Never shall you drive in vain
Thursday 15th – Wednesday 21st May 2025
Flying the flag, having fun, raising funds.
This rally is meant to be fun, and it will be. By the end of the six days you will have visited some of the most beautiful places in the British Isles, you will have stayed in some of Britain’s finest hotels, and you will undoubtedly have enjoyed the company of some of the most incredible people I know.
But more than this, you will have helped young, talented individuals come to Sedbergh who would otherwise never have had a chance to develop their abililties to their full potential.
Sedbergh is not about privilege. We exist to provide an education for children from all backgrounds. This is our true purpose and has been since Roger Lupton first gave his lands in 1525. People like you make this possible.
During my tenure I have been so very uplifted by the generosity of those in the Sedbergh Community who have given such opportunity to the young. Once again I ask if you will support us. Join me on this incredible journey, one which promises to have camaraderie as its centre piece, and to be as beautiful and inspiring as anything we have ever undertaken.
Dan Harrison HEADMASTER OF SEDBERGH SCHOOL
The Rally
The rally is a tour, in teams of two per car, through some of the most beautiful parts of Scotland, staying in some of the finest hotels the British Isles have to offer. There is room for twenty cars, forty people.
To take part participants must either source and purchase a car for £1,500 or less which will be auctioned at the end of the rally with net proceeds donated to the Roger Lupton Scholarship and Bursary Scheme, or bring your own classic or vintage car. This too will be auctioned off unless you pay us a ransom of £1,000. All teams must also raise a further £6,500 per car.
The rules:
• It is a rally, not a race, to be taken at a leisurely speed.
• Each team comprises up to two people. Provision has been made for some single rooms for teams who choose not to share a room. There is a small surcharge of £500 per car for teams requiring two single rooms.
• Each car must be road legal with all essential components such as tyres and brakes checked by a mechanic.
• Each team must endeavour to arrive at each check point (in most cases the hotel) by the allotted time.
• Each team must have fun. Fines for those who are miserable.
Happiness is a manner of travelling:
• Rally Pallies are invited to decorate their cars in a theme that celebrates 500 years of Sedbergh. (We can help at your own risk!).
• All costs of accommodation, evening meals, and breakfast will be paid for by the organisers (us). The costs of optional activities, such as golf, spa trips and additional visits to the bar will be the responsibility of individual participants. There will be a backup vehicle in case people break down, but those taking part are also encouraged to bring breakdown recovery cards if you have membership.
Glencoe Isle of Skye
Loch Lomond
The Route
The Route
The A32 and the approach to Glencoe Culloden Battlefield
The Route
Thursday 15th May
To warm up the engines before the trip begins, all Buccaneers will gather for dinner and a night at The Swan Hotel in Newby Bridge, located at the south end of Lake Windermere. This informal evening will be a chance to meet with the teams gearing up for this special adventure. www.swanhotel.com
Friday 16th May – Newby Bridge – Cameron House (Loch Lomond)
On Day 2 we will weave through Cumbria, and Dumfries and Galloway, to arrive at Cameron House Hotel on the shores of Loch Lomond. www.cameronhouse.co.uk
During the afternoon teams may wish to relax with a round of golf against the backdrop of the Trossachs, take a stroll around Loch Lomond, or enjoy the spa facilities in this five-star hotel.
In the evening teams will meet in the bar, which boasts one of the most comprehensive whisky collections in the world, prior to dining together.
The Swan Hotel
The Swan Hotel
Cameron House Hotel
Saturday 17th May – Cameron House – Fort William – Mallaig – Skye Day 3 is the longest leg of the trip. Continuing up the west side of Loch Lomond, the rally will make its way through Glencoe, up to Mallaig via Fort William and over to the Isle of Skye. Driving from Fort William to Mallaig the route passes close to the Glenfinnan Viaduct, featured in the Harry Potter films.
At Mallaig, a vibrant fishing port, teams are encouraged to sample some freshly caught fish before catching the short ferry trip to Skye.
On Skye the party will disperse to smaller groups with the hotel allocation of each team kept a mystery until the rally itself. There will be no formal dinner on Skye, although the cost of dining in each hotel will be covered by the rally entrance fee. This low-key evening will give Rogers Dodgers the opportunity to relax at the midway point of the trip. The rally hotels on Skye are:
• Cuillin Hills Hotel: www.cuillinhills-hotel-skye.co.uk
• Flodigarry Hotel: www.hotelintheskye.co.uk
• Kinloch Lodge: www.kinloch-lodge.co.uk
• Duisdale House Hotel: www.sonascollection.com/our-hotels/duisdale
• Marmalade Hotel: www.perlehotels.com/marmalade
Kinloch Lodge
Kinloch Lodge
Duisdale House Hotel
Glenfinnan Viaduct Mallaig
Sunday 18th May – Skye – Inverness
The route from the Isle of Skye to Inverness passes many beautiful and historic landmarks.
• Sligachan Waterfalls
• Eilean Donan Castle
• Urquhart Castle
Our weary and hungry travellers will be welcomed to the MacDonald Drumossie Hotel in Inverness, where we will all enjoy the spectacular views over the Moray Firth, a fine dinner together, and a good rest! www.macdonaldhotels.co.uk/drumossie
MacDonald Drumossie Hotel
Eilean Donan Castle
Urquhart Castle Sligachan
Monday 19th May – Inverness – House of Bruar – Edinburgh
On Day 5 the rally will journey from Inverness to Edinburgh. Those wishing to detour may wish to visit the historic Culloden Battlefield or nearby Clava Cairns.
A perfect lunch spot en route is The House of Bruar which is OS owned. Those with time to explore might want to visit Lochleven Castle on the final approach to Edinburgh.
Guests will spend the night at the Dalmahoy Hotel and Country Club, where participants can enjoy a game of golf or a dip in the pool before dinner. www.dalmahoyhotelandcountryclub.co.uk
Dalmahoy Hotel
Dalmahoy Hotel
Clava Cairns
Tuesday 20th May – Edinburgh – Sedbergh
On the final day the rally will travel back to Sedbergh stopping off to drop the cars at Penrith Motor Auction and bid these fine vehicles a fond farewell. Transport for teams will be organised back to Sedbergh. If you want to keep your own classic car remember to pay your £1,000 ransom fee – James Bond please note.
On the last night teams will be accommodated at either The Dalesman or The Black Bull Hotel. That evening we will host a grand finale dinner in the Hirst Centre to toast our friendship and camaraderie.
Wednesday 21st May
Following the successful completion of the rally, adventurers will return home. Lifts can be arranged to local train stations such as Oxenholme and Garsdale if required.
While one aim of this enterprise is to have fun, a more serious outcome is that we should raise in excess of £100,000 for the Roger Lupton Scholarship and Bursary Scheme, giving young boys and girls new and lifechanging opportunities.
If you want to participate or would like to know more about the Rally Roger, please contact Ben Collins on bpc@sedberghschool.org, 01524 279217.
We look forward to making memories together.
The difference you make
While the Rally Roger 500 promises to be full of fun and friendship, there is a more serious aspect, which centres around the very purpose of Sedbergh School.
The education of the young, the realisation of their abilities, and the development of the gifts they possess, lie at the heart of a healthy society. Those with exceptional talents often have much to gain from an education at a school such as Sedbergh, giving back in later life to the society that supported them in their youth.
Many are fortunate that there are sufficient familial funds to support their education at Sedbergh. However, there are also highly talented young children, who come from disadvantaged backgrounds where the opportunity of a Sedbergh education is an unrealisable dream.
The Roger Lupton Scholarship and Bursary Scheme looks to provide 100% funded scholarships for these talented individuals who are adjudged by the Headmaster to be of a disposition that merits such an award. The Scheme also provides support where the families of children at Sedbergh experience life changing events.
Presently the Scheme sponsors 12 children at Sedbergh on 100% scholarships, all funded by the Sedbergh Community. The good this does, the impact upon their lives, is immeasurable. This is only made possible by people like you. It really is the difference you make.
Jan van der Velde DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
Flying the flag, having fun, raising funds. A magnificent rally across Scotland to help children
Sedbergh School, Sedbergh, Cumbria LA10 5HG.
Website: https://association.sedberghschool.org
Email: bpc@sedberghschool.org
Telephone: 01524 279217
Loch Lomond