Not many people's idea of a good time is travelling to the Arctic Circle in a 1969 Riley Elf.

Phil Welland, front, and club member Jay Southgate are ready to plan their trip to Arctic in a Riley Elf

But for Phil Welland and Kenny O'Hare, it promises to be a great adventure this summer as they head for Norway's North Cape behind the wheel of the venerable little vehicle which was built as a "Mini with a boot."

Luxury features on the car include wind-up windows and fresh air facia vents, although they are likely to remain firmly closed!

But while the trip may prove daunting for some, it's not the first time the intrepid duo who are both members of the Abingdon Mini Owners Club (AMOC), have made it as they visited the area in 2000.

The key, for the 4,000 mile round trip to Europe's most northerly point according to Phil, is preparation.

He said: "Most of us have been into Minis for so long, we know our way around the cars and we make sure they are in A1 condition and we carry spares with us.

"Kenny has raced, smashed and rebuilt Minis, so it won't be a problem."

Trips to the continent are now an annual event for the AMOC with convoys of all different kinds of Minis crossing the Channel every summer.

In 2001 it was Austria, then Monte Carlo to follow in the wheel tracks of famous rally-winning driver Paddy Hopkirk in 2002.

And last year they carried out an Italian Job raid to Italy drawing admiring glances all the way. "To see all these Minis together is special and people wave and even video us all the time," said Phil.

The AMOC was started by Phil, 34, from Bampton four years ago and has built up a membership of up to 80 enthusiasts.

He had been surprised Abingdon did not have a club because it was the home of the BMC Competitions Department and its first Mini competitors were produced in January 1960, with three 850cc models being entered in the Monte Carlo Rally.

Phil's father Dave served an apprenticeship in the department and Phil grew up with stories of special cars and rally wins.

His first car was a Morris Marina which had been specially tuned in Abingdon. Although he agrees with the common consensus that the Marina was a "diabolical" car, it is still in his garage waiting for a promised restoration.

He added: "In its day it was a bit special and I love it to bits." Of course, Phil has Minis -- four of them -- a 1978 van, a 1968 all steel Traveller, a rare 1990 Rover Special Products Cooper and a 1986 Mayfair.

On top of that he also owns a modern MG ZS as well as a 1970s Bedford camper van which partner Tracy is looking to decorate.

This year Phil, an engineer with instrumentation firm Medisense in Witney, and the club members along with thousands of others around the world are celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Mini starting this weekend with the MiniWorld 45 show at Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey.

"There are plenty of shows this year and we will be at all of them, club banners flapping in the wind," said Phil.

But of course it's not all nostalgia -- what about the new Cowley-built Mini?

Phil said: "There is a lot of bad feeling among some enthusiasts but I don't agree with that.

"Without the new Mini there would be less interest in the old Mini. It is a great car."