Classic Car to Reach the Arctic Circle

When asking someone where they will be spending their summer holidays, you probably would not expect the Arctic Circle to be their answer. Right?


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But for one couple, that’s exactly where they will be heading – and to make it an even more incredible journey, they will be making their way there in a 50-year-old Morris Minor known as ‘Wedgie’.


(Photo c/o Alison McCallum, Eastwood Extra)

But the convertible's adventurous owners, John and Sheena Steel, have no qualms about making the trip.

John and Sheena who both celebrate their 70th birthdays this year, will embark on the three-week trip through Denmark, Sweden and Norway in memory of a friend who died in March last year.

"I've always wanted to visit Norway and the trip, which is a special one for us, is in aid of Strathcarron Hospice where a close family friend was cared for" said Sheena.

The trip is the latest in a tradition for the couple who have enjoyed holidays in the 1960s convertible:-

2004 to Austria included Belgium, France, Germany, Lichtenstein, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia and Italy. Total distance 3,400 miles.



2005 to Spain and Portugal included the Pilgrims Route (Comino) from Pamplona to Santiago-de-Compostela. Also Lisbon and Northern Spain including the Picos Mountains. Total distance 4,553 miles.

2006 to Croatia included Belgium, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia-Montenegro, Total distance 4,000 miles.



But this latest outing differs from past adventures with caution thrown to the wind, the top rolled down on Wedgie and the intrepid travellers driving off with nothing more than ferry crossings confirmed.

John said: "These aren't holidays, they're adventures. The car was bought as a second car in 1971 and it never really went anywhere. The car has only done 85,000 (miles), which is nothing for how old it is.”

"We just choose a country, book the ferry, pack the car and head off. It saves all sorts of hanging around in airports."

For this and future adventures, McDawg can exclusively reveal that Wedgie is now equipped with a robust on-board Sat Nav system which IMHO makes Wedgie the first Morris Minor that I am aware of to have such technology added to it’s dashboard.



"I've always wanted to visit Norway and the trip, which is a special one for us, is in aid of Strathcarron Hospice where a close family friend was cared for."

But first, the cream-coloured Wedgie must undergo (and pass) its latest MoT – and it did.

John explained: "This isn't a vintage car, it's used like our other car — a Peugeot 307."

Wedgie's only once let them down on their travels, in Bosnia, and even then plodded on to Germany before having to be towed to the ferry at Zeebrugge.

Other travellers' tales with Wedgie include the time John and Sheena were mistakenly ushered into a vintage car show as participants in Slovenia but ended up helping another Morris owner find spare parts.

Impressively Sheena says: "We went right over The Alps in it, up the Grossglockner Pass among glaciers at two and a half kilometres above sea level.




"There were cars steaming up and breaking down at the roadside — we just zipped up no problem. Bikers at the top couldn't believe we made it."

Sheena added: "We've no reason to worry; it's proven capable in the past. It's so comfortable and people always stop to admire it."

The well-travelled pair then decided they would use this opportunity to give back to Strathcarron Hospice in Denny, which had taken care of their close friend in his final days.



Sheena said: “Our friend died in the hospice a year ago in March so we thought it would be nice to give them something back.”


John added: “A lot of money goes to cancer research but people who get cancer still need help. The hospice is all funded by donations and help from the public and they really looked after our friend.”

The couple have been embarking on some fundraising activities before they set on their Arctic adventure.

To support the fundraising and make a donation go to www.strathcarronhospice.org or call +44 1324 826222

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Above story adapted/given a 2.0 semantic make-over from here.

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Declaration - John is my Father and Sheena is my Step-Mother

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+++UPDATE+++

Some text messages starting to arrive from Wedgie:-

16th July 2009, 20:36 "Hi made it to Sweden in four days travelling further north tomorrow great fun more later"

17th July 2009, 12:46 "One or two downpours in between sunny spells"


17 July 2009, 15:33 "We are fine travelling thro Sweden milage so far one thousand four hundred and twenty five more later"

18 July 2009, 18:47 "We are camping at the moment at a place called Stromsund, half way up Sweden (see map). Weather great and scenery more in a few days".

21 July 2009, 08:08 "Crossed Acrtic Circle on ninth day so chuffed - milage so far two thousand and fifty. Onwards North, Lofoton Islands"


21 July 2009, 08:41 "Forgot, we were photod by Norwegian press at Arctic Circle, lots of questions in papers tomorrow"



22 July 2009, 15:25 "Hi, did you get our two texts re crossing the Arctic Circle and the press coverage we got while there. We are in the local press today. Go into website www.ranablad.no see pics of us"

27th July 2009, 12:44 "Hi, yesterday at Bodo airbase. Had a privileged tour, saw one of four Starfighters, amazing. Now travelling down west coast, doing great. Milage now over three thousand miles".

31st July, 2009, 13:13 "We have just left Trondheim and r travelling south via w coast. Milage so far three thousand eight hundred. Wedgie doing great!"

3rd August, 2009, 13:35 "We are now heading towards the Swedish border in cabin south of Oslo. Horrendous rain last night. Got soaked in the tent and John got bitten by a tick. We sail back to England next monday 10th. Back around the 13th".

9th August, 2009, 19:23 "We are on the last lap. Had 3 days in Denmark. Staying at our last campsite tonight near Esbjerg where we sail from tomorrow. Been in 28 campsites longing for some home comforts. Milage so far 5358 miles".