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Walking the Somme Battlefields
Following the line of the 1st July, we walk the World War 1 Somme battlefields in northern France seeing sites such as Bois Francais, Pals Memorial, Leuze Wood and Vignacourt Museum. Our first walk begins near Fricourt, and we walk the battlefield where war poets Robert Graves and Siegfried Sassoon served before the Battle of the Somme. On our second walk we follow the Pals Battalions recruited in Liverpool and Manchester. We walk the fields of the ‘forgotten Somme’ on the third walk, and our fourth walk takes us along the edge of Leuze Wood. We look at the fighting around the Ancre Heights on our final walk, before rounding the tour off at the 14-18 Museum.
Tour Includes
- 4 nights hotel with continental breakfast
- Specialist Battlefield Guide
- Convenient local joining points
5 days from £639pp
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Itinerary
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Local departure by coach then to our hotel in Albert, where we stay for four nights.
Walk 1: We begin near Fricourt and walk the battlefield where war poets Robert Graves and Siegfried Sassoon served before the Battle of the Somme. We see some of the small battlefield cemeteries including Point 110 Old and New, and then walk up to the Bois Francais area, where the front lines were. We then follow the ground across to Mansel Copse and look at the story of poet William Noel Hodgson and the men of the Devonshire Regiment who fought and fell here on 1st July 1916, seeing their memorial and Devonshire Cemetery.
Walk 2: On this walk we follow the Pals Battalions recruited in Liverpool and Manchester. Starting at Peronne Road Cemetery, we walk into the village of Maricourt and then out to the front-line areas following the Pals' attack on Montauban. Continuing into the village we see the Pals Memorial, and then end at the Quarry Cemetery and look at what happened here in the next phase of the Somme battle.
Includes Breakfast
Key Visits
Walk 3: We start in the village of Flers, seeing the moving bronze British Tommy on the memorial to the 41st Division, before walking out to Bull’s Road Cemetery, looking at the first use of tanks here in September 1916. We then continue to AIF Burial Ground Cemetery, looking at some of the later fighting, and then walk the fields of the ‘forgotten Somme’ around Guedecourt, seeing where the October 1916 fighting took place and ending at the Caribou Memorial to the Newfoundland Regiment.
Walk 4: Out in the fields near Ginchy we see the wooden cross to Major Cedric Dickens, grandson of the famous author Charles Dickens. This was once his field grave and we follow his story and those of the men of the London Regiments who fought here in September 1916. We walk along the edge of Leuze Wood – ‘Lousy Wood’ to the troops – and see a German bunker, and then down into Combles to visit the small Guards Cemetery.
Includes Breakfast
Key Visits
Walk 5: Today we look at the fighting around the Ancre Heights, starting at the Ancre British Cemetery and walking up onto the high ground above the river valley. We continue into Beaumont-Hamel and look at the end of the Somme battle, seeing all that remains of the pre-war village before ending at Hawthorn Ridge, where we visit the Hawthorn Mine Crater and Sunken Lane.
After lunch, we travel behind the lines to the village of Vignacourt for an included visit to the 14-18 Museum, where the amazing photographic collection of local photographer Louis Thuillier is on display. He took portraits of thousands of soldiers who passed through the village in his studio, and the unique collection is displayed in original buildings dating from the period.
Includes Breakfast
Key Visits
Return home.
Includes Breakfast
Entrance to museums, places of interest and optional excursions are at extra cost.
OPTIONAL PACKED LUNCH PACKAGE: Packed lunch package available whilst on tour approx. cost €30. This package comprises of a packed lunch on day two and day three of the tour - which includes a sandwich, packet of crisps and bottle of water. It also includes a 15 page booklet. Please note this is offered as a complete package only and must be paid in Euros (cash).
Accommodation
You will stay for four nights at the 3-star Ibis Albert.
Ibis Albert
The Ibis Albert hotel in France offers a relaxed stay, conveniently located just 2km from both the Albert train station and the Le Musée des Abris-Somme 1916. Guests can enjoy their comfortable rooms, featuring free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and en-suite bathrooms.
Hotel Facilities
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General
- 3 Star
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Restaurant
- Lift
Room
- TV
- Hairdryer
- Extra Pillows and Blankets
- Air Conditioning
- Non-Smoking Rooms Available
- Shower
- Free Wifi
Service
- Safe Box in Reception
- 24 Hour Front Desk
- Iron at Reception
- Dogs Allowed on Request
Accessibility
- Fridge Available for Medical Requirements
- Disabled Rooms Available
- Wheelchair Access
- Ground Floor Rooms on Request
Food & Drink
- Gluten Free Meals on Request
Hotel
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Restaurant
- Lift
- WiFi Available
Silver Service Coach
More than simply your method of transport, Silver Service offers a coach with added comfort and facilities, such as deluxe reclining seats with leather headrests, an onboard entertainment system, and a spacious rear lounge so you can socialise with your fellow passengers.
Silver Service Features
- Specially designed reclining seats, with leather headrests, footrests and extra legroom.
- A spacious rear lounge where you can relax, socialise and get to know your fellow passengers.
- Our onboard entertainment and satellite navigation system makes your journey fly by.
- Free personal headphones mean you can tune into the music channel, listen to the radio or watch DVDs being played by your crew.
- Personal tables so you can enjoy your refreshments in comfort as you take in the passing scenery.
Reviews
4.6 Out of 5 ( 7 Reviews )
Reviews
Quality
4.6 / 5
Value for Money
4.4 / 5
Bryan Dixon, 1 year ago
Great walking tour, the guides were excellent
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Cath Comley, 1 year ago
Fantastic informative tour. Walks provided a much better understanding of the fighting on The Somme. Tim Thurlow and Mark Allen were excellent guides and provided the context. Organisation of packed lunches etc were excellent and good value for money.
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Julie, 1 year ago
Very informative & presented well.
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Mr Colin Wannell, 1 year ago
Very impressed with the dedicated enthusiasm of the guides.
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Alison Young, 1 year ago
The guides were incredibly informative!
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Geoff Mould, 1 year ago
A really great and enjoyable series of guided walks and museum visits. The walks were not too onerous and allowed our group to truly appreciate the lie of the land and the issues the opposing British/French and German armies faced. The countryside looks so peaceful now, the horror of what the brave soldiers on both sides faced only highlighted by the weapon artefacts we viewed or found on our walks. The Leger coach team were great, always in the right place at the right time. Our Leger battlefield guides, Mark and Tim, were excellent, full of knowledge and enthusiasm they were keen to pass on to the group. All in all, the best Leger battlefield tour I have been on. Recommended for all with an interest in WW1. The walks require a reasonable level of fitness.
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Departure Dates
