The hills are alive with the sound of the Bean 14 roadster

Our intrepid travellers drove through the Austrian Alps in their 100-year-old roadster defying rain, fog and freezing winds to arrive in the picturesque Slovenian capital of Ljubljana.

Just one week ago the roads of the Austrian Alps were impassable and blocked with up to a metre of snow.

But when The Daily Telegraph’s team in the 100-year-old Bean 14 open topped roadster arrived there was just rain, fog and very, very cold winds.

The team of cartoonist Warren Brown and Editor-at-large Matthew Benns raced across Europe to reach Salzburg in Austria ready for the 300 km drive over the mountains to Ljubljana in Slovenia. At their highest point the alpine roads reach 2500 metres.

“I was very worried the high altitude air would affect the old motor but the Bean handled it brilliantly,” said a red nosed Brown breathlessly.

Matthew Benns (left) and Warren Brown (right), drove into a rain bomb between Slovenia and Croatia. With them are Slovenian RTV Morning Show presenter David Urankar and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire host Jure Godler.

The drive literally through the Austrian mountains via a string of long and deafening tunnels threw up a picture postcard check list of amazing mountain views. But one in particular caught the attention of the movie lovers in the car.

The beautiful Austrian landscape when the sun is shining.

“We recognised the name of the town of Werfern from the movie Where Eagles Dare,” said Benns. “And sure enough we looked up and there was the Schloss Adler where Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood filmed the movie.”

It is actually called Hohenwerfen Castle but is as recognisable as the famous “Broadsword calling Danny Boy” radio message from the movie.

On the road and in the rain in Slovenia. Picture: Supplied.

In the foreground was the alpine pasture where Julie Andrews filmed the Sound of Music.

After climbing for hours the veteran Bean entered the final tunnel in pouring rain to emerge on the other side of the mountain into warm sunshine and a long descent into Slovenia.

The former Yugoslavian state gained its independence in 1991 and the picturesque capital Ljubljana is known as the city of dragons with four guarding the dragon bridge that crosses the Ljubljana river.

@dailytelegraph Our intrepid travellers have made their way to #Austria and #Slovenia as they continue their journey #TheBean from #London to #Melbourne… and they’re doing it in style. Continue following their journey on the Daily Telegraph App. #birtlesandthebean #europe #car #roadtrip #travel #travelling #journey ♬ original sound - The Daily Telegraph

Just for a moment the dragons were not the centre of attention as the Bean roared its way over the bridge into town.

Canon engineer Samdor Balogh was one of the hundreds of admirers who stopped to ogle at the car in the centre of Ljubljana.

“I have never seen one of these before in real life only in pictures,” he said. “It makes my heart beat faster.

“When you get close you can smell the last century, the oil and leather. It is like touching the start of motoring history,” he said.

Originally published as The hills are alive with the sound of the Bean 14 roadster