Lydden Hill

Circuit guide by Chris Pollitt · dates updated 2 November 2026

Lydden Hill is where rallycross was invented. The first event ran here in February 1967, and the World Rallycross Championship came every year from 2014 to 2017. Bill Chesson started the place with the Astra Motor Club back in 1955 as a grass track, and tarmac followed in the 1960s. James Hunt took his first race win here in 1968. It's tiny, at exactly one mile, and sits in a natural bowl, so you can stand on Hairy Hill and see almost the whole lap.

Track days run for cars and bikes, plus drift and sideways sessions. The car days are run in groups (novice, intermediate and experienced) with six 15-minute sessions each, so it's a relaxed, well-organised day out and a good first circuit. The lap is short and you get plenty of laps in, but it's not as easy as it looks, with a lot of gradient and only one left-hander. It's also an easy run for anyone heading to or from the Channel ports.

A lap of Lydden Hill

Layout: Full Circuit, 1.609 km (1.00 miles)

From the grid you head down the Canterbury Straight, the quickest bit of the lap, into Pilgrims. Pilgrims dips sharply, almost like a bomb hole, before the road rises again, so the car compresses then goes light. Brake in a straight line before the dip, and don't be too keen on the throttle until the car has settled at the bottom.

Chessons Drift follows straight on, a sweeping bend that climbs towards the Dover Slope. It's a corner where carrying speed matters more than anything, so pick a smooth line and stay committed. The Dover Slope is the bit to respect in damp weather. Rallycross cars drag mud and dirt onto the tarmac, and it gets very slippery when it's wet. Ease off a little here on a damp morning until you know how much grip there is.

Devil's Elbow is the only left-hander on the circuit, and because everything else turns right, it catches out a lot of first-timers. Get your braking done early and let the car come round. Then you're onto Hairy Hill, which is steeper than you'd expect. At the top is North Bend, a hairpin, and braking uphill means you can go a bit later than it looks. Be patient with the throttle on the way out, because the next bit is downhill.

The drop to Paddock Bend is the part of the lap that people talk about. It's a sweeping right that's off-camber, so the car wants to run wide just as you're asking it to turn. Turn in smoothly, don't trail too much brake, and wait for the car to come back to you before getting on the throttle. Get it right and you're carrying good speed down the Canterbury Straight again. Get it wrong and you'll be on the grass.

Track day tips

• The limits are 100dB static and 92dB drive-by, which is tight, so modified cars should check before booking. Noise breaks can also be called if the hourly average gets too high.
• The Dover Slope gets greasy in the wet because of mud from the rallycross cars. Stay off the dirty edges.
• Devil's Elbow is the only left-hander, so be ready for it on your first few laps.
• Paddock Bend is off-camber. Be patient and smooth rather than throwing the car in.
• Drifting, donuts and timing are banned on standard track days. Book one of the sideways sessions if you want to slide.
• Vehicles over 1.85m tall aren't allowed on car track days, so check your van or tall SUV first.

Getting there

Lydden Hill is just off the A2 between Canterbury and Dover, near the village of Wootton. Use CT4 6ET in the sat nav. From London it's the M2 then the A2, and from the M20 it's a short cross-country hop. Shepherdswell station is about five minutes away by taxi. The circuit is only a few miles from the Port of Dover, and the Eurotunnel terminal at Folkestone is close by, so it's ideal for European visitors. Canterbury has the best choice of hotels nearby.