Ypres 2007
 

Following on from the Somme last year, it's to be Ypres this year for the annual cycling trip - last visited 6 years ago.

Looks like being a few extra bods coming along as well - will have to wait to see if they actually bite the bullet.

So, the trip will include Lille, and a host of First World War battlefields and sites: Plug Street, Messines Ridge, Sanctuary Wood, Hill 62, Passchendale, Ypres itself, and also the scene of the first gas attack on Canadian troops around the area of Langemark-PoelKapell and St Julien. Finally there's the town of Popperinge where troops temporarily escaped the horrors of the front line by relaxing at Toc-H.

It looks to be an interesting trip - will be posting items as the plans progress and then, of course, when we actually go. We plan to go end of JUne returning in time to catch the Tour de France, which this year kicks off from London on 7 July.

oh my, I respect this.

I admire this ride. I envy the stanima it must take to conqure this ride.
Oh and do you think maybe you can take pictures while your riding :P j/k


[edit]
I found your webpage links via your profile page! Great!

Well, thank you Skysidhe, You're makin' me go all red!

There''ll be plenty of pictures as in previous trips, plus the website to go along with it, but don't go getting too overawed by the apparent size of the task - it's not so bad. For a start, we use a combination of train and cycle as far as Lille - cycling first to a nice chateau for lunch (French food and wine is so essential!) then on to the station for an hour's train journey to Lens or Lille from where the serious cycling starts.

We have to include train as we only have a total of 5 days available again this year. When we did the journey last time we cycled from Calais to Ypres and back again - we allowed a full week to do the trip then as a result.

It was startling that last time to discover just how close together the various battlefields were, and so, this time, we are fairly comfortable the journey from Lille to Ypres, which also takes in a number of sites, should be accomplished in a day.

Rather than the stamina for the the ride, it's more about the scale of the misery and tragedy of the First World War that hits more than anything, and I hope that I don't disappoint when attempting to recount and convey this element of our journey when it comes to writing it up after we return.

I'll post a map of our route once everything is finalised for the trip, and then add some points of interest as we draw closer to the date of departure.

Hey, you weren't referring to 'Le Tour' were you? and then me all thinking it was about my little trip to Ypres.... A definite Homer 'Doh!' from me if you were....

To most of us, your "little trip(s)", are in the same league as "Le tour". :notworthy

I suppose there is a teensy-weensy, extremely slight similarity, but on the grander scale analysis it's important to note that we substitute drugs with alcohol!

exactly! You are the king cf!

:lol2:

...of the Montagny, possibly, but not of the mountains