WW1 sites/tour
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screwloose

Original Poster:

608 posts

221 months

Monday 15th February 2010
quotequote all
Hi there, we're toying with the idea of doing a tour of the sites, museums and memorials of WW1. I know that these are roughly centred around the town of Ypres but would like to know which are the best/must visit. We're planning on doing it over a weekend or long weekend.
Any advice is greatly appreciated. Oh, and any recommendations for places to eat/stay.

rednotdead

1,238 posts

242 months

Monday 15th February 2010
quotequote all
Stay here: Hotel Ariane, best hotel in Ypres (and it has its own carpark) and it is a 5 minutes walk into the town centre. Buy this book Major & Mrs Holts Guide which is an excellent guide, they also do a battlefield map which is worth getting.

If you're only going for a long weekend then I would recommend the following:

1. Start with the In Flanders Fields Museum in the Cloth Hall in Ypres. Gives you a good grounding in the area and the 3 major battles of Ypres. It is also one of the best museums full stop.

2. the Menin Gate at 8pm every evening for the Last Post, if this doesn't bring a tear to your eye then there is something wrong with you.

3. The 'big' things to do are Tyne Cot cemetery, the Brooding Soldier (Canadian Memorial), Langemarck Cemetery (the largest German cemetery in the Salient), Hill 62 Trench museum, Hooge Crater Museum and Cemetery, the Yorkshire Trench deep dugout near Boesinghe and Passchendaele Museum (which is in Zonnebeke not Passchendaele.

4. If you get time try to visit some of the smaller cemeteries in the Holt's book - they can be even more moving than the larger ones. Also Toc-H in Poperinge gives an account of life behind the lines and the cells and 'shooting post' in the town hall where they held/shot the deserters is well worth a visit. St Georges Church in Ypres is a peaceful place to go and is a memorial in itself, you'll see what I mean if you go.

5. A walk around the ramparts of Ypres is a nice way to spend an hour and the Ramparts Cemetery has one of the nicest outlooks of them all, you really get a sense that they are at peace there.......


For eating places there is loads of choice around the market square in Ypres. There is a good Italian (read cheap but good) on the road leading to the Menin Gate, a few yards from the main square. The Ariane has a good restaurant and does excellent bar snacks too.

No doubt others will have some other recommendations for you too. It is a very worthwhile place to visit, you won't enjoy it as it is too moving and sombre but it is a place that everyone should visit at least once in their lives......

Edited by rednotdead on Monday 15th February 22:24

Cooky

4,955 posts

253 months

Monday 15th February 2010
quotequote all
some great recommendations from red, also visit The Shell Hole, it's a friendly little pub just off the main square. Its runs by Brits and a well of information. the bookshop on the corner is cool too, lots of memorabilia to be had.

if you travel a bit further to mons there is lots to see as also is Albert and Pozziers. No visit to the Somme should not include the Lochnagar Crater at Labouselle. also the Theipval memorial and (Beaumont Hammel)Newfoundland park.

There are many many places to visit, and all are deeply moving.

The Lochnagar Crater, this was tunnelled under the German lines, prior to the Somme offensive and when detonated the explosion could be heard in London.


BazT

319 posts

205 months

Tuesday 16th February 2010
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Wow, little coincidence considering what we were chatting about last night Jonny!

Would be great to tie-in the trip with this...;

http://www.ypresrally.com/historic/

hehe

Matt Harper

6,849 posts

217 months

Tuesday 16th February 2010
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Awesome post, Rednotdead.
I'd add Vimy Ridge and the Newfoundland Memorial at Beaumont Hamel.



rednotdead

1,238 posts

242 months

Wednesday 17th February 2010
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Matt Harper said:
Awesome post, Rednotdead.
eyethankyou wink

Can you tell we've been before laugh We tend to go each year for 3-4 days and have been going there for around 7-8 years now so we feel we know Ypres well.

jay31pee

1 posts

183 months

Friday 14th May 2010
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You might also want to stay while in Belgium in Ambrosia Hotel. It is located in Ypres, near the Menin Gate and Cloth Hall.

It is one of the best Ypres hotels.

Check out there site:

http://www.ambrosiahotel.be/

Stephanie Plum

2,797 posts

227 months

Saturday 15th May 2010
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Ypres isn't the only focus. Head down towards Albert and Arras for all the Somme memorials, inc Beaumont Hamel as mentioned above, Thiepval, Lochnagar Crater, Vimy Ridge and countless oher sites. Again the Holts have a very good book describing the area.

RosscoPCole

3,552 posts

190 months

Saturday 15th May 2010
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In 2005 I stayed just outside Ypres to visit the grave of Noel Chavasse in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery. He rescued my grandfather in August 1916 at Guillemont. My grandfather, who was in the Liverpool Scottish regiment was shot through the back of his head about 25 yards from the German lines. Chavasse and a stretcher beared carried my grandfather back under heavy fire. Both Chavasse and my grandfather received wounds from shrapnel and machine gun fire. It was this incredible bravery that ensured my granfather lived. Because of this bravery Chavasse received the first of his two VCs. My grandfather eventually made a full recovery but Chavasse's incredible bravery and self sacrifice meant his luck did not last. He died of wounds received whilst tending the wounded and received a bar to his VC in August 1917. So the vist to Chavasse's grave was to say thank you. A very moving experience.