The Great Escape
About The Great Escape
First run in 2011, and revised for 2015 and 2017, this event is themed loosely on the sixties film depicting the true life events of the mass breakout of 76 allied airmen from a German POW in March 1944, the route takes in a number of historic wartime locations (and plenty more besides)… en-route to one of the world’s best known festivals, Munich’s legendary Oktoberfest… A great place to unwind at the end!
Timed to coincide with the start of the Munich Beer Festival, this is a rare opportunity for fans of the film to appreciate the real life events of courage and sacrifice that inspired the universal favourite epic………and have a jolly good time taking part in a unique driving experience in a ridiculously priced car….remember, you can only spend up to £200! Good luck chaps!
The Great Escape Route
Our most challenging but rewarding route so far, designed to give teams the once in a lifetime opportunity to visit several iconic wartime locations but have serious fun on the way. In fact you don’t need an interest in history to appreciate this event. If you like driving, cities and enjoy the nightlife, breakout a can of Dulux and paint up your car!
For this event we start not in France but in western Germany, and then onto former East Germany and the infamous Colditz Castle before heading into Poland and then back into Bavaria.
Day 1: Koblenz to Colditz and Dresden (Approximately 320 miles)
We will all meet in a large car park somewhere near Koblenz at 8.30am where all the teams can admire / laugh / and take the usual bets on the durability of each other’s vehicles! The first day’s route will take us through the hilly countryside around Koblenz before reaching the famous POW camp at Colditz Castle for mid afternoon. Then it is onto the famous cathedral city of Dresden in Saxony for the evening checkpoint.
Day 2: Dresden to Stalag Luft III and Prague (Approximately 300 miles)
After a walkabout challenge in Dresden teams will head east into Poland to the legendary site in the pine forest of arguably the most famous POW camp, Stalag Luft III, from where the largest mass escape by allied prisoners of war occurred in March 1944. This may look a shorter day on paper but you will of course be driving on Polish roads! Teams will then cross over into the Czech Republic and head south to the fabulous Bohemian capital city of Prague for the escape de-briefing.
Day 3: Prague, Regensburg and Munich (Approximately 250 miles)
A deliberately shorter route today – and intended to allow teams to get to Munich for mid afternoon so that we can hold the presentation ceremony early for those teams who want to head over to the Oktoberfest for the evening, if they are not staying on for a day or two. Alternatively for you early risers you can detour into Austria and experience the mountains of Bavaria and perhaps Hitler’s wartime retreat, the Kehlstein at Berchtesgaden. A memorable day to challenge car and participants alike, before the party begins in Bavaria’s capital.