There are days when everything goes exactly according to plan, and then there are proper Wild Buggers days.
Our August Wild Buggers Beach Buggy Club run, aptly named From Bars to Battleships, delivered a healthy dose of both.
The plan looked simple enough on paper. Meet in Bothasig, enjoy a leisurely cruise to a secret breakfast spot, head over Ou Kaapse Weg, explore the South African Naval Museum in Simon’s Town, and finish the day at Rhodes Memorial. Easy, right?
Well… this is a club run involving old Volkswagens.
What could possibly go wrong?
Gathering the Troops in Bothasig
The day kicked off at KFC Bothasig with the usual mix of coffee, catching up, and inspecting each other’s rides.
As always, the parking area quickly turned into an unofficial motor show. There were custom beach buggies, classic Beetles, a Baja Bug, and enough air-cooled conversation to keep any VW enthusiast entertained for hours.
Kyle was proudly showing off his light blue 1974 Beetle and its freshly rebuilt 1835cc motor, 92mm sleeve kit, W 110 cam, 40 IDFs, EMPI deep sump and a refurbished 1600 gearbox, while everyone else wandered from vehicle to vehicle discussing modifications, upgrades, and those projects that are always “almost finished”.
Before long, the convoy was lined up and ready to roll.
The Great Pollsmoor Surprise
Our secret breakfast destination this month turned out to be Idlanathi Restaurant at Pollsmoor.
For those who have never heard of it, Idlanathi means “eat with us” and offers visitors a unique dining experience within the Pollsmoor precinct. The restaurant also forms part of a program that provides selected inmates with hospitality and catering experience. It is certainly one of the most unusual breakfast destinations in Cape Town. Pollsmoor Prison Restaurant
Of course, being Wild Buggers, getting there was never going to be completely straightforward.
Just before reaching Pollsmoor, I received a phone call from Bertus.
His Beetle had decided it preferred neutral and had apparently misplaced all interest in finding any gears.
Without hesitation, Herbie and Heinrich broke away from the convoy and headed back to find him.
“Carry on,” Herbie said. “We’ll sort it out.”
That’s the thing about this club. Nobody gets left behind.
Meanwhile, the rest of us carried on toward breakfast, only to receive another phone call.
This time it was Neil.
“Where are you guys?”
Oops.
We were supposed to meet Neil, Hans, and Francois at the library just before Pollsmoor. Somehow that tiny detail had escaped my memory completely.
A quick location pin later and the missing members were heading in the right direction.
Fortunately, by the time breakfast was in full swing, Herbie, Heinrich, Bertus, Neil, Hans, and Francois had all arrived safely.
Ja-nee, no convoy is complete without at least a little administrative excellence from the organiser.
Good Food, Good Laughs, Great Company
Breakfast at Idlanathi turned out to be an excellent choice.
The food was great, the prices were reasonable, and the unusual location provided plenty of conversation.
Naturally, it wasn’t long before somebody suggested a mock arrest photo outside Pollsmoor. Within minutes members were lined up against a wall pretending to have been caught for excessive air-cooled enthusiasm.
The evidence against us was overwhelming.
Over the Mountain and Onward
After breakfast, the convoy headed toward Ou Kaapse Weg, one of the Western Cape’s most scenic mountain routes.
The roads twisted through the mountain pass while the convoy stretched out ahead, providing those picture-perfect moments every club member loves seeing in the mirrors.
Classic Beetles, beach buggies, and a Baja Bug cruising together through the Cape landscape is a sight that never gets old.
A few coastal pitstops followed, giving everyone a chance to stretch their legs, admire the ocean views, and exchange the latest theories about fuel consumption, carburettors, and why no two Volkswagens are ever entirely the same.
From Bars to Battleships
Eventually we rolled into Simon’s Town and arrived at the South African Naval Museum.
Located within historic naval buildings dating back to the 1700s and 1800s, the museum preserves the fascinating history of South Africa’s naval heritage. Visitors can explore everything from naval weapons and submariner exhibits to ship models and maritime artefacts. South African Naval Museum,
Members spent the afternoon wandering through exhibits filled with mines, missiles, deck guns, helicopters, fire engines, wheelhouses, diving equipment, and enough naval hardware to keep the history enthusiasts busy for hours.
The nearby historic naval church also offered a quieter moment of reflection, with its beautiful wooden pews, stained glass windows, and fascinating reminders of Simon’s Town’s rich maritime past.
The “Battleships” part of the run definitely delivered.
VW Corner: Why Old-School Drivers Carry Spares
The day’s little mechanical adventures served as the perfect reminder of a long-standing truth in the air-cooled VW community.
Most experienced owners carry ignition spares.
Back in the day, a small set of ignition points, a condenser, and a few basic tools could mean the difference between driving home and waiting for a tow truck.
Later in the day, Neil eventually tracked down the cause of the famous number 53 Herbie’s backfiring problem, proudly holding up a set of burnt points like a trophy.
For modern drivers, that tiny component might seem insignificant.
For air-cooled VW owners, it’s practically a survival kit.
Finishing in Style at Rhodes Memorial
The final leg of the run took us through Cape Town and up toward Rhodes Memorial.
Built in 1912 from Cape granite quarried from Table Mountain, the memorial’s famous staircase consists of 49 steps, representing the 49 years of Cecil Rhodes’ life. Rhodes Memorial
By the time we arrived, the afternoon sunshine was showing off some of the best views Cape Town has to offer.
Members parked under the trees, admired the scenery, shared plenty of laughs, and continued discussing the day’s highlights.
Some tackled the impressive staircase all the way to the top. Others preferred to stay closer to the vehicles and enjoy the view.
Harvey Metcalf’s striking white and blue Beamish beach buggy drew plenty of attention, while a small crowd continued investigating Herbie’s backfiring mystery.
At one point we even had Herbie helping Herbie.
Honestly, you couldn’t make this stuff up.
Another Wild Buggers Day Well Spent
Looking back, From Bars to Battleships had everything we could have hoped for.
Great food.
Great roads.
Great history.
A few mechanical challenges.
A little confusion.
A lot of laughter.
And most importantly, the kind of camaraderie that keeps all of us coming back month after month.
If you’ve ever wondered what the Wild Buggers Beach Buggy Club is all about, it’s simple.
It’s not just about the vehicles.
It’s about the people sitting behind the steering wheels.
We’ll see you on the next run.
Want to see all the photos from the day? Browse the complete From Bars to Battleships photo album here.
Whether you’re driving a beach buggy, Baja Bug, Beetle, Kombi, or any classic VW, we’d love to have you join us on our next adventure. Check out our next event and come experience the roads, laughter, and camaraderie that make the Wild Buggers Beach Buggy Club so unique
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