Itinerary

Set Departures 2012
The Great War
World War II
Germany 1918-39
Medieval Europe
Tour Highlites
Travel Package
Tour Information
Tour Contacts
Recommendations
Background Guide
Guide Profile
Reference Material

Video Clips
The Somme
Ypres
Vimy Ridge
The End

 
  SATURDAY 12th  JUNE TO SUNDAY 20th JUNE 2012
Day 1 Saturday 12th June - London
  Arrive in London under own arrangements and transfer to Hotel
 

18:00 - General welcome to the tour, distribution of tour packs and explanation of how things will run        
  19:00 - Drinks in the bar
  19:30 - Welcome dinner where our will be previewed and you will have the opportunity to get to know your expert guide- included
  London - overnight
   
Day 2 Sunday 13th June - London
  0930 - Depart after breakfast for the Imperial War Museum
  1000 - Imperial War Museum - Introduction from the staff and you will then be free to explore so you can spend as much time here as you wish. We will point out the bus stop for the city bus tour
  Lunch - not included (There is a cafe at the IWM)
 

We will give you a  city bus tour ticket (included) which includes a river cruise and take advantage of all the London sights.  You will be able to hop on and off the bus all afternoon taking time to visit places that interest you and some suggestions are:

  •             Westminster Abbey    )

  •             St Paul's                    )

  •             The Globe Theatre    ) individual entries are not included

  •             Museum of London     )

  •             London Eye               )

  •             Tower of London       )
  1900 - Gather in the bar
  1930 - Dinner / speaker (The Great War)  - included
  London - overnight
   
Day 3 Monday 14th June - Travel and Ypres
  0830 - Check out of hotel and drive to Dover for check in
  1215 - P&O Outbound ferry Dover/Calais
  Opportunity to have lunch on board the ferry - not included
  1545 - Arrive France local time (1 hour time difference UK/France) and drive to Ypres, Belgium
  1700 - Lijssenthoek CWGC Cemetery

  •             Introduction to WWI

  •             Introduction to the CWGC

  •             Americans in Canadian Uniform

  •             Women in the War
  Travel to and check into your hotel in the Ypres area
  Dinner in the hotel - included
  Ypres - overnight
   
Day 4 Tuesday 15th June - Ypres
  0900 - Depart after breakfast for your day's touring the Ypres Salient

  •             Gheluveldt - Battles of the Menin Road

  •             Hill 62 - The Canadian Memorial

  •             Sanctuary Wood – life in the trenches

  •             Hooge Crater Cemetery (105 Canadian graves). 

 

Lunch at Hooge Crater Café - included
  St Julien (Vancouver Corner)

  •             The gas attacks of April 1915 and the Canadian response

  •             The myth/legend of the “crucified Canadian”.
  Langemarck - The German perspective
 

Return to the hotel to relax and freshen up
  1930 - Dinner at the Excellent De Waterpoort Restaurant in Ypres - included
  Ypres - overnight
   
Day 5 Wednesday 16th June - Ypres and Poperinghe
  0900 - Depart after breakfast for your day's touring the Ypres Salient and Poperinghe (Pops)
 

Kitchener’s Wood

  •  The attack by the 10th and 16th (Canadian Scottish) battalions.
  Essex Farm

  •  The medical system in WW1

  •  Lt Col John McCrae

  •  Under age soldiers
  Drive to Poperinghe
  •  Military discipline in WW1 and the executions
  Lunch in Poperinghe - Cafe de la Paix - included
  1430 - Talbot House - entry included
  •  Welfare and behind the lines
  Tyne Cot

  •  3rd Ypres (highlight Pte Grant [Vancouver] and Pte Robertson VC [Winnipeg])

  •  The Canadian Memorial in Passchendaele
  Return to your hotel to freshen up
  2000 - Attend Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate - we may have an opportunity to lay a wreath during the ceremony.
  2030 - Evening meal in a restaurant in Ypres - included
  Ypres - overnight
   
Day 6 Thursday 17th June - Arras and Vimy Ridge
  0900 - Check out of hotel and drive Arras
  1100 - The Wellington Quarry (excellent underground tour of the preparation for the Battle of Arras) - included
  Lunch - Hotel d L'Univers  (The hotel building was originally a sixteenth century Jesuit Monastery and still has the courtyard that it was built around, it was later converted to a Red Cross Hospital and then a College before becoming a hotel and restaurant.) - included      
  Drive to Vimy Ridge
  Visit Vimy Memorial & site tour
  Cabaret Rouge Cemetery (Canadian Unknown Soldier)
  Monchy le Preux
  Drive to your hotel
  Evening meal in hotel - included
  Talk on the battle of the Somme - given by your Guide
  Vimy Area - overnight
   
Day 7 Friday 18th June - The Somme
  0900 - Depart hotel after breakfast and drive to the Somme
 

Serre

  •  Kitchener’s armies and the First Day

  •  Serre Road No 2 – Wilfred Owen (The Sentry)

  •  Newfoundland Memorial Park
  1230 - Buffet Lunch at Ocean Villas Tea Rooms - included
 

Cellar Tour - included
  Courcelette

  •  Tanks and the Canadian part in the battle of the Somme

  •  Courcelette Canadian Memorial and Adanac CWGC
  Lochnagar Crater
  Thiepval Memorial
  Return to the hotel to freshen up
  1930 - Evening meal in restaurant to be advised - included
  Vimy Area - overnight
   
Day 8 Saturday 19th June  - Travel and London
  0900 - Check out of hotel and drive to Calais
 

1225 - Inbound ferry
  Opportunity for you to have lunch on board - not included
  1300 - Arrive UK local time and return to your hotel in London
  1530 approx - Check back into hotel and then free time
  1930 - End of Tour Dinner with a speaker - Special Dinner location- included
  There may be a dress code for this event - a suit and tie will be required with the equivalent for the ladies.
  London - overnight
   
Day 9 Sunday 20th June - Travel home
  Check out of hotel in time to check in for your return flight
  Guide will accompany you to the airport
   
  Your itinerary may be subject to change at short notice due to a variety of factors. Whilst every effort will be made by the guides to visit all the sites included in your itinerary, there may be times when this will not be possible.
 

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