Walking the Somme Battlefields
Walking the Somme Battlefields
Walking the Somme Battlefields
5 Days Starting and ending in 80300 Albert, France
Visiting: Albert, Fricourt, Maricourt, Flers, AIF Burial Ground Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, Leuze, Combles, Ancre, Vignacourt
Tour operator:
Tour code:
frsw
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Age range:
0-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
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.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrive In Albert
Location: Albert
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3-star Ibis Albert
Meals Included: No Meals
Local departure by coach then to our hotel in Albert, where we stay for four nights.
Day 2 : Poets And Pals On The Somme
Location: Fricourt, Maricourt
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3-star Ibis Albert
Meals Included: Breakfast
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.
Day 3 : Guedecourt And Leuze Wood
Location: Flers, AIF Burial Ground Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, Leuze, Combles
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3-star Ibis Albert
Meals Included: Breakfast
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.
Day 4 : The Ancre Heights And Vignacourt
Location: Ancre, Vignacourt
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: 3-star Ibis Albert
Meals Included: Breakfast
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.
Day 5 : Return Home
Location: Albert
Meals Included: Breakfast
Return home.
What's Included
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Accommodation
As detailed in the itinerary
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Additional Services
Travel from a wide range of convenient joining points across the UK is included within your coach holiday price; some carry a supplement. Please contact us for our full list of joining points.
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Airport Transfers at Destination
This trip includes coach travel from/to a local UK joining point
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Fully Guided
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International Travel
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Meals
As detailed in the itinerary
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Transport
Comfortable, air-conditioned motorcoach
What's Not Included
Accommodation
You will stay for four nights at the 3-star Ibis Albert.
Check out our Q&As
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Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?
Fully escorted by our experienced drivers/crews. And in most towns and cities we either include or offer optional sightseeing tours with expert local guides to help you get the most from your visits.
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No
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Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
As detailed in the itinerary
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Is the tour coach air conditioned?
Yes
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What is the fitness level required to do this tour?
Low
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Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?
Yes
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
Some tours carry a supplement for solo travellers, please ask for details if the Single price is not shown
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What type of coach will be used?
You will travel on either our Luxuria Coach or our Silver Service Coach
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Is there a limit to luggage that can be brought on the tour?
On Leger Coach Holidays, your allowance is one medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
40 years
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Sole use of your own room on all Single Traveller holidays: means you still get your privacy and time out from the group.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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Battlefield Tours - Will it be possible to visit a particular cemetery whilst on the tour?
Please contact us and we will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest Covid-19 policies
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Leger Holidays requires a minimum deposit of 20% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 75 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of leger holidays charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 42 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.
At 21 days before tour starts: Forfeit 90% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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