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WW1 Poetry

Overview

Our WW1 battlefield tours give students a deeper understanding of the events that took place during the war and this poetry-focussed itinerary will enable them to explore the landscapes that inspired so many war poets.

Go on a guided tour of the Ypres Salient with an expert guide that will take you through the battlefields which are the inspiration for numerous war poems.  Visit the Essex Farm Cemetery which is the burial place of Canadian War Poet John McCrae who wrote the famous war memorial poem ‘In Flanders Fields’.  You will also have the chance to visit the museum that bears the same name to discover the stories of four real people.

The best way for your students to understand the context of war poetry is to walk the battlefields that these poets walked.  You will also have the opportunity to attend the moving Last Post ceremony, to commemorate the fallen soldiers.

If you would like some more inspiration for your trip to the battlefields make sure to have at our other itineraries!

Our Suggested Itinerary

  1. Day 1

    Depart school in the morning, cross the channel and make your way to Ypres.

    In the afternoon, visit the fascinating Passchendaele 1917 Memorial Museum which commemorates the half a million casualties of the battle of Passchendaele.  Uniquely, the museum features reconstructions of both British and German trenches.

  2. Day 2

    Start your day with a guided tour of the Ypres Salient Battlefields, exploring the landscapes which inspired so many war poets.  The stopovers will include: Essex Farm Cemetery, Langemark German War Cemetery, St Julien Canadian War Memorial and Yorkshire Trench and Dugout.

    In the afternoon, visit the interactive In Flanders Fields Museum, where students will learn about the stories of four real people.

    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.

  3. Day 3

    In your last morning in Ypres, explore one of few preserved trench networks around Ypres: Hill 62 Sanctuary Wood gives a feel of what it was like for the soldiers who fought and died here.

    Then, enjoy some light relief with a visit to a well-known chocolate shop.  No visit to Belgium would be complete without some souvenir chocolate!

    Travel back to school.

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.