Cycling the Western Front

[matt2209]

Hi guys, I am planning on cycling along the Western front next summer, and would like to know if anyone has completed it before and if they enjoyed it?

It would be much appreciated, I plan on spending 2 weeks doing this and visiting all the landmarks such as Ypres, Somme and Verdun.

Thanks a lot,
Matt

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Should be great. An ex and I did Calais across to Albert then all up the Western Front to Ypres, then back to Calais a few years ago. It took us about a week, and she wasn't as well used to cycling long distances as me so we took it fairly easy. It's a great trip, quite apart from the historical interest. How are you getting over there? We got dropped off at Calais port by Euro Bike Express.
Camping is fairly easy to find and reasonably cheap, we camp[ed most nights but treated ourselves to a hotel room in Ypres.
The only thing I found was that - even as someone who's enormously interested in WW1 history - by the end of the week all those graves were beginning to depress me a bit. It's probably worth having a few days doing something else somewhere in your trip.
Enjoy!

 

[old donald]

Done a couple of tours that have included Ypres , the Somme and the 1914 retreat (Richard Holmes book following the retreat is a good read also anything by Lyn Macdonald) - would recommend Holts Battlefield guides - in fact I think they do one for the western front (Oh - and you will need a box of tissues).

Would also recommend Aubers ridge (some Pen and sword publications are very good on smaller battlefelds)

Camping was really easy - the Ypres campsite is grand - and 5 minutes walk from the Menin gate.

It draws me back time after time. DNA they say.....

 

[Canardly]

Strongly recommend you get hold of 'Before endeavours fade' for you trip. From memory author was Rose Coombs

 

[Penfold]

Try this link.....It may have some usefull info...

http://www.hellfirecorner.co.uk/bikeride/bikeride.htm

Looks a fantastic ride by the way...Im Green already

 

[Fietslogies]

Some useful links for the Belgian part of your tour:

Aquaterra Map for World War I in the Western part of Belgium (2008)

And this leads you to their Web Application.


This DIY-tour brings you to the Belgian affected places and cities of Veurne, Nieuwpoort, Diksmuide, and Ieper: Cycling in remembrance of World War I, along canals, the river Ijzer and an old railway track and can be combinated with Boezinge-Ieper-Langemark-Staden and Diksmuide-Kortemark.

 

[Fietslogies]

'Fietsen in de Frontstreek' by Carl Ooghe is a nice book that describes the 300 km frontline between Nieuwpoort (Belgium) and Amiens (France). It's in Dutch but it's 8 bicycle tours are 'readable' for every interested cyclist.

If in Belgium (or you know someone who can do it for you), you can buy the guide now for only 11.50 euro instead of 23.95 euro.
What to do? Print out this Coupon 'Fietsen in de Frontstreek' and visit one of the 140 'Standaard Boekhandel' Bookshops, before the 20th of August of 2011.