Neil Mackenzie Posted 23 April , 2016 Share Posted 23 April , 2016 Thanks Chris Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrislock Posted 23 April , 2016 Share Posted 23 April , 2016 Pleasure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenryTheGerman Posted 18 May , 2016 Share Posted 18 May , 2016 Forget St Elooi crater(s) - I recommend to advancing to Spanbroekmolen crater, or you pay a visit to Caterpillar crater on hill 59, close to Hill 60. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seadog Posted 18 May , 2016 Share Posted 18 May , 2016 Lots of craters to see Henry Photo Album https://www.flickr.com/photos/glosters/albums/72157625363740622 Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 19 May , 2016 Share Posted 19 May , 2016 Nice pictures Norman - thanks. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 9 January , 2023 Share Posted 9 January , 2023 Nearly seven years since the last contribution to this thread, I thought I'd add to it rather than start a new one. I am hoping to guide a small party around the St Eloi sector in June 2023, but I have not visited the craters since 2011 and do not know if anything has changed recently. I heard that last year the gate was left open and that you no longer had to phone the tourist office for the combination for the lock. Is this still the case? Is the site looked-after these days, or is it all terribly overgrown, particularly the bunker? Any comments are welcome. Also, is it still fine to park (we'll be in two cars) on the grass next to the little monument and Krupp cannon? Thanks, William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 14 January , 2023 Share Posted 14 January , 2023 The forum was quiet on Monday when I asked the following question, so I thought I'd try again.... I am hoping to guide a small party around the St Eloi sector in June 2023, but I have not visited the craters since 2011 and do not know if anything has changed recently. I heard that last year the gate was left open and that you no longer had to phone the tourist office for the combination for the lock. Is this still the case? Is the site looked-after these days, or is it all terribly overgrown, particularly the bunker? Any comments are welcome. Also, is it still fine to park (we'll be in two cars) on the grass next to the little monument and Krupp cannon? Thanks, William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 14 January , 2023 Author Admin Share Posted 14 January , 2023 Sorry, can’t help, not been up that way for some time. Last time I went (maybe 2017?) the gate was open. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 18 January , 2023 Share Posted 18 January , 2023 Thanks Michelle; I have heard from another friend who was there last spring that the gate was open, so I think that answers one part of my question at least. William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincentg Posted 19 January , 2023 Share Posted 19 January , 2023 (edited) I'm in the neighborhood on Saturday. If I have time enough I will check it for you. Last year in the summer the gate was closed when I passed there. Edited 19 January , 2023 by vincentg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vincentg Posted 21 January , 2023 Share Posted 21 January , 2023 Gate is closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 22 January , 2023 Share Posted 22 January , 2023 Thanks for looking Vincent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 6 May , 2023 Share Posted 6 May , 2023 (edited) On 14/01/2023 at 12:37, WilliamRev said: The forum was quiet on Monday when I asked the following question, so I thought I'd try again.... I am hoping to guide a small party around the St Eloi sector in June 2023, but I have not visited the craters since 2011 and do not know if anything has changed recently. I heard that last year the gate was left open (ie unlocked) and that you no longer had to phone the tourist office for the combination for the lock. Is this still the case? Is the site looked-after these days, or is it all terribly overgrown, particularly the bunker? Any comments are welcome. Also, is it still fine to park (we'll be in two cars) on the grass next to the little monument and Krupp cannon? Thanks, William A few months since I posted this. Has anyone visited the St Eloi craters in the last few weeks who can tell me if the gate is kept unlocked this year? Also, looking on Google Earth, parking seems to be more difficult this year, or am I mistaken? Many thanks, William Edited 6 May , 2023 by WilliamRev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Chap Posted 2 June , 2023 Share Posted 2 June , 2023 I visited 3 weeks ago, and access was very straightforward - the gate is indeed locked, but there's an information board next to the gate which gives you the phone number for the tourist office. I gave them a ring, they answered very promptly, I explained I was at the gate to the St Eloi craters, and they gave me the code and wished me a pleasant visit. It's worth making a note of the code - you need it to open the gate to access the crater site, but you also need it to get out again! The site was very well looked after when I visited, the grass had very recently been cut, and there was no problem getting to the bunker. Hope this is helpful! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 3 June , 2023 Share Posted 3 June , 2023 Thanks Jim, that is indeed helpful, and kind of you to post this. Looks as though this is your first post, in which case: welcome to the forum! (Although perhaps you have been lurking in the past?) William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Chap Posted 3 June , 2023 Share Posted 3 June , 2023 Hi William, glad it's helpful - and yes, my first post, as I finally had something useful to say! (Not a regular occurrence, I can assure you...) Just realised you also mentioned parking: if memory serves there was opportunity for on-street parking just across the road from the crater (close to another crater, one from 1916, now on private land but easily visible from the road heading south-east out of St Elooi). It wasn't too difficult at all to park up. Enjoy your trip! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 6 June , 2023 Share Posted 6 June , 2023 Thanks for the parking tip; again this is very helpful - we will be in two cars, and I always like to plan parking ahead. William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 4 July , 2023 Share Posted 4 July , 2023 (edited) A few weeks ago I was enquiring about access to the craters, and I thought that people may be interested to know how our trip went. Seven of us made a visit to Sint Elooi last week. I had emailed the Ieper tourist office in advance to ask for the code for the lock, saying that I was visiting Sint Elooi on Tuesday morning. I received a rather brusque reply saying that they would not supply the code by email (although I know that they have done this in the past) and that I could only get the code by phoning on the day, after midday - the craters only being accessible to the public in the afternoons, not the mornings (again, last time I visited, some ten years ago, we visited mid-morning without any problems). We were due to be elsewhere after 10.30am so alas we were unable to visit the craters. Fortunately our visit mostly concerned the March 1916 Actions of the the St Eloi Craters, so we were able to peer through the railings to see the site of The Mound of Death (destroyed March 1916), although a trip to the June !917 crater and the winter 1917/18 BEF bunker would have been of added interest. We did get to see the two most interesting 1916 craters though, which was the main point of the visit. Crater 4 (of the six mines exploded in March 1916) used to be fully accessible although in a private garden, but is now fenced off. However it can still be seen (until the newly planted hedge grows that is - see photo), and there is a good view of Crater 5 (the one taken by Capt Billie Congreve) from the front gate of the next door property (ten years ago this was not visible at all, so this was a bonus - see photo). The much smaller Crater 6 still exists and can be clearly seen on Google Earth, but the farmer has barricaded the path so public access is not available (quite understandable since it is his land; its nice to know that he is preserving the crater). William Above: Crater 4, (March 1916) Actions of the St Eloi Craters, behind newly planted hedge Crater 5 (March 1916) Actions of the St Eloi Craters photographed through locked gate of private house. Edited 12 July , 2023 by WilliamRev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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