Somme late November

[KIRKY]

Thinking of a short visit late November/early December, anyone else been that time? Anything open? What are the fields like for walking, apart from being cold!

Tony

Edited 6 July , 2020 by KIRKY

[Don Regiano]

3 hours ago, KIRKY said:

Thinking of a short visit late November/early December, anyone else been that time? Anything open? What are the fields like for walking, apart from being cold!

Tony

 

Tony, I suspect that whether anywhere will be open will depend on the status of the virus at that time.  I tend to go in early December to check out our house before the winter - not that that helped last winter but that is another story.  Yes, it will be cold and damp.  Here are a couple of photos taken in early December 2017 and early December 2019 (the frosty one).

 

Reg

 

 

[chaz]

Tony

we usually try to get over for Rememberence day, as Reg's photos show, it can be wet or cold or both. We were at Gommecourt British and it was eerie as the mist was rolling its way down past the cemetery, eerie but surreal.  11/11 You might see a turn out for local parades with the Fire Dept pompieres with their shiny brass hats. Our latest was first week in December.

Our house was cold having not been heated for a month , if staying in a B&B should be ok, but the Chambre d'hote we used to stay in it was their last weeks and waking up in the morning we had damp walls!!

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

I've had several fairly long stays on the Somme during Dec - Jan - Feb and the No1 factor is the weather. There are degrees of cold, but the big thing is how much rain ? The fields are what they are - if planted you don't walk on them, and if they are sodden then you appreciate a small part of what Tommy had to put up with, and it isn't a productive experience. Get onto a field which has been ploughed or harrowed and has had a hard frost and you risk a twisted ankle and you'll need a knife to lift a shrapnel ball - cold on the Somme can be a lot harsher than cold in the UK.

 

As for "anything open ?" - Gordon Bennett - its like Mardi-Gras on the Somme in the middle of winter - Albert and Bapaume are like party-central - people dancing in the street - cafes, posh eateries and bars absolutely jam-packed with lines of people lined up outside - all open, as are the shops, till midnight and beyond … The Somme, Dec - Jan - Feb - what do you think its like ??? ☺

Tom

[KIRKY]

14 minutes ago, Tom Tulloch-Marshall said:

I've had several fairly long stays on the Somme during Dec - Jan - Feb and the No1 factor is the weather. There are degrees of cold, but the big thing is how much rain ? The fields are what they are - if planted you don't walk on them, and if they are sodden then you appreciate a small part of what Tommy had to put up with, and it isn't a productive experience. Get onto a field which has been ploughed or harrowed and has had a hard frost and you risk a twisted ankle and you'll need a knife to lift a shrapnel ball - cold on the Somme can be a lot harsher than cold in the UK.

 

As for "anything open ?" - Gordon Bennett - its like Mardi-Gras on the Somme in the middle of winter - Albert and Bapaume are like party-central - people dancing in the street - cafes, posh eateries and bars absolutely jam-packed with lines of people lined up outside - all open, as are the shops, till midnight and beyond … The Somme, Dec - Jan - Feb - what do you think its like ??? ☺

Tom

Cheers Tom Mardi-Gras sounds great always wondered why its quiet in March they are worn out!

Hope you are well.,

Tony

4 hours ago, chaz said:

Tony

we usually try to get over for Rememberence day, as Reg's photos show, it can be wet or cold or both. We were at Gommecourt British and it was eerie as the mist was rolling its way down past the cemetery, eerie but surreal.  11/11 You might see a turn out for local parades with the Fire Dept pompieres with their shiny brass hats. Our latest was first week in December.

Our house was cold having not been heated for a month , if staying in a B&B should be ok, but the Chambre d'hote we used to stay in it was their last weeks and waking up in the morning we had damp walls!!

Thanks for info will have to consider if worthwhile,

Tony

4 hours ago, Don Regiano said:

 

Tony, I suspect that whether anywhere will be open will depend on the status of the virus at that time.  I tend to go in early December to check out our house before the winter - not that that helped last winter but that is another story.  Yes, it will be cold and damp.  Here are a couple of photos taken in early December 2017 and early December 2019 (the frosty one).

 

Reg

 

 

Thanks Don looks very cold!

Tony

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

2 minutes ago, KIRKY said:

Thanks for info will have to consider if worthwhile,

 

Tony - it depends what you want it to be like and how dependent you are on "outside support". If you do want party central then the Somme during winter months will be a great disappointment. If you can cope with the fact that the chances of Le Tommy being open are close to zero, it will be dark about 2pm, the weather will likely be rubbish, the shops will be shut for a five hour lunch break - bla bla bla - then you will be ok. On the plus side you will have the place virtually to yourself. Having the place virtually to yourself is something I really like - and getting dark at silly-o-clock is a great incentive to getting those delayed typing jobs finished.

Tom

[chaz]

Tony, as Tom refers to,any entertainment is difficult in France. Dependant on where you intend staying.

during the summer autumn period, you can buy sandwiches and be out until late, 8 or 9pm, then head back, bath and a night cap. LAter during winter period   no pubs/restaraunts as such open evenings depending on where you stay if the place has Sky or Netflix you have something, if the basic French tv the stay can be miserable if locked in from 2pm. Some Chambre offer evening meals, we were quoted €20 for chillie con carne , which the owners were having, so sat in the room wih a salad bowl and some sheet cheese and ham from Carrefour. 

As our house needed decorating, we had some things to do, wallpapering was out as not enough heat in the house but the radiators and log burner was on all the time but took a couple of days to heat up , I fitted a sky dish so had a few extra channels but even then, taking a trip out was generally from 10am to 2pm then head back. The cold got to you and the getting in and out , changing shoes to boots when arriving and leaving cemeteries......

 

Oh, internet access is very useful, some places may have limited access..

[dickaren]

November 28th 2019 - Turn left for High Wood, right for Flers. Don't forget to take your waders.

[dah]

It can be done......

 

Have been over several times bnb-ing in November/December. You're definitely restricted for daylight hours and likely to encounter 'weather'......but marvellous to have the place largely to yourself - and reflect on how different it must have been in the trenches, let alone have fought a battle!

 

The last time was around Nov 11th, so even managed to get an evening meal at 'Le Tommy' (which is rare at the best of times). Also, no problem at the Auberge in Suzanne. Probably OK for a few restaurants in Albert.

 

Otherwise, self-cater with a few beers and a book to plan out your next day's excursions. Sorted!

 

Davdi

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

And as Reg's photo of Guillemont Road shows, it can be very atmospheric - and having the place virtually to yourself has its plus points.

Tom

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

18 hours ago, dickaren said:

November 28th 2019 - Turn left for High Wood, right for Flers. Don't forget to take your waders.

 

I also encountered that flooded junction on the back track from the NZ Memorial to Flers last Nov - Dec. You weren't by any chance one of the four youngish lads who had rather foolishly tried to take their little car across the corner of the field on the High Wood side and were now frantically pushing and wheel spinning in an attempt to get it out ? As I was by myself and there seemed to be no kind of emergency, and their car looked like a "pool car" and the four of them looked like be-hooded ne'er do wells, I left them to it and went back up the NZ Memorial road. Even in my 4WD I wouldn't have attempted that field.

 

My grandad - at that time 1st Bn QO Cameron Highlanders - was about the area north of that junction towards High Wood and up towards Le Sars during the winter of 1916-17. That's another thing with a winter trip - you get a much better feel for the conditions the men had to put up with.

Tom

[chaz]

its funny,, Michelle says she dosnt visit the Somme as much now as its always busy. but whenever we go we are lucky to see one or two people all day. of course there are "locals" moving around and the odd farmer but as for Brits etc, unless its Newfoundland , Arras, occasionally Pozieres or Serre Road the only bus loads we have seen was Gareth last year with cadets as we came out of the road from Munich Trench but as we were not going to Serre Road it didnt affect us. 

At the time , late November, my guess is you would be alone, as long as you can put up with the cold and wet and the extra inch or two on the bottom of your feet you should be ok.

[KIRKY]

Thanks guys for all of your input we are reviewing our break there and may opt for an earlier visit as we are only over for a couple of days, I always go in March for a week and so far have had the chance to go out most days even had some sun! Usually quiet as well.

Tony

[dickaren]

4 hours ago, Tom Tulloch-Marshall said:

 

I also encountered that flooded junction on the back track from the NZ Memorial to Flers last Nov - Dec. You weren't by any chance one of the four youngish lads who had rather foolishly tried to take their little car across the corner of the field on the High Wood side and were now frantically pushing and wheel spinning in an attempt to get it out ? As I was by myself and there seemed to be no kind of emergency, and their car looked like a "pool car" and the four of them looked like be-hooded ne'er do wells, I left them to it and went back up the NZ Memorial road. Even in my 4WD I wouldn't have attempted that field.

 

My grandad - at that time 1st Bn QO Cameron Highlanders - was about the area north of that junction towards High Wood and up towards Le Sars during the winter of 1916-17. That's another thing with a winter trip - you get a much better feel for the conditions the men had to put up with.

Tom

 

Hi Tom,

Unfortunately I haven't been a youngish lad for about 45 years so not guilty!! I learnt my lesson trying to drive up the track to Beehive cemetery many years ago and ended up having to be towed out by a local from the village using his tractor. I parked at the NZ memorial and walked up to High Wood, back down Wood Lane and then back to the memorial and conditions were as the photo all the way. Then back to base for a couple of cans of Guinness.

Richard

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

3 hours ago, dickaren said:

I learnt my lesson trying to drive up the track to Beehive cemetery many years ago and ended up having to be towed out by a local from the village using his tractor. I parked at the NZ memorial and walked up to High Wood, back down Wood Lane and then back to the memorial and conditions were as the photo all the way. Then back to base for a couple of cans of Guinness.

 

Richard - Er - I've never had a problem getting very close to  Beehive Cemetery, even when I had a little Toyota Yaris, and later a Ford Fiesta. You should of course always carry a spade and a length of old carpet with a rope attached, but maybe some advanced driving lessons may be in order ☺

 

Are you aware of the enclosure about 800 mtrs NNE of Beehive ? Very tidy now, and get too close and the CCTV at the NE end of Le Chemin de la Gueule d'Our will pick you up and you may find yourself chatting to the chaps in the blue car with the flashing lights ! Back in the day (many, many, many years ago) when it was just a scruffy holding facility with loads of holes in the perimeter fence it was a fascinating place to visit - we were very young then and enormous piles of Stokes, Livens, Mills, etc etc etc were simply fascinating. If we'd known then what we know now !

Tom

[dickaren]

18 hours ago, Tom Tulloch-Marshall said:

 

Richard - Er - I've never had a problem getting very close to  Beehive Cemetery, even when I had a little Toyota Yaris, and later a Ford Fiesta. You should of course always carry a spade and a length of old carpet with a rope attached, but maybe some advanced driving lessons may be in order ☺

 

Are you aware of the enclosure about 800 mtrs NNE of Beehive ? Very tidy now, and get too close and the CCTV at the NE end of Le Chemin de la Gueule d'Our will pick you up and you may find yourself chatting to the chaps in the blue car with the flashing lights ! Back in the day (many, many, many years ago) when it was just a scruffy holding facility with loads of holes in the perimeter fence it was a fascinating place to visit - we were very young then and enormous piles of Stokes, Livens, Mills, etc etc etc were simply fascinating. If we'd known then what we know now !

Tom

 

Tom,

The Beehive adventure was probably around 25 years ago, not been back since. I wasn't aware of the facility you mention but it sounds like it was very interesting.

Richard