Happy campers and Beetle mania as stately home hosts gala of VW fans

The grounds of the Leeds stately home played host to the VW Festival, a celebration of all things Volkswagen.

A sea of Beetles and camper vans covered the fields outside the mansion, with hundreds of other classic cars from across the VW range ensuring a bumper automotive feast for fans.

A special display on Saturday showcased cars in this year’s theme colours of red, white, 
blue and black. The showpiece Show and Shine competition yesterday, meanwhile, saw cars compete for prizes in various categories.

The crowds clearly loved it, with several thousand people flocking through the gates.

One enthusiast from Harrogate, who owns four Volkswagens including two “split screen” campers and a 1970s Beetle or “bug”, said: “The VW festival scene is just a fantastic scene; it’s a real community. We love this festival. It’s getting bigger and better and it’s a fantastic setting. It’s one of the best festivals.”

Another enthusiast, Joe Riley, from Leeds, said VW festivals are “like a way of life” for fans, the automotive equivalent of music festivals. He said he loves his own black VW Beetle, even though “it’s a bit battered”.