Cars of all shapes, sizes and age will depart Plymouth in England during December on a long journey to Banjul in The Gambia.

We are used to British tourists departing on flights to Gambia on their way to the winter sun resort of Banjul, but during December and January, traditional tourists will be joined by a hardy selection of drivers making the journey south by road. The Plymouth to Banjul Rally first started in 2002 when an adventurous group of 42 teams left the Devon port to drive across Europe and the Sahara Desert, heading for The Gambia on Africa's West coast. Amazingly most of the cars arrived safely and the event became established. This year will see the 8th running of the rally and anyone can enter, provided they meet the terms and conditions of entry. One unusual condition is the cars that make it to the finish must be donated to the Gambian Authorities who will sell them off by auction and donate the funds to local worthy causes.

This is not a big off-road rally as you might expect, with most of the 3700 miles being driven on normal roads. But the challenges do start once the route leaves Spain and starts to tackle the leg through Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania and Senegal. Already over 50 teams have entered, so the thought of giving their car away at the finish does not put some people off; but the organisers are not expecting showroom-fresh vehicles to be taking part.

The coastline around Banjul is the location of some beautiful holiday resorts, so before flying back home, competitors will be looking forward to an enjoyable rest on the beach once they reach their destination.