JOGLE

[Bob Olive]

I completed a JOGLE 'out of season' in late Sept/early Oct 1989 with two friends.  I agree with the consensus that noone would sensibly do so today, at least not on major roads, as witness our twice yearly trek to Cornwall along the usual main routes which is tedious (and risky) enough in a modern, and only about 230 miles.  The hardest part was the Thursday afternoon going up the M4 to Euston through the London rush hour when in Euston High Road a headlamp and bracket fell off (not my brazing but the local garage...) and was run over by a double decker at 5.00 p.m!
We took the overnight car/sleeper (sponsored by British Rail) to Inverness, and thence to Jo'G hotel (sponsored by Peter de Savary), refuelled at Wick (sponsored by the late Victor Gauntlett of Proteus Oils) ate a full English (and a Scottish one, Ruairidh - at Dunkeld) every day (sponsored by Little Chef) and kept in touch with the Oxford Mail (another of our sponsors) and families using mobile phones the size of a brick (sponsored by Vodafone) and raised £5,600 (at today's value) towards the cost of a defibrillator for the Oxford Ambulance Service via the British Heart Foundation. Every penny we raised one to our fund, and any shortfall we funded ourselves - proper fund-raising.  I am with Ruairidh about the scenery 'up there'; I still have the mini-cassette tapes I made en route and to play them back today is to hear my wonderment at the spectacular and panoramic scenery in late September. Sadly we have never been back, and that was the only time I have gone so far north...

 We followed a 'sort of main roads' route over a five day period via Aviemore, Carlisle, Silverstone, Taunton* to the bottom end. The five days' runs averaged from 160 - 280 miles  per day. Total mileage 1035 - with various diversions (like avoiding Shap on local advice - 'Don't you take those "old ladies" up over Shap' - best find another way...') and getting lost in Somerset at 11.00 p.m. (not my navigation, I was solo, but a co-pilot in the lead car). Average 26 mph, and 42 mpg. 

*The Taunton day's run was 280 miles due to poor navigation!

Definitely never again, but great to look back on.

[Malcolm Parker]

I went on the Ballachulish ferry several times as a kid as my parents liked Scotland very much and most years we had a weeks holiday there.  One time we saw Jimmy Clitheroe in the ferry queue, remember him?  I recall he had a big Ford Zodiac and could hardly see over the steering wheel.
The only turntable ferry still sailing is that from Kyle Rhea over to the Isle of Skye.  It has been doing very well since the bridge over to Skye was built.
By not going over Shap, you missed a treat, Bob.   The old A6 from Carlisle down to Kendal is one of the best roads you could have for an Austin 7.   When I was doing the recce for my Cumbria Run in early 2019 I was heading north on the A6 and just outside Shap village  sat on a field wall about 20 yards from the road was a golden eagle, I still don't know whether it was a wild one or had absconded from nearby Lowther Park where they have a bird of prey centre.  Mind you if you had been doing the JOGLE in the dark in an Austin 7 I doubt you would have seen it!

[J Faulkner]

I'm with Tony Betts on this, Having never completed it it's been on the bucket list for a while, If could get sponsorship and raise money on the way it would be fantastic. Likewise would want to avoid motorways and take a bit more of a leisurely drive, It would be nice to have a picture at lands end with the car. I would like to raise a few quid for the ICU unit at LRI as that's who fixed and cared for my daughter when she was a mere 24 hours old, Would be nice to take part in such an event and share the storys and memories later on, stay safe everyone kind regards Joe. There would be a choice of 2 cars for me either the 33 saloon or the 36 Ulster rep! Pictures below from the 1992 jogle

[Dave Mann]

  DSCF3849.JPG (Size: 132.75 KB / Downloads: 359)         That's an excellent route Ruairidh, which we did in 2014 together with Arran, Outer Hebrides, and Mull, most of the time we had the weather for it, I didn't take any photos from Bealach Na Ba as we were in low cloud. We took 3 weeks for the 2500 mile trip which required a lot of planning, the only breakdown we had was I broke my wrist in Applecross.

[Ian Dunford]

This reminds me yet again that most JOGLE trips are undertaken by people under a misapprehension
The two parts of the mainland furthest apart are in fact Lands End and Duncansby Head.
A more pleasant start and finish are the two points furthest north and south, which are Dunnet Head and The Lizard.

[Dave Mann]

That little car has been to those places and Ardnamurchen, it's just to go the furthest most easterly point which was to have been this year.

[Peter Sweeney]

Did the Easter 2012 JOGLE in the Big 7 always wanted to do it. No rush drove up on my own from near Hull to JoG over 2 days. My son flew up to Wick where I picked him up. Stayed overnight in the Hotel. Set off next morning for a stunning drive via the Great Glen and down through Glen Coe. We passed to the west of Glasgow and stayed overnight in Abingdon near the border 324 miles. Started on the motorway next morning but had decided to stay off where possible. Sadly we went between Manchester and Liverpool which was everywhere's high street. We were still crawling around there when Roger and Tim Harnor were at Reading having started at about the same time in the morning as us. We got to Timsbury near bath 345 miles at 7.30 in the evening having left at 8 in the morning. Next day my son in law Rich took over from my son Andrew. Terrible weather pouring rain and snow A303 not too buisy but lorries right up your chuff before pulling out to overtake. reached Lands End at 4.24 having set off at 8 in the morning 192 miles. Total 861 miles on the speedo. Next day back to Timsbury Day after home 1848 miles in all. I probably would do it again with some alterations to my route in England, Scotland was fantastic. Neither of my codrivers had driven the car before Andrew loved it but Rich had a hard time. Pete

[dickie65]

I did the 1997 Jogle run in the Type 65.
I turned it into a LE JOG LE I did the length of Cornwall twice with an overnight in Shropshire, next overnight was Fort William then up to
John O Groats to start the official run.
We then did John O Groats to Shropshire on the first day, Shropshire to Lands End the next day them back home to Saltash ( Cornish Far East )
I drove the length of Cornwall to Lands End again to see the last cars come in during daylight then the same day back to Saltash. ( I seized the engine 2 miles from home )

The trip had its ups and downs in more ways than one. Lorrys overtaking us with the exhaust pipe at head height blowing into the car.
Snow blowing in the drivers side then out through the passenger side in Glencoe. Japanese tourists getting excited as we drove past their coach parked at the side of Loch Ness. Driving over Shap watching Halle Bopp comet on side lights in the small hours. and my co driver getting hyperthermic as we crossed Dartmoor ( which was colder than Scotland )
I spend 18 hours at the wheel in one stint only broken by fuel / sandwich / toilet breaks.

We started from Saltash on the Wednesday and arrived back late on the Saturday night. Then a Cornish End to End on the Sunday.
I would want to use a closed car if I ever did it again !!!