My 1969 VW Microbus: Route 67, VW Charity Run 2015

This weeks blog is slightly different from the normal Volkswagen / Classic Car or Hot Rod show reviews that I normally post. This weeks blog is all about the Route 67 VW Charity Run, that I took part in that went from John O' Groats, (which is the furthest Northern point in the U.K.) to Lands End, (the country's most South Westerly point) a journey of 1008 miles. (not including getting to the start point or getting back from the finish). The whole event was the idea of Paul Aspin and was aimed at raising money for the homeless charity 'Crisis'. Paul posted his idea on facebook and before very long a facebook page had been created, sponsor forms, t-shirts and stickers had also been produced and all monies raised went directly to the charity. It what seemed like only a few weeks the route had been planned and over 800 members had joined the facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/vwroute67/ Before long Paul had several people helping out with the organising and in no time at all there was also a Route67 website produced: http://vwroute67.co.uk/ The journey started on Monday 20th July from John O' Groats, in Scotland and included 5 campsite stop overs on the 6 day convoy. Talking to Paul he said that 18 vehicles took part in the whole journey from start to finish, including a split screen panel van that lost lost 4th gear shortly after starting the event, but still carried on and completed the journey to Lands End with only 3 forward gears! and with another 60 or so buses joining along the way. Due to work and family commitments and a minor mechanical problem on the bus, meant I couldn't make it to John O' Groats for the start so a few friends and I joined the convoy around Bristol, (about two thirds of the way down) but even joining the convoy there it still meant I clocked up just over 650 miles. Some of the participants who did the whole trip posted of the Route67 facebook page that they had in total covered 1500 / 2000 miles, and some even more than that. The event has so far raised just over £6000 ($9361) for the Crisis charity, but if you can help in any way by donating whatever you can afford, you can do so via the Route67 webpage: http://vwroute67.co.uk/
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You can watch a short video made up from various participants photos group taken during the trip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L34oYqgnT6Y
(video courtesy of 'Another Rubbish Vlog')

This is not the actual route the convoy
took, but just an illustration to show my
many overseas readers the true
scale of this epic journey.

This was dawn at John O' Groats, on day one
of this epic charity convoy. Most of the camp
are still asleep as dawn in John O' Groats is
around 4am. Photo courtesy of Paul R Corlett.

The convoy parked up en-route from Glen Nevis
to Ullswater. Photo courtesy of Paul R Corlett

The convoy tackling the Kirkstone Pass in the
Lake District National Park.
Photo courtesy of Stuart Rebecca Evans.

En-route to the campsite in Conwy in North
Wales. The great British weather was doing it's
best to dampen the spirits of the participants
but it never succeeded, morale was high
throughout the whole trip despite the usual
British summer rain showers. Photo courtesy
of Donna Taylor

The line up of vehicles at the Conwy campsite.
All the buses are ready to roll.
Photo courtesy of Stuart Rebecca Evans.

Our mini convoy parked up en-route to meet
the main convoy at Gordano Services on the
M5 motorway. Zoe and Kirsty were in the white
T4, Alden and Jake were in the red 1970 bay
and I was on my own in my '69 bay. We stopped
off at Oxford services to get some food and drink.
Zoe, Alden and Jake are members of 'The House
of Dub' VW Club, based near Milton Keynes.

By the time we got to Gordano services, it was
dark so we decided to camp there overnight
as they had clean toilets, and hot food and drinks.

When we woke up the rain was falling from the
sky like it was the end of the world, but this is
just another British summer and we are used
to it.

Within a couple of hours some other buses had
started to arrive, and they just kept arriving...
it was an awesome sight.

We left Gordano services and headed South
towards Bude, our overnight stop. I'm following
Alden and Jake with buses as far as the eye
could see both in front and behind.

The convoy got split up due to roundabouts,
traffic lights etc, and the rain kept falling but
the buzz I got from being part of the convoy
kept me smiling and my spirits high.

Hang on.. I think it's stopped raining. As we
approached Bude the rain did indeed stop if
only for a short while.

We finally arrived in Bude after driving most of
the way in rain, which as we all know is not good
in an early bay!

The convoy queueing up to get into the Bude
holiday park, our overnight stop on the Friday.

Alden and Jake waiting patiently at the back of
the queue to get into the campsite.

Oh hang on... another bus just joined the queue,
and so it went on...

Once in the campsite, Zoe wasted no time in
erecting the gazebo and getting the BBQ
ready. I'm sure Zoe spends half her life living
out of a camper van.

Peeking out from behind Fiona (my bus) at
the damp campsite with Route67 buses
parked up in every direction.

Rouet67 buses parked up at the Bude Holiday
resort, our overnight camp on the Friday night.

Route67 buses parked up at the Bude holiday
resort, our overnight camp on the Friday night.