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WW1 Battlefields Ypres & Somme

Overview

Our WW1 battlefield tours give students a deeper emotional connection with the events that took place during the war and provide the opportunity for them to appreciate the scale of sacrifice and the way that the war shaped Britain and the modern world as it is today.

In addition to highly popular and poignant visits to cemeteries, memorials and museums, we can arrange for you to lay a commemorative wreath at The Menin Gate or Tyne Cot Cemetery, or even organise for you to follow in the footsteps of your local battalion.

In the itinerary below you will be visiting both Ypres and Somme for one day, but you could always do a longer trip visiting both, or have a look at our Ypres or the Somme day trips.

Our Suggested Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Depart school in the morning to make you way to Belgium.

    In the afternoon, discover the major historical landmarks with a guided tour of the Ypres Salient.  Stopovers can include Essex Farm Cemetery, Yorkshire Trench and Dugout, Langemark German Cemetery and Tyne Cot British Cemetery.

    Then enjoy some free time in Ypres and dinner in a local restaurant before attending the Last Post at the Menin Gate – this moving ceremony is a must for all schools visiting the Ypres Salient.

    Optional Extra: we can supply you with a commemorative wreath to lay at the Menin Gate.

  2. Day 2

    In the morning, drive to Somme to visit different WW1 sites.

    Start with Wellington Quarry which, built for the British Spring offensive of 1917, was an immense underground barracks, with space for up to 24,000 soldiers and even its own hospital.

    Afterwards, take a guided tour of the Somme Battlefields.  Stops include the Lochnagar Crater, the largest surviving crater on the Western Front, the Thiepval Memorial, the largest memorial to the British Missing and the Newfoundland Memorial remembering the Canadian soldiers that were lost in the Battle of the Somme.

    Travel back home.

School Trip Accommodation

Accommodation

We work with a huge variety of accommodation providers in and around Ypres, such as the Menin Gate Hotel Group and The Peace Village.  Let us know your school's requirements and we can find one to suit you.  We always use safe and secure accommodation especially suited to schools and our accommodation is usually 2* or youth hostel standard.  All accommodation we use is audited, and our auditing regime is verified by independent experts.