Battle of the Somme Anniversary Trip

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Never been before so looking for suggestions for sites to visit that are reachable from Ypres on bikes please.

July being the anniversary of the Somme, three of us are off on a 4 night trip to Ypres. Lots of hotels are obviously already booked up, but I found a cheap wooden cabin type thing that sleeps four on a campsite in Ypres for EU37/night at beginning of July, expecting it to be extremely basic accommodation but the campsite is only 10mins walk from Menin Gate. Plan is to catch the overnight Hull/Zeebrugge ferry and maybe return via the Calais/Dover ferry which makes it quite a cheap trip.

I realise theres lots to see, but if there are any 'must visit' sites then it would be good to know :thumb2


http://www.jeugdstadion.be/E/trekkershutten.php

top_trekkershutten.jpg
 
Cloth Hall Flanders Fields museum/display a must...allow at least 3 hours. PM me an address and I'll send you the street map I found today in a jacket. Walk around some of the walls, including the Menin Gate. Take a run to Tyne Cot a couple of miles outside Ypres. Do the Menin Gate 8pm Last Post...you'll probably end up going every night you are there. Lots of good places for grub...a good one right next to the Cloth Hall..I'll put a cross on the map.
 
gerarddwatts said:
Cloth Hall Flanders Fields museum/display a must...allow at least 3 hours. PM me an address and I'll send you the street map I found today in a jacket. Walk around some of the walls, including the Menin Gate. Take a run to Tyne Cot a couple of miles outside Ypres. Do the Menin Gate 8pm Last Post...you'll probably end up going every night you are there. Lots of good places for grub...a good one right next to the Cloth Hall..I'll put a cross on the map.
Click to expand...

Excellent, thank you sir.
 
GPS file attached. Just omit the visit to Henu. This was for a calleague (Barry) who had a relly buried there. You can do your own google search on the other sites. Or hire me as your guide! I deal only in beer!

Strike that offer: I will be in Spain but a bit of research will do the trick. Do not miss Newfoundland Park near Baumont Hamel and book up a guided tour by one of the Canuck guides. You can do this on t'internet or by phone. Here you go
 

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The war museum in Peronn is a MUST :thumb2 , get a reall "feel" for the whole tragic business
 
Visit lochnagar crater, and the "sunken lane ". Loads to see and learn about.
 
albert somme museum in albert, about 1.5 hrs from ypres. Vimmy ridge about 1hr from ypres, and also la coupole v2 rocket launch site museum its very good and also about 1hr away, google for info. Tyne cott cemetary just out of ypres is another place to see, and passendale museum, there are many more.
 
Yup +1 for Hoog Crater, Canadian Memorial, Menin Gate, Tyne Cot, Vimy Ridge, Passendale... also check out the Sth African Memorial at Delville Wood (two VC's in the same cemetery) and a good little museum at Bullecourt. Also, if you're going thru Ypres town, there is an amazing hotel where the soldiers used to take time out from the front, that has been turned into a museum. I went out of hours, and by chance the guy was there, and opened it up for me and gave a little tour. I can't think of the name right now, but I'll do a bit of research, and see if I can find it.

Basically, I followed a bit of a trail of NZ battles/cemeteries/memorials, and a few HAC battles/memorials, thru the Somme and Ypres, and came across a few gems along the way. One thing I would say is that I was blown away, and my schedule got a little hijacked, by the huge number of cemeteries dotted around the place. I started off stopping at every one and paying my respects, but after a couple of days of this, I had to change tact, and really focus on the things I wanted to see. Also, have a look on the CWGC website for any family members who might be there, or maybe even local regiments - having this connection definitely brings it all a bit closer to home.

A tip of the hat to you for doing this trip on the 100th Anniversary. It was a very sombre, but hugely rewarding trip for me. Will you be doing a ride report?
 
My experience is of the area aroung Arras & Albert (never seem to get to Ypres for some reason) - Wellington caves in Arras, the ww1 museum in Albert are worth visiting, Hawthorn ridge & Newfoundland memorial are sobering, the rather beautiful area is littered with a bewildering number of roadside cemetries so pull over, Lochnager crater is impressive but not worth a big detour for IMHO.
Of course, no visit to the area is complete without a visit to Thiepval memorial.

Phil
 
Thanks for the suggestions.

GS Express - a few other people have recommended Talbot House, I've managed to book a room with four beds (for 3 of us) for 3 nights, at only 396 euros between us which I think is a good deal. I now just need to cancel the wooden shed accommodation.

P&O Hull/Zeebrugge booked for outbound journey, £128 for each of us with motorbike and shared 4 berth cabin. They only had room for 5 more bikes at time of booking, due to it being the Centenary of the Somme. We will be doing an alternative route back, either channel tunnel or Calais/Dover ferry?
 
If that is a Q re the ferry or tunnel, take the ferry if you have time.
The tunnel feckin'orrible!
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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