Oulton Park Photographic Guide - Updated June 2024
Address: Oulton Park Circuit, Little Budworth, Tarporley, Cheshire, CW6 9BW
Telephone: +44(0) 1829 760301
Email oultonpark@msv.com
Website: Oulton Park
A photographic guide to Oulton Park Circuit.
Oulton Park is one of those quintessentially British parkland racetracks that was first used in the early 50s. It is close to the small village of Little Budworth and is a handful of miles from Chester and Warrington, providing an extensive catchment area for motorsport fans in the North West.
Whilst the glory days of the non-championship F1 races for the Gold Cup in the 60s are behind them, nevertheless, headline meetings for the British Touring Car Championship, British Superbikes, British GT / F3 and the Historic Gold Cup all attract large and knowledgeable crowds.
Oulton Park is also now part of the MSV empire who have brought the facilities up to scratch whilst largely retaining the original feel of the circuit. There are, of course, some areas of safety fencing and there are a few areas where a step is needed to clear the armco, but the guide here will help you get a sense of what photography at the circuit is like.
We will take you round the track using the location letters A-P. A pdf of the map is here.
There are up to four entrances to the track (yellow E arrow on map) depending on the meeting that is running. We will start our guide from the Start / Finish straight on the outside of the track (A). There is a view from the exit of Deer Leap right through to Old Hall Corner here.
Walking down towards Old Hall, it is possible to get a rear shot of the cars heading into the corner but this will be compromised by the fencing. However, keep going and just past the marshals’ post is a view back up the start line and through only a single layer of fence (B).
Keep walking down to The Avenue (C ) where they is a good shot of the cars exiting Old Hall. It is a good spot for some oversteer or the outcome of a late dive up the inside at the corner. There is a panning shot (which at a popular meeting has a great blurred people in the background) or a shot of the rear of the cars heading down into Cascades.
Keep walking to the inside of Cascades (D). Again, there is a panning shot as the cars head through the corner. There is also a view across to the cars heading down from Hill Top into Hislop’s if you have a big zoom.
For Motorcycles standing at E looking back to Old Hall Corner can also give good results. There is only a low wooden fence here so you can shoot through or over it. All shot at 320th of a second at f5.6 with a focal length of 500mm.
Walking close to the track as far as you can allows a rear shot as the cars head out of Cascades towards Island Bend (F). Some meetings use the cut through here to Hislop's for a shorter lap.
Head over to your right, Area G looking into Kinickerbrook. A good location for motorcycles as they pick up the front end coming out of the corner.
Cross over to the outside of the track and there’s an elevated section looking over the Clay Hill leading to steps down to track level (H).
This allows for panning shots, under the bridge shots, the variety of lines that are taken out of Knickerbrook and even a long shot as the cars head into view over Hill Top. You can keep walking up to the corner and get the action through Hislop’s and into Knickerbrook.
This is a favourite spot and will often see a line-up of snappers with lenses trained on the chicane where there, two, or even three wheeling cars often feature.
Keep walking and you will be rewarded with a view of Island Bend going away from you or Britten’s - another chicane (J). In t’olden times, they were pretty much flat out from Shell Oils (or Esso Bend as it was in my younger days) to Druids.
I took the road less travelled on my most recent visit and walked beyond the chicane as far as you can go to get a side on shot at Britten’s (K). There is slot to get the cars as they go through Island Bend or a rear shot as they head up to Hill Top.
Work your way back to the bridge at Clay Hill, cross over and turn left (L). There’s an interesting shot of the cars coming under the bridge or heading up to Druids, another fast Oulton corner.
There’s a short walk through the woodland away from the track (although the adventurous could try a shot of the cars / bikes through the trees here) to Druids (M).
There’s a panning shot in the corner here, but the Armco is very close so a small step would help clear it.
For the Motorcycle photographer the step allows you to shoot down onto the bikes.
Head down the dip before Deer Leap and you can get the cars coming out of Lodge, often on, or over the rumble strip (O). There’s also a view of Start / Finish from here.
For our final spot, cross the bridge and turn left (P). Recent fencing here has spoiled the previously unencumbered view of Lodge but close up it is possible to get some good photos.
A Start / Finish Straight Outside
There are up to four entrances to the track (yellow E arrow on map) depending on the meeting that is running. We will start our guide from the Start / Finish straight on the outside of the track (A). There is a view from the exit of Deer Leap right through to Old Hall Corner here.
Walking down towards Old Hall, it is possible to get a rear shot of the cars heading into the corner but this will be compromised by the fencing. However, keep going and just past the marshals’ post is a view back up the start line and through only a single layer of fence (B).
Keep walking down to The Avenue (C ) where they is a good shot of the cars exiting Old Hall. It is a good spot for some oversteer or the outcome of a late dive up the inside at the corner. There is a panning shot (which at a popular meeting has a great blurred people in the background) or a shot of the rear of the cars heading down into Cascades.
Keep walking to the inside of Cascades (D). Again, there is a panning shot as the cars head through the corner. There is also a view across to the cars heading down from Hill Top into Hislop’s if you have a big zoom.
E Looking back at Old Hall Corner Inside
For Motorcycles standing at E looking back to Old Hall Corner can also give good results. There is only a low wooden fence here so you can shoot through or over it. All shot at 320th of a second at f5.6 with a focal length of 500mm.
Walking close to the track as far as you can allows a rear shot as the cars head out of Cascades towards Island Bend (F). Some meetings use the cut through here to Hislop's for a shorter lap.
Moving further down the track you can get a good panning shot of the bikes heading out of Cascades. Shot at 125th of a second at f9 with a focal length of 500mm.
Head over to your right, Area G looking into Kinickerbrook. A good location for motorcycles as they pick up the front end coming out of the corner.
Cross over to the outside of the track and there’s an elevated section looking over the Clay Hill leading to steps down to track level (H).
This allows for panning shots, under the bridge shots, the variety of lines that are taken out of Knickerbrook and even a long shot as the cars head into view over Hill Top. You can keep walking up to the corner and get the action through Hislop’s and into Knickerbrook.
Keep walking up Hill Top (I) and there are good angles of the cars coming over the horizon, through Hislop’s or leaving Cascades opposite. The latter does require the big zoom. Depending on the meeting there are entrances / parking here.
Keep walking and you will be rewarded with a view of Island Bend going away from you or Britten’s - another chicane (J). In t’olden times, they were pretty much flat out from Shell Oils (or Esso Bend as it was in my younger days) to Druids.
This is a favourite spot and will often see a line-up of snappers with lenses trained on the chicane where there, two, or even three wheeling cars often feature. As the cars get closer to you they will change gear going up the hill, you might get lucky!
If you are at a motorcycle meeting between I and J is a good spot to pick up your wheelie pictures. The bikes are going uphill and will inevitably pop a wheelie, unless its a vintage bike meeting but it is still a good spot for a panning picture.
K Britten’s and Island Outside
I took the road less travelled on my most recent visit and walked beyond the chicane as far as you can go to get a side on shot at Britten’s (K). There is slot to get the cars as they go through Island Bend or a rear shot as they head up to Hill Top.
Work your way back to the bridge at Clay Hill, cross over and turn left (L). There’s an interesting shot of the cars coming under the bridge or heading up to Druids, another fast Oulton corner.
There’s a short walk through the woodland away from the track (although the adventurous could try a shot of the cars / bikes through the trees here) to Druids (M).
For the Motorcycle photographer Druids is a great location, as its a sweeping right hand corner so the bikes are tipping in towards you, always a nice shot.
The bikes can and do pop the front end up so keep an eye out for that and as you move to the right following this guide keep shooting back into the corner.
From here walk up to the inside of Lodge Corner (it may be necessary to walk around the competitors camping area, but it should be signposted) where you can see the original Lodge building from the Oulton Estate (N).
There’s a panning shot in the corner here, but the Armco is very close so a small step would help clear it.
For the Motorcycle photographer the step allows you to shoot down onto the bikes.
Shooting back into the corner with your back to the start line is another nice shot, no step required, 350-400mm focal length and 320th of a second and up will get you a nice clean sharp picture, F stop depends on the light, I always use auto ISO.
Head down the dip before Deer Leap and you can get the cars coming out of Lodge, often on, or over the rumble strip (O). There’s also a view of Start / Finish from here.
For our final spot, cross the bridge and turn left (P). Recent fencing here has spoiled the previously unencumbered view of Lodge but close up it is possible to get some good photos.
For most locations around the track, a minimum of a 70-200mm zoom is required, although for the longer shots a 200-500mm zoom would be better (recommended for motorcycles). At the recent British GT meeting, David Harbey used the 200-500mm almost exclusively on a range of focal lengths as I did for the BSB test day.
The photos accompanying this article were taken at two very different British GT / F3 meetings – one very wet, one lovely and sunny plus various Historic Gold Cup events. The BSB pictures were taken in 2019 and 2021.
The Oulton Park website is useful with a full map showing where the various facilities and amenities can be found.
Thanks to Keith Adcock, David Harbey Photography and RPW Photography who supplied the images used in this guide to taking photos at Oulton Park. You can check out Davids Web page, Twitter and Flicker accounts to see more of of his work by using the links below.
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