is part of the Year of Homecoming Celebrations. Accordingly, we are proud to support this initiative and showcase along the route, the best of Scottish heritage, culture and places of interest.”