The Snowstorm
Rally
Who’s up for a real adventure?
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Pub2Pub Adventures is built on adventure. The clue is in the name. Over the years we’ve roamed the world in search of it, from the sandy tracks of the Sahara to the windswept tracks of Patagonia. But one of our earliest adventures was rather closer to home.
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We drove to the Arctic in winter, in search of the Northern Lights. In a Fiat 126, naturally.
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Fast forward to the current day, and our grand tours are really hitting the spot. From the Beer Italia to the Eagle Rally, mighty fleets of sports cars and grand tourers are fanning out across Europe on some of the best driving holidays going. And recently, there’s been one consistent thing which links them all – our trusty Volvo 240 support car. It’s now completed seven Pub2Pub trips, every one loaded to the gunnels with tools and spare parts, and coming to the assistance of anyone who finds themselves needing a little extra help in the course of the trip. It’s Pub2Pub’s unsung hero.
​​But not any longer – it’s high time it had its own adventure.
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And what could be better than a return to where it came from – Scandinavia – at the time of year when Norway and Sweden are at their snowy picture-postcard best? If you’re anything like us, following that thought process through to its logical conclusion means you’ll soon be planning a trip up Norway’s Arctic Highway to the Arctic Circle, via the Saab and Volvo museums and a bunch of other interesting places, naturally.
That’s what happened with us, anyway – hence we’re saluting our long-suffering Volvo by bringing the Snowstorm Rally into being. And we’d love it if you could be part of it.
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Naturally, the Snowstorm Rally is a rather different prospect to our usual tours, and so you probably won’t be wanting to bring your TVR. And that leaves you with several choices. Firstly, you can bring your daily driver – we’re cool with that. Alternatively, feel free to use the trip as an excuse to buy something cheap and Swedish – a Saab 900, say, or Volvo 850. Or, think outside the box, and get whatever you fancy for the trip – an old Impreza maybe, or Audi S4. Or even a Fiat 126, if you’re a glutton for punishment. The only proviso is that whatever vehicle you opt for, you’ll need to fit winter tyres for the trip, as not only do they add a significant safety margin, but they’re a legal requirement in many of the cold parts of Europe during the winter.
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So, once you have your steed, and you’ve fitted your winter rubber, what can you expect from the Snowstorm Rally? Quite an adventure, that’s what.
​​We’re planning a route which goes from the UK to Denmark, before crossing the Oresund bridge-tunnel into Sweden. Turning left at Malmo, we’ll be heading up through a fascinating part of the world, which includes both the Saab and Volvo factories and museums, a Swedish Air Force museum buried in a cold war bunker, and plenty of interesting coastal towns and villages to stop off at.
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As we continue north, and winter drapes itself over the landscape more heavily, we’ll be crossing into Norway, and a chance to check out the sights around Oslo, and Lillehammer, before continuing to the north coast near Trondheim. Now, near Trondheim is the little village of Hell, so we’ll naturally be dropping in there before continuing north, up the Arctic Highway, through a land of soaring mountains, plummeting fjords, endless tunnels and snowy forests, until we reach the Arctic proper. From there, the route takes us back into Sweden, and heads home via the likes of Stockholm and northern Germany.
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So, as you can see, it’s not something you’ll forget in a hurry. We’re talking bucket list memory stuff here.
​Now, here’s a quick Q&A on the plan, which will hopefully answer some of the questions which are now running around your head:
What are the dates?
01st to 16th March 2025
How many miles will be driven?
Expect to cover 3,500+ miles on the continent, spread over 16 days
What accommodation can I expect?
As with all Pub2Pub trips, you can expect at least 3* hotel accommodation every night
What cars are eligible?
As mentioned above, all cars are welcome, though we’d love to get as many Swedish steeds along as possible. So, undertake the trip in your daily driver, your hardy classic, or a specially bought Saab or Volvo, the choice is yours
What modifications are required?
Beyond ensuring your car is ready for the trip, the only compulsory modification is the fitment of winter tyres. However, if you want to go all in, buy an old Impreza and build a winter rally weapon, we certainly won't stop you...
How much is the entry fee?
For a car and up to two people, the entry fee for the two-week trip will be £2,850, covering channel crossings, hotels, a full itinerary, on-the-road support from our trusty Volvo, loan of a two way radio, a rally sticker pack, and breakfast on every morning of the trip
To get an idea as to what to expect from this trip from a driving perspective, I would suggest checking out the excellent Harry’s Garage ’Arctic Rolls’ video on YouTube, which you can find here:
https://youtu.be/VIdNcbsgOiM?si=UpMKCoW37Ia5-N-n
Another good primer would be to watch The Grand Tour's recent Scandi Flick episode on Amazon Prime, though I suspect we'll be looking to avoid any crashes in cold war submarine pens in the course of our trip. And finally, for a sneak peak at some of the interesting places you'll be able to see en-route, take a look here
And if you have any further questions, or if you’re keen to get involved, get in touch via ben@pub2pubadventures.com , and hopefully, we'll be seeing you on the snow-lined road to the deep north next March.
