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3 July, 2009
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Published: 25 May, 2007
VINTAGE car enthusiasts in Caithness and Sutherland should keep their eyes on the road early next month in the hope of catching a glimpse of some of the world's best known cars. The Far North has been included in a celebration tour to mark the centenary of the Silver Ghost – the most famous Rolls-Royce ever built. The Silver Ghost Centenary Celebration Tour is scheduled to visit Caithness and Sutherland over a three-day period from Wednesday, June 6, to Friday, June 8. It has been organised by the 20-Ghost Club – the oldest Rolls-Royce car club in the world. One of the organisers, Strone Macpherson, who spent much of his childhood in Assynt and has a home in the area, said he was delighted that the most northerly parts of the Highlands had been included in the tour. "I am keen that those living in the remoter Highland areas know this is happening and particularly the schools, as it may be many years before something similar is organised," he said. Introduced in 1907, the Silver Ghost epitomised the very best in British engineering and was largely responsible for Rolls-Royce being lauded as the maker of the world's finest cars. The name referred to the vehicle's "ghost-like" quietness. It was marketed as "Silent as a Ghost, Powerful as a Lion and Trustworthy as Time". A total of 65 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts are participating in the tour, although not all are expected to take part in the Far North section. Mr Macpherson said: "The cars on the tour range from the original 1907 Silver Ghost to one of the last built in 1925. Half the cars come from the UK, with the remainder coming from Australia and the United States. "They represent a great variety of body styles and all have very varied and interesting histories." Sponsored by Edinburgh Investment Trust, the 1890-mile tour begins this Sunday (May 27) with a send-off by the Lord Mayor of London from just outside the RAC Club in Pall Mall.
Following stops in Buxton, Derbyshire, and the Lake District, it is scheduled to reach Scotland on Friday, June 1. Mr Macpherson explained the Scottish section of the tour would follow as closely as possible a reliability trial held in 1907 which tested the cars over some of the steepest roads in Scotland and in which the Silver Ghost won a gold medal. He said: "We'll be covering the actual sections of the trial in the time they took, which was five days. If possible we will tackle the same hill climbs as were on the original route, including Rest and Be Thankful, which is now a private road." The tour arrives in Aviemore on Tuesday, June 5, and participants can chose to stop there and have a rest or embark on "extension tours", either to the west or the east coast. Those who choose to tour the west coast will visit Inverness, Applecross and Poolewe on the Wednesday, before stopping off for the night at Lochinver. The following day the cars will motor from Lochinver to Durness, round the north coast to John O'Groats and stop for the night at Ackergill. Then on Friday (June 8) they will leave Ackergill heading for Wick and Brora before joining the main tour again at Aviemore. The cars which take the east coast circuit will be travelling from Aviemore to Inverness on the Wednesday and then on to Brora and Wick before finishing for the day at Ackergill. On Thursday they will leave Ackergill for John O' Groats before heading for Aviemore from where the tour will return to the south. 
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