Stilton Cheese Classic Car Run
The Cheese Run is organised to coincide with the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Club’s annual ‘Drive it Day’ where owners of classic vehicles are encouraged to take to the road. In the early 1700’s the housekeeper at Quenby Hall, near Hungarton, Leicestershire used to make blue cheese. Her daughter married the inn keeper of The Bell Inn at Stilton and she used to regularly take some of the cheese to her in-laws at the Inn. The Bell Inn began to sell the cheese to hungry travellers journeying by coach and horses along the Great North Road from London to York and thus began the 300 year association.
The original route of 39 miles was by horse drawn carriage stopping off to make deliveries of cheeses at the various villages and towns along the route including Billesdon, Skeffington, East Norton, Allexton, Wardley, Uppingham, Seaton, Harringworth, Bulwick (where they changed horses at New Lodge Farm), Southwick, Oundle and Lutton. This was one of the longest commercial carriage rides until the new fangled internal combustion engined vans and lorries took over as the main mode of commercial road transport.
Originally the run retraced the route, which was mainly along the quiet country lanes, taken to deliver cheeses from Quenby Hall at Hungarton in Leicestershire, where it was produced, to the Bell Inn at Stilton in Cambridgshire from where it gets its name. The original route of 39 miles, 300 years ago, was by horse drawn carriage stopping off to make deliveries of cheeses at the various villages and towns along the route including, Bulwick (where they changed horses at New Lodge Farm) before arriving at Stilton. This was one of the longest commercial carriage rides until the new fangled internal combustion engine vans and lorries took over as the main mode of commercial road transport.
These days Uppingham hosts the start with a “Carnival Atmosphere” with High Street East and the Market Square closed off to allow parking for the classic vehicles. The vehicles and owners usually meet at The Falcon Hotel on the morning of the event and, at lunchtime head off from Uppingham towards Harringworth and the spectacular viaduct.
This event is supported by local community partnership – Uppingham First Ltd. To register and for more information go to: Stilton Cheese Classic Car Run.