The anonymous Harrogate Instagrammer out to spot exotic cars

Harrogate is well-known for being a luxury car hotspot. So well known, in fact there’s even an Instagram account dedicated to snapping the most exotic and unusual vehicles around town. The account @carsofharrogate – which at the time of writing boasts 8,325 followers - has been posting a photo of a car a day for 700 days. 

Recently, the Stray Ferret spoke to the person behind the account – who wishes to remain anonymous, so that the content can be focused on the cars – to find out more...

Why and when did you set up @carsofharrogate?

I’ve always been interested in cars. It wasn’t until the summer of 2019 though when I really realised just how many amazing ones there are in town.

So, I started taking photos of them and sending them to friends and family. 

Then I wondered if other people would be interested in seeing them as well. And it turns out people are.

How does the process of @carsofharrogate work?

It’s quite straightforward but can still be fairly time consuming.

First and foremost, I need cars to post. That part is easy – I live in the centre of Harrogate, so I’m never more than a minute away from something good. So, whether going out walking my dog, going on a run, or getting some shopping, there’s always a car to photograph.

Once I’ve found some good cars, I’ll spruce up the photographs with a bit of editing, then put them into my backlog of Instagram spots I’m yet to post. At the time of writing, I currently have approximately 50 cars in my backlog. This helps if I’m away, or if the weather keeps the cars in their garages.

Then, I’ll schedule them on Instagram, posting a new one at 9am every single day. I have stuck to this for a while now – in fact, I’ve posted every single day, at 9am, for almost 700 days straight.

What cars do you choose to feature on your Instagram account?

What I love about Harrogate is the sheer variety of cars on display. 

On a sunny day, you could see anything from the latest Ferrari model to a beautiful classic Jaguar E-Type.

It just comes down to anything that’s classic, exotic, or unusual. 

There are some exceptions though – while I love them, I’m not taking a photo of every single individual Porsche 911 in Harrogate – if I did, I’d need a separate page dedicated just to them! 

Whereabouts in Harrogate do you usually spot cars?

After almost five years of running my page, I like to think that I have this pretty refined. Undoubtedly the finest place to find cars in town is along West Park. If you go through my page, you’ll find that most of them are along here. 

Whether it’s people parked up for a drink outside Three’s a Crowd, perhaps getting their weekly shop at Weetons Food Hall, or simply driving through town, this is undoubtedly the best place to find them.

However, there are still a bunch of other great spots where nice stuff appears. 

Montpellier Hill is one that I always really like. The backdrop is really pretty, especially at this time of year, and I think it makes for a really nice shot.

Other hotspots include Princes Square, outside Everyman cinema, or, if you want to go a bit further afield, Rudding Park always has a nice selection.

What are your favourite cars, both classic and contemporary?

I always find this question exceptionally difficult, so I’ll narrow it down to three:

The 1995 Ferrari F355. 

I believe that this is one of the most gorgeous and iconic Ferrari models ever made. First off, I think they’re beautiful cars. The sleek, simple design with the pop-up headlights and rear pillars looks wonderful, with no real bad angles at all. They also sound amazing, with that lovely V8 engine singing behind it.

1965-68 Porsche 911. 

A 911 has to be on the list. Picking which one however, is difficult. After much consideration, I knew in my heart that the one I lust after the most is the original, classic Porsche 911. I’ve been lucky enough to see some great examples of them out in Harrogate over the years. While I do love modern 911s, I think the purity and elegance of the first one will just always appeal to me more than any lap time record could.

2008 Aston Martin DBS V12.

I think anyone who watched Casino Royale in 2006 immediately fell in love with this car. To this day, I think it’s certainly one of the best-looking cars ever made. Such a timeless, elegant design – and paired with a wonderful V12. Engine and iconic film status immediately cemented it as one of my favourite. 

Do you have any more anecdotes that might be of interest to our readers?

When I say you can find cars anywhere, I really mean it. 

One of the craziest spots I ever found was the legendary Ford RS200. 

One of the most iconic rally cars of all time… and I found it in the Co-op car park up on Otley Road. 

Never in my lifetime did I think I’d find that car there in that particular moment.

What car events do you go to in the local area?

There are some really nice events that I’ve been to locally in the past.

One of the finest events was the Supercar Sunday event at Grantley Hall in the summer of 2023.

It was a wonderful day seeing some of the most amazing supercars and classics, all to the backdrop of one of the most gorgeous hotels in the area. I hope that I’ll be able to attend it again this year.

Another one is Yorkshire Elegance that hosts some of the most amazing classic cars you’ll ever see. 

Last year’s was at Bowcliffe Hall, and this year it’ll be at Grantley Hall as well. I’m very excited for that one.

On a smaller scale, there are loads of nice classic car shows to go to all summer, whether it be the Ripon Races, outside Ripley Castle, or at Newby Hall. 

There’s never a shortage of events during the summer to fill your weekend with.

@carsofharrogate is going to be busy this summer as there's a string of antique, classic and supercar events in the Harrogate area. 

The first will be on June 22nd in the centre of Harrogate - where antique cars will be on show in the centre of town. Look out for more information in the Stray Ferret in the coming week.