A weekly round‑up of events on the road as Land Rover's Journey of Discovery travels 8,000 miles from Birmingham to Beijing, uncovering a unique selection of stories en‑route. The trip aims to raise £1m for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
The Journey of Discovery quite literally changes scale this week as it goes from the miniature to the massive. The intricate micro art three‑and‑a‑half millimetre model boat visited last week would be absolutely lost in the gargantuan submarine holding pens that would be one of the next stops on the Journey of Discovery. Situated at the port town of Balaklava, Ukraine, the once top secret submarine base for the Soviet's Black Sea Fleet offers an incredible, and sizeable reminder of the Cold War.
With its ability to survive a direct nuclear hit and home and sustain 3,000 people for over a month, the Crimean coast submarine shelter is now preserved as a museum. Special permission allowed the Journey of Discovery Land Rovers to drive into the base itself. Illuminating the dark, cavernous tunnels with powerful headlamps the Land Rovers travelled into areas that once housed submarines as vast as 300 ft in length and packing some terrifying, and world‑changing, firepower.
Off the map since 1957, the town was re‑introduced to the world in 1992. It is almost inconceivable that in living memory such a secret place existed. That the Journey of Discovery had such unfettered access to this incredible and once highly secretive Cold War relic is a remarkable indicator of the changes the world has witnessed. That is obvious too in Balaklava's bay, now filled by a glittering array of expensive yachts from around the world rather than a sinister submarine fleet.
Leaving subterranean submarine bases behind the Journey of Discovery set off en‑route to Tula. A brief diversion allowed everyone to encounter a little bit more Russian history ‑ automotive this time.
This glimpse into Russian automotive history was found at the end of a long, deeply rutted driveway covered with deep snow. Easy enough for the Discoverys. At the driveway's end resides a unique collection of cars owned by Mikhail Krasinets. Two fields full of around 300 examples of Soviet vehicles, everything from the everyday Moskvich 1500 that was the preserve of the few lucky enough to afford private transport, to the 1961 Gaz Chaika which would have been reserved for the very highest Communist Party officials.
A former Russian factory rally driver and Moskvich test driver, Krasinets' collection might not be museum quality but it's an intriguing insight into Soviet motoring, the comfort, refinement and capability of the Discoverys a world away from these simple, austere machines. That comfort and capability is greatly appreciated as the team negotiates the rough track back to tarmac.
Leaving Tula ‑ a town famous for being the birthplace of 'War and Peace' novelist Leo Tolstoy ‑ the Journey of Discovery makes a pit‑stop at Tula's finest gingerbread bakery. The recipe for the heavy, sweet and tasty gingerbread is as closely guarded a secret as the Balaklava submarine base used to be, though it'll be welcome sustenance as the Journey continues to travel East on its 8,000 mile trip to Beijing.
Before it gets there, the journey will visit Moscow, where the team will be enjoying the sights of the capital city, mixing with local artists and even having a sauna. A mobile sauna, of course. As the wheels keep turning on the Journey of Discovery one thing is for certain, with boots brimming with gingerbread nobody will be going hungry for a while!
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ENDS
AVAILABLE CONTENT
Short daily blogs, images and some short videos are available on an ongoing basis throughout the journey.
Video, images and copy will soon become available for the submarine base at Balaklava.
ABOUT THE JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY
To celebrate the millionth Discovery and to showcase the vehicle's unique versatility and breadth of capability, Land Rover's Journey of Discovery will cover 8,000 miles in 50 days from its birthplace in Birmingham, UK to one of its fastest growing markets, Beijing in China. It aims to raise £1 million for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The journey will pass through 13 countries ‑ UK, France, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China ‑ focusing on interesting stories en‑route to provide engaging video, image and written content. This will include joining avalanche teams in the Alps, driving through a Cold War submarine city and even joining a trip into the heart of Chernobyl.
ABOUT THE FUNDRAISING PROJECT
The Journey of Discovery expedition aims to raise £1,000,000 (GBP) for Land Rover's Global Humanitarian Partner, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The money will be used to support a much needed water sanitation project in Uganda (www.landrover.com/million).
This is in addition to the three‑year global initiative "Reaching Vulnerable People Around the World". This initiative, launched in 2010, provides additional support for IFRC programmes in over 15 countries worldwide.
