The Scotchstorm
Rally
* * * The 2026 Scotchstorm rally will be taking place between Saturday 31st January and Sunday 08th February 2026, and is now open to entries - feel free to get in touch if you wish to reserve a place on the trip * * *
It seems those who enjoy our trips are more adventurous than we realised.
In 2025, we launched the Snowstorm Rally, and if we're honest, we didn't expect too many people to take it up. Because really, it's one hell of an out-there adventure. But clearly we underestimated you fine, adventurous people, because the inaugural trip to the Arctic Winter was pretty much full to capacity. So, we decided to put together a Scottish equivalent, which we've imaginatively named 'Scotchstorm'.
The inaugural Scotchstorm Rally will be hitting the road over the first week of February, and will be taking place on a route you may well know already in summer - the NC500. But you've never seen it like this. In winter, the landscape changes to one dripping in drama. The weather can range from sunshine to snow, while the landscapes can change from alpine perfection, to maelstrom malevolence. It's all the epicness of the summer drive, turned up to twelve. And with less campervans too, which is always a bonus.
We experienced all this first-hand over the 2025 New Year, when we recced the route using a Jaguar F-Type, a Corvette and a Honda Accord. And we experienced everything a wintery Scotland had to offer. Gale-force winds on the summit of Belach na Ba. Sun-dappled beaches at Durness. Wind-swept snow in the Cairngorms, unexpected stillness in Glencoe. Winter brought the landscape alive in a way which made our previous summer trips north a distant memory. And on our return from the recce, the decision was made - we just had to head back up there with the Pub2Pub crowd.
Naturally, a drive in the Scottish winter makes for a rather different prospect to our usual tours, and so you probably won’t be wanting to bring your TVR - just because we took sports cars on the recce, it doesn't mean it's the best of ideas - though we certainly wouldn't stop you from doing so. This means that car-wise, you have several choices. Firstly, you can bring your daily driver – we’re cool with that. Plenty of people have taken this approach on Scotchstorm's Scandinavian cousin and had a great time, and we're sure the same will hold true in the Highlands. Alternatively, feel free to use the trip as an excuse to buy something cheap, that you've always fancied, or use Scotchstorm as a shakedown event for your Snowstorm car. Then there's the possibility of thinking outside the box, and getting whatever you fancy – an old Impreza maybe, or an Audi S4. Or even a Fiat 126, if you’re a glutton for punishment. One thing to give some thought to though - whatever vehicle you opt for, it would be a sensible idea to fit winter tyres for the trip. While this isn't a legal requirement in Scotland, it will certainly improve your roadholding and safety margins if the weather does decide to imitate Greenland.
So, , what can you expect from the Scotchstorm Rally? Quite an adventure, that’s what.
Scotchstorm starts on the afternoon of Saturday 31st January near Dumfries, before heading North on the Sunday morning, up through the Loch Lomond National Park to the wilds of Glencoe. From there, it continues on to join the NC500 route, following the coast north to the top of Scotland, before returning south via the Cairngorms, and some nice roads in the Scottish borders, with the trip finishing near the Pennines on Sunday 08th February. So, you should consider it to be a not-too-rushed lap of the north of this fine country, covering around 800 miles to the north of the border, and taking on whatever the elements throw at us in the process.
Now, here’s a quick Q&A on the rally, which will hopefully answer some of the questions which are now running around your head:
What are the dates?
The trip starts in Dumfries on the evening of Saturday 31st January, and spends the following eight days looping up to the far north of Scotland and back, arriving at the final hotel of the trip in the Scottish borders area on Saturday 07th February. After check-out on the following morning (Sunday 08th ), you'll be free to head back south.
How many miles will be driven?
Depending on the route options you choose, expect to cover around 800-900 miles north of the Scottish border, in a week on the road.
What accommodation can I expect?
As with all Pub2Pub trips, you can expect at least 3* hotel accommodation every night, with plenty of fine Scottish hospitality thrown in for good measure.
What cars are eligible?
As mentioned above, all cars are welcome. So, undertake the trip in your daily driver, your hardy classic, or a specially bought adventure machine, the choice is yours. We expect a similar vibe to the Snowstorm Rally in this respect, and on the inaugural Snowstorm, we had Nissan Juke daily drivers, a specially brought Jaguar XJ6, a Camel Trophy-spec Range Rover, several transaxle Porsches, a Jeep Cherokee, a Mk4 Golf named Gerty, a Ford Focus RS, a Porsche Cayenne, Volvo XC90s and a brace of Volvo 240s. So in short, the only real limit here is your imagination.
What modifications are required?
Beyond ensuring your car is ready for the trip, the only recommended modification is the fitment of winter tyres. While this isn't a legal requirement in Scotland, and you could undertake the drive on your usual summer rubber, winters will add a handy margin of safety which we would recommend. That said, if you want to go all in, buy an old Impreza and build a winter rally weapon, we certainly won't stop you - when it comes to modifications, the choice is yours, and the sky's the limit.
How much is the entry fee?
The entry fee for a car and either one or two people is £1,450, covering all the 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.
Whichever option you choose, just get in touch to reserve a place on the trip, with a £200 deposit being payable to secure your place on the trip. This is fully refundable should your circumstances change, up to when the balance of the entry fee is due, three months before we hit the road.
And if you have any further questions, or if you’d like to reserve a place on the trip, get in touch via ben@pub2pubadventures.com , and hopefully, we'll be seeing you up in the highlands this winter.
