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Possibly the most famous corner of the Nordschleife, and certainly unique, the Caracciola-Karussell is one of the highlights of a Ring lap for its novelty factor alone! The Steilstrecke - 'Test Hill' - is not part of a lap, but is worth a look if you are here on foot.

Looking up the incline of the Steilstrecke. Actually these gates are already a third of the way up the hill.


Tessa heading off to the top. We left the bikes at the bottom and walked all the way to the top, which comes out at Hohe Acht. Of course we then had to walk all the way back down again, pick up the bikes, and re-climb the same height up to the Karussell!


The Autumn colours at this time of the year are stunning, especially on a glorious sunny day as this was.


Tessa still climbing while I snap away!


More beautiful looking forest shots....


.... as Tessa finally reaches the top....


.... where you pop out at Hohe Acht. Opening the gate would allow you to drive right up the hill and back onto the circuit, missing out the whole Karussell section.


Looking back the way we have just come.


Tessa heading back down to the bikes - ready to climb back up again to the karussell! She loved it really - honest!!

There are records that say that on one occasion a driver qualifying for a race did in fact take the shortcut, blast up the Steilstrecke, back onto the track at Hohe Acht and then post a record lap time. Of course he knew the time and lap result would not be allowed, but he also knew the initial psychological shock of such a fast time to the other drivers would be of great benefit to him.

Back to the bottom, and the Audi's are still driving past the wrong way! Big dents in the gates bare testimony to people either running, or perhaps sliding down the hill on a sledge - and not stopping in time!


Ok - back off around the track after our steep detour! The test hill is visible in this shot as the line of orange trees that extend up to the top right of the picture. Here the track passes us on its way up to the Karussell.


Looking up the hill from Steilstrecke towards the Karussell corner, which is just about visible at the very top of the picture. Once again, confusingly the Audi's are driving down the hill in the wrong direction! Although the track is curved, the actual driving line up the hill is almost straight...


...as can be seen in this shot, supplied by one of the Mini boys as they drove around the track the day before. The path we cycled along is behind the fence on the left.


Tessa cycling back up the incline towards the Karussell. Bless her - her bike weighed about twice that of mine!


Reverse shot looking back down the track towards Steilstrechen-Kurve.


Similar reverse shot from track side a little further up the hill.


And finally - the Karussell itself!


 
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