Tour Itinerary
Day 1 - Sunday 1 June 2022
Pick up from Ebbsfleet International Rail Terminal and Dover Eastern Docks for our journey across to France via Dover - Calais ferry. Once on the continent we make our way towards Belgium, stopping at Lijssenthoek Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery, the second largest in the world. Here we set the scene on the formation of the Ypres salient in 1914 through to 1917 and the strategic importance of the region. From here we make travel on to our accommodation in Diksmuide

Day 2 - Monday 2 June 2022

Maple Copse to Lower Star Post - Starting at Maple Copse CWGC, we climb Observatory Ridge and continue onto Hill 62 crossing the ground assaulted by the Germans during the battle for Mount Sorrel a year earlier. After studying the Canadian defence and counterattack of this sector, we continue through to Shrewsbury Forest with its surviving network of bunkers and trenches, stopping at the Edgar Mobbs memorial before ending at Lower Star Post.

Hellfire Corner to Hooge - Commencing our walk Hellfire Corner we walk to Perth China Wall Cemetery and then across to Burr Crossroads, crossing over the Menin Road, we continue to Railway Wood, charting the old 1917 start line before visiting Hooge Cemetery and ending at the Kings Royal Rifle Corps Memorial positioned on newly captured ground. 

Day 3 - Tuesday 3 June 2022

Clapham Junction to Polygon Wood - Starting at the memorial to the 18th Eastern Division we walk past Cryer Farm, a German bunker that became an aid post for the 56th London Division in 1917. We continue around the wood Nonne Boschen and follow in the footsteps of Clement Robertson awarded a VC for the Tank Corps as they advanced towards Polygon Wood. We enter the wood at Black Watch Corner as the Australians did so successfully in September 1917 ending at the Buttes and with views onto the Passchendaele Ridge. 
 
Gravenstafel Ridge to Passchendaele - Starting at the New Zealand Memorial on the Gravenstafel Ridge at Kansas Crossroads, we walk to Dochy Farm before ascending the Passchendaele Ridge where we follow the railway line that traces the advance of October 1917 to Tyne Cot Cemetery, we then continue in the footsteps of the Canadian advance up in to Passchendaele ending the day in the village and the impressive 66 Division Memorial stain glass window in the church. 
Evening attendance at the Menin Gate and free time in Ypres will end our day. 


Day 4 - Wednesday 4 June 2022

Today we head to the coast to study the joint Naval and Army Operations planned for 1917 and undertaken in the Spring of 1918. Beginning at Nieuwpoort we look at the ground assaulted by German Marine forces in their Operation Strandfest. We then head to Middlekerke where we discuss the British 'Hush Hush' Scheme to land 1st British Division in an amphibious operation in 1917. After lunch in Ostend and a visit to the HMS Vindictive Memorial on the sea front, we end with an in-depth study of the St George's Day Raid, 23 April 1918 before returning to Diksmuide   

Day 5 - Thursday 5 June 2022 

Our final morning in the salient provides an opportunity to enjoy the city of Ypres itself, with plenty of free time factored in and the chance to make personal cemetery visits. Leaving the city we head back to the coast for our return Calais - Dover Ferry.