World War One
Ypres Salient Battlefield and Passchendaele Battlefield Tour
- 4 Days / 3 Nights B&B
Suggested 2 / 3* Hotel in the Ypres area
Overview
This is an excellent tour packed with visits to battlefields, museums, memorials and cemeteries. This Ypres Battlefield Tour covers elements of the 1st Battle of Ypres, 2nd Battle of Ypres and the 3rd Battles of Ypres including Passchendaele.
Be prepared to be out and about all day exploring and visiting some amazing places.
Suggested Itinerary
Day 1 - Travel from the UK on the Euro-Tunnel Le Shuttle to Calais then onward to the Battlefields.
En-route to our hotel in the Ypres area we stop at the Lijssenthoek CWGC (DL1 = Difficulty Level 1, please see the Health and Well being section on the T&C's page where Difficulty Levels are explained) where your guide will explain the history behind the Commonwealth War Graves Commission the architecture and layout of the CWGC Cemeteries and explain how to find a casualty in a cemetery. He will then lead you through the cemetery pointing out some of the people buried there, including Frederick Tubb VC and Staff Nurse Nellie Spindler, one of the few women killed by enemy fire. Your guide will then guide you to the Lijssenthoek visitor centre (DL1) where there is an excellent display of how the area was in WWI and it's use as a Casualty Clearing station. (toilets at the visitor centre). Moving on from Lijssenthoek. We visit the town of Poperinghe, known to the Tommy as 'Pops', this was a rear rest area during WW1. During our visit we will visit the Talbot House, a place of rest during the conflict, we will also visit the execution cells, where your guide will provide a narrative on those shot at dawn under the Army Act during WWI. We then make our way to our hotel in the Ypres area and check in. That evening we will visit the Menin Gate where we watch the Menin Gate last post ceremony (DL1). Wreath laying is encouraged and can be arranged.
Day 2 - After Breakfast we make our way back to the Menin Gate where your guide will brief you on the construction, design and meaning of the memorial to the missing and names thereon (DL1). We then walk up on to the town ramparts to see the WWI Indian Army and the Gurkha memorial. From there we walk along the old ramparts to the Ramparts CWGC the only War Graves Cemetery within the town wall of Ypres (DL1), a short visit to the St Georges Chapel, then a stop for refreshments in a cafe. We then travel to Gheluvelt village (DL1). This village was on the edge of the Ypres Salient at the start of WWI, there we discuss the desperate action which took place in 1914 and remember the bravery and sacrifice of the 1st South Wales Borderers and the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regt. From Gheluvelt we move to Black Watch Corner (DL1) where we pause at the Black Watch Memorial and discuss the action which took place at that location during the 1st Battle of Ypres in 1914. From Black Watch Corner we jump to the 3rd battle of Ypres in 1917 with a visit to the New Buttes Cemetery in Polygon Wood, there we visit the 5th Australian Division memorial and the New Zealand memorial to the missing (DL1). From Polygon Wood we travel to Sanctuary Wood for a visit to the Allied front line trenches DL2), (toilets available at the cafe). We then return to the hotel for time to relax before either joining your guide for dinner in one of the many excellent restaurants in Ypres or if you would prefer you can have private time to explore Ypres.
Day 3 - After Breakfast we travel to the Essex Farm Advanced Dressing Station and the nearby CWG Cemetery (DL1) where John MaCrae served, he wrote the famous poem ''In Flanders Fields''. From Essex Farm we travel to the Brooding Soldier memorial at St Julien (DL1). This area was known as Vancouver Corner corner in WWI, where in 1915 during the 2nd Battle of Ypres, the Canadian Infantry stemmed the German Infantry onslaught after the first use of Gas. From Vancouver Corner we move to the German Cemetery at Langemark (DL1) to see how the German casualties are remembered. From Langemark we travel to the Tyne Cott CWGC Cemetery (DL1) This is the largest Commonwealth Military Cemetery in the world with 11,965 burials, of which 8369 are unnamed. There is also the Tyne Cott memorial to the missing with the names of 34,887 United Kingdom and New Zealand forces who died in the Ypres sector after the 16th August 1917 and who have no known grave. (toilets available at this location), there we discuss the battle for Passchendaele in 1917 as part of the 3rd Battle of Ypres. From the Tyne Cott CWGC we visit the Canadian memorial at Crest Farm (DL1) in Passchendaele village. Finally for today we finish at the Passchendaele museum at Zonnebeke (DL1) (toilets and cafe available at this location). We then return to the hotel for time to relax before either joining your guide for dinner in one of the many excellent restaurants in Ypres or if you would prefer you can have private time to explore Ypres.
Day 4 - After Breakfast we check out of the hotel and spend an hour or so buying souvenirs and chocolate in Ypres then after a coffee and cake break we move to Hill 60 (DL2) where we explore this part of the Ypres battlefield, examining the underground war of the tunnelers and miners, around Hill 60. We also visit Caterpillar Crater (DL2) to see the effect of a mine which was blown under the German lines. We then start our journey back to Calais, stopping at Brandhoek CWGC Cemetery (DL1) where you will be guided to the resting place of Captain Noel Chevase the only winner of two VC's in WWI. From Brandhoek we drive to the Tunnel at Calais for our journey home.
Please note - The above is only a suggested Itinerary which can be adjusted to incorporate a visit to a specific cemetery or memorial.
Suggested Accommodation -
For Cadet Forces the ideal accommodation is at the Menin Gate Hostel
For Adult Groups there are a few hotels to consider -
The Hotel Kasteelhof't Hooghe
Novotel Ypres
Flanders Lodge Best Western Hotel Ypres
Hotel Ariane Ypres
This is an excellent tour packed with visits to battlefields, museums, memorials and cemeteries. This Ypres Battlefield Tour covers elements of the 1st Battle of Ypres, 2nd Battle of Ypres and the 3rd Battles of Ypres including Passchendaele.
Be prepared to be out and about all day exploring and visiting some amazing places.
Suggested Itinerary
Day 1 - Travel from the UK on the Euro-Tunnel Le Shuttle to Calais then onward to the Battlefields.
En-route to our hotel in the Ypres area we stop at the Lijssenthoek CWGC (DL1 = Difficulty Level 1, please see the Health and Well being section on the T&C's page where Difficulty Levels are explained) where your guide will explain the history behind the Commonwealth War Graves Commission the architecture and layout of the CWGC Cemeteries and explain how to find a casualty in a cemetery. He will then lead you through the cemetery pointing out some of the people buried there, including Frederick Tubb VC and Staff Nurse Nellie Spindler, one of the few women killed by enemy fire. Your guide will then guide you to the Lijssenthoek visitor centre (DL1) where there is an excellent display of how the area was in WWI and it's use as a Casualty Clearing station. (toilets at the visitor centre). Moving on from Lijssenthoek. We visit the town of Poperinghe, known to the Tommy as 'Pops', this was a rear rest area during WW1. During our visit we will visit the Talbot House, a place of rest during the conflict, we will also visit the execution cells, where your guide will provide a narrative on those shot at dawn under the Army Act during WWI. We then make our way to our hotel in the Ypres area and check in. That evening we will visit the Menin Gate where we watch the Menin Gate last post ceremony (DL1). Wreath laying is encouraged and can be arranged.
Day 2 - After Breakfast we make our way back to the Menin Gate where your guide will brief you on the construction, design and meaning of the memorial to the missing and names thereon (DL1). We then walk up on to the town ramparts to see the WWI Indian Army and the Gurkha memorial. From there we walk along the old ramparts to the Ramparts CWGC the only War Graves Cemetery within the town wall of Ypres (DL1), a short visit to the St Georges Chapel, then a stop for refreshments in a cafe. We then travel to Gheluvelt village (DL1). This village was on the edge of the Ypres Salient at the start of WWI, there we discuss the desperate action which took place in 1914 and remember the bravery and sacrifice of the 1st South Wales Borderers and the 2nd Battalion Worcestershire Regt. From Gheluvelt we move to Black Watch Corner (DL1) where we pause at the Black Watch Memorial and discuss the action which took place at that location during the 1st Battle of Ypres in 1914. From Black Watch Corner we jump to the 3rd battle of Ypres in 1917 with a visit to the New Buttes Cemetery in Polygon Wood, there we visit the 5th Australian Division memorial and the New Zealand memorial to the missing (DL1). From Polygon Wood we travel to Sanctuary Wood for a visit to the Allied front line trenches DL2), (toilets available at the cafe). We then return to the hotel for time to relax before either joining your guide for dinner in one of the many excellent restaurants in Ypres or if you would prefer you can have private time to explore Ypres.
Day 3 - After Breakfast we travel to the Essex Farm Advanced Dressing Station and the nearby CWG Cemetery (DL1) where John MaCrae served, he wrote the famous poem ''In Flanders Fields''. From Essex Farm we travel to the Brooding Soldier memorial at St Julien (DL1). This area was known as Vancouver Corner corner in WWI, where in 1915 during the 2nd Battle of Ypres, the Canadian Infantry stemmed the German Infantry onslaught after the first use of Gas. From Vancouver Corner we move to the German Cemetery at Langemark (DL1) to see how the German casualties are remembered. From Langemark we travel to the Tyne Cott CWGC Cemetery (DL1) This is the largest Commonwealth Military Cemetery in the world with 11,965 burials, of which 8369 are unnamed. There is also the Tyne Cott memorial to the missing with the names of 34,887 United Kingdom and New Zealand forces who died in the Ypres sector after the 16th August 1917 and who have no known grave. (toilets available at this location), there we discuss the battle for Passchendaele in 1917 as part of the 3rd Battle of Ypres. From the Tyne Cott CWGC we visit the Canadian memorial at Crest Farm (DL1) in Passchendaele village. Finally for today we finish at the Passchendaele museum at Zonnebeke (DL1) (toilets and cafe available at this location). We then return to the hotel for time to relax before either joining your guide for dinner in one of the many excellent restaurants in Ypres or if you would prefer you can have private time to explore Ypres.
Day 4 - After Breakfast we check out of the hotel and spend an hour or so buying souvenirs and chocolate in Ypres then after a coffee and cake break we move to Hill 60 (DL2) where we explore this part of the Ypres battlefield, examining the underground war of the tunnelers and miners, around Hill 60. We also visit Caterpillar Crater (DL2) to see the effect of a mine which was blown under the German lines. We then start our journey back to Calais, stopping at Brandhoek CWGC Cemetery (DL1) where you will be guided to the resting place of Captain Noel Chevase the only winner of two VC's in WWI. From Brandhoek we drive to the Tunnel at Calais for our journey home.
Please note - The above is only a suggested Itinerary which can be adjusted to incorporate a visit to a specific cemetery or memorial.
Suggested Accommodation -
For Cadet Forces the ideal accommodation is at the Menin Gate Hostel
For Adult Groups there are a few hotels to consider -
The Hotel Kasteelhof't Hooghe
Novotel Ypres
Flanders Lodge Best Western Hotel Ypres
Hotel Ariane Ypres
German Military Cemetery in Langemark
