Ypres and surrounding area GPS routes wanted

Has anyone got any good tours for the Ypres and surrounding WW1 battlefields they can share with me. I have got lots of waypoints already but am looking for a couple of interesting routes to follow to take in some of the more significant points of interest in the area.
What are the must see things in this area ? Already have Menin gate, Flanders fields museum, Tyne Cot on the list but am looking for some other places we should visit.
I'll be there next weekend with my 77 year old father-in-law so hope to spend the some time on Saturday and Sunday exploring the area.
Cheers
Gecko

PS I have a Garmin 60c GPS unit

I suggest you get this

It's the definitive guide. GPS might be useful but everything you need to see is within a few miles of Ypres / Jeper and can be followed using the map in the guide.

I would tend to follow the salient around Ypres from North to South. This also tends to follow the chronology of the major battles.

"Must not misses" are ...

Essex Farm - where "Flanders' Fields" was composed.

Vancouver Crossroads - impressive Canadian memorial and site of the 1915 gas attacks by the Germans.

Langemarck German cemetery. VERY different from the CWGC cemeteries and quite spooky.

Poelkappelle CWGC - around 80% "unknowns".

Messines Church - visit the crypt where AH was patched up. He visited again in 1940. Lots of other things to see around Messines too. Scene of the 1914 Xmas truce is nearby at Bethlehem Farm. The Irish Peace Tower etc.

Hellfire corner and Sanctuary Wood. You can visit the trenches at SW if you can put up with the loathsome attitude and grasping nature of the private owner!

Hooge Museum on the Menin road. Good collection of memorabilia.

Paaschendael Canadian Memorial. At the top of Paaschendael Ridge. From there, you can walk down the ridge to Tyne Cot. Takes about 20 mins. In 1917 it cost 500 000 casualties. It's worth doing the walk. Nothing else quite makes the point. Especially when you then arrive at ...

Tyne Cot itself. Now has a very moving visitor centre.

Cap the day off with the Menin Gate Ceremony. Stand at the Menin end of the Gate, you'll get a better view of the buglers. And you can say thanks to them afterwards more easily, They do it every night. Rain or shine.

Thanks for those recommendations. I had a few of those names on my list already but the list just grew quite a bit. It's going to be an interesting visit. The book looks good but I don't think I'll get it in time now. Amazon delivery to Belgium seems to take about 13 years and costs a fortune. never mind - maybe I can pick up a copy in Ypres or in one of the big bookshops in Brussels.

Stioll looking for a nice GPS route if anyone has one ready to use

Here is a trip I did to Ypres (or Ieper) and the Somme a few years ago. Hope that's of use to you

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showpost.php?p=647073&postcount=9

Cheers Twotter. I'll have a look at those over the weekend. Much obliged to you

I don't know where else sells them but the visitor centre at Theipval has reproduced 1919 Thomas Cook guide books.

I have the Ypres one, it's very useful even today (it's full of contemporary images) and is a handy size.

I would also go to Dixmiude and the Trenches Of Death. These are North of Iepre on the Ijser Canal. It is where for four years the Belgian Army held the line against the Germans. There is a visitor center cum observation tower and approx 600metres of preserved trenches. Very few British visitors seem to go there, they are missing seeing an important part of The Line.

Steve

Steve E said:

I would also go to Dixmiude and the Trenches Of Death. These are North of Iepre on the Ijser Canal. It is where for four years the Belgian Army held the line against the Germans. There is a visitor center cum observation tower and approx 600metres of preserved trenches. Very few British visitors seem to go there, they are missing seeing an important part of The Line.

Steve

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Thanks Steve - I've not heard of these either - will research them and see if we can get to them.
The problem is there is just so much to see around Ieper/Ypres that it's hard to know where to begin.


Does anyone know what time of the day the last past is played at the Menin gate ? I think it's 8pm but I'm looking for confirmation.

I have two GPS files (Garmin) with the route of the Flanders Field ride of the flemish BMW-club (2006 & 2007). Can send them to you if you want them.

I also have a file with all the WWI waypoints in and around Ypres. I even believe I got it via UKGSer.

Trench of death:



View from the visitor centre towards Diksmuide (access is free of charge):



The complete trip: http://gspep.smugmug.com/gallery/3636713_mTo3X

Gecko said:

Does anyone know what time of the day the last past is played at the Menin gate ? I think it's 8pm but I'm looking for confirmation.

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Yes it's every day at 8 pm. But try to go on a saturday. Always some special ceremonies on a saturday.





More: http://gspep.smugmug.com/gallery/654437_uXpcW

Menin Gate

For a good position you need to arrive 20-30mins before 8pm.
The best position is at the top of the slope away from the town by the main columns then you will be alongside the Buglers.
Frank

Gecko said:

Has anyone got any good tours for the Ypres and surrounding WW1 battlefields they can share with me. I have got lots of waypoints already but am looking for a couple of interesting routes to follow to take in some of the more significant points of interest in the area.

Click to expand...

On the wall of the town hall where the museum is, is a map with a route around the local area, taking in many of the sites.

Cheers - I've been and done it now - very interesting weekend and I'd recommend it to anyone who is in the area

yup very interesting place
stopped there our last nite on our way back home
know its too late now but the tourist information which is located in the cloth hall has a very good free guide book with all the historic sites marked