Mikehaspey Posted 26 February , 2018 Share Posted 26 February , 2018 Hi all,My first trip to the Somme this weekend and really looking forward to it.I am staying at Bernafay Wood B&B, only there Sat through to Mon so time will be tight.I have great interest in the area and the fighting that occured there and aswell as visiting the cemeteries and memorials, I hope to do some field walking and see some relics in their 'natural habitat'.With my limited knowledge I have decided to walk the area around Thistle Dump to High Wood and also Boom Ravine - are these good areas to see relics?Are there other areas nearby that I should be exploring? Any help with this from experienced visitors would be greatly received. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Trim Posted 26 February , 2018 Share Posted 26 February , 2018 Get a copy of Paul Reed's 'Walking the Somme'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikehaspey Posted 28 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 28 February , 2018 On 26/02/2018 at 09:36, Len Trim said: Get a copy of Paul Reed's 'Walking the Somme'. I got that thanks, some good info. Just wondered if any seasoned visitors had personal experiences of areas more likely to have relics than others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikp Posted 28 February , 2018 Share Posted 28 February , 2018 Now that question is a difficult one. A lot of people would say find your own area. However one tip is look at the bottom of a sloping field where any detritus etc would generally end up by the action of ploughing, weather and good old gravity. Good luck. Try to find the course of the front line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikehaspey Posted 28 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 28 February , 2018 Good advice there, thanks nikp. Been looking at online images, books, maps etc to get an idea of trench lines etc. May also try to have a look around the 1st July lines below Montauban Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 28 February , 2018 Share Posted 28 February , 2018 I guess a lot depends on what you mean by relics. If you mean the small stuff that might be on the ground such as bullets and projectiles and bombs and badges, if you spend the whole time looking down you will of course miss the wonderful views (of the fields of battle). And you run the risk of picking up something dangerous. So if you want to see that sort of relic, I would strongly recommend that you go to a collection or museum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knotty Posted 28 February , 2018 Share Posted 28 February , 2018 Mike If it’s this weekend your going, my advice to you if you are field walking is simply wrap up warm, it will be bitter cold, trust me I have been there when weather like it is now and the cold is numbing. Take care John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikehaspey Posted 28 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 28 February , 2018 1 hour ago, Knotty said: Mike If it’s this weekend your going, my advice to you if you are field walking is simply wrap up warm, it will be bitter cold, trust me I have been there when weather like it is now and the cold is numbing. Take care John Long johns ready to go John, we dug all the cold weather gear out in preparation. Its giving it to warm up a bit over there by Saturday but won't be taking any chances! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Regiano Posted 28 February , 2018 Share Posted 28 February , 2018 Picked up a few small bits and pieces near High Wood on the Sunday before last. Fields had recently been ploughed but not planted and were still a bit wet then. Probably be much better now with the cold weather. (I was hoping to do some more searching last Sunday which was a nice crisp day but didn't get round to it). Usually some stuff easily available in the Guillemont area but watch out for heavier unexploded shells lying around too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 Watch out what you pick up, last couple of visits saw a pair of stokes mortars shells complete on side of the road and a pair of shells again unexploded and reported to cwgc as farmer left next to wall around Mailley cemetery. And not to mention the 100mm shell sat on the side of ethe road I nearly drove over thanks to oncoming 4x4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikehaspey Posted 1 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 1 March , 2018 Cheers Don and Chaz 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 That is an impossible q to answer. I have walked a field one day and found nothing. Next day someone else walks it and finds something special, and visa verse. I have walked a field one year and lots to see, next year nothing. My my advice is go to an area you are interested in. Read the landscape, learn what happened, visit the men and plan a walk around that. If when on a field have a mooch but don’t make relic hunting the main thing. If you find things all well and good. Careful what you pick up and remember to respect the farmer and his fields. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikehaspey Posted 1 March , 2018 Author Share Posted 1 March , 2018 Cheers TT. I'm the first to admit that my knowledge is limited. I have great interest in the place and I have read plenty of books / spent many hours online researching though. I have been waiting for years for this first trip. I have the areas that are of most interest to me so will focus on those, don't get me wrong - the main part of my trip will be visiting cemeteries and memorials, well known places such as Sunken Lane etc etc, but to find a few bits and pieces would make the trip for me. I've put plans together for walks taking in various places along the way, but not knowing the area, not knowing the terrain or which fields will be accessible may well mean they all go out of the window when we get there! My great uncle was Birkenhead Bantams, 16th Bn. Cheshire Reg, but died later in the war. I did just under 14 years myself so more than anything, its about going there and paying my respects. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 There are plenty of tracks about even if fields cropped. They are almost identical to those of 1916. Yes plans go go out the window for sure. Hope the fields are not snow covered. Good luck. TT ps my mate found a badge on his first visit and within minutes of arriving.😀 That’s rare and very very lucky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikp Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 (edited) Some great advice here. I would suggest keep clear of anything that looks like munitions. The farmers are happy to clear them. Plenty of small stuff that should keep you interested. I have found lots of interesting items buckles, badges etc. A friend on ours was given and SMLE by a farmer that he had just uncovered but we don't all have that sort of luck. Edited 1 March , 2018 by nikp Bad advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 19 minutes ago, nikp said: Some great advice here. I would suggest keep clear of anything that looks like munitions. The farmers are happy to clear them. Fuses should be OK but again treat with respect. Plenty of small stuff that should keep you interested. I have found lots of interesting items buckles, badges etc. A friend on ours was given and SMLE by a farmer that he had just uncovered but we don't all have that sort of luck. I think that's very dangerous and unwise advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikp Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 (edited) Sorry for any bad advice. I have edited. Brain fade I am afraid ! Edited 1 March , 2018 by nikp Clarification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikp Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 4 hours ago, Gareth Davies said: I think that's very dangerous and unwise advice. Post edited and altered. Thanks for the advice.I should know better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 No worries. I have a "don't pick anything up" rule which might sound a little OTT to some but I am keen to hang on to my fingers, eyesight, and dashing good looks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikp Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 Appreciate the thoughts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchtrotter Posted 1 March , 2018 Share Posted 1 March , 2018 47 minutes ago, nikp said: Appreciate the thoughts. What badges have you found. Interested. Ive found a few over the years. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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