"Must visit" places around Ypres.

[whitley]

We (a party of 5) are planning to take my very eldery mum to visit the grave of her uncle near Ypres in September. She has expressed a wish to stay at Talbot House, Poperinghe (her dad and uncles stayed or visited there), which is booked.

As we are only staying Monday to Friday (including travelling), we won't have too much spare time to visit 'everywhere'. I have been to Ypres once before , but I was only 'passing through' on the way to Oostende and was only there for a few hours. At the moment, the only firm plans so far are to see the Talbot House museum, visit the grave and be present at the Menin Gate for the Last Post.

So we don't waste time trying to decide where to go, could anyone please give us some advice on where the 'must visit' places are?

Thanks

Richard.

[John_Hartley]

I'd recommend you buy the Holts' Guide to the Salient, which contains several driving tours.

As you are visiting an ancestor's grave, I'd suggest that the "must visit" places might be those connected with his service. If you havnt alreayd done so, there's plenty of time to access his unit's war diary and you could then follow in his footsteps.

John

[Muerrisch]

Avoid TocH Mondays .... closed. Much of the area is closed Monday AM ... even all day.

Try Amfora Hotel for a watering hole in the evenings... very hand for TocH, reasonable, good rooms without being posh, excellent food, host and hostess colloquial English.

For Menin Gate, get program from Last Post web site . Choose your evening!

Get there early, folding seat for the elderly. The Amfora happy to feed a party back in Pop when you get back after the Gate. If not, plenty of eateries in Ypres, used to the Menin Gate 8PM watershed.

At least one major mine crater worth a look. The Caterpillar just S of Hill 60 is/was reasonable access by a waymarked footpath.

Messines Church a massive landmark, beautiful carillon, Hitler painted there.

Plugstreet Memorial very moving and a bit off track for many.

And some of the markers showing the high water mark of the German advances.

[whitley]

Thanks guys for taking an interest.

We are booked in to the Garden House at Talbot House from Monday to Friday, so I hope they are not closed when we get there.

I should have mentioned that my mum has difficulty walking and that there is a wheelchair user in the party, so we won't be able to manage to much rough 'walking'

I have been researching where my uncle's brigade was in action, but not the exact locations. Around Langemark, Capella, Broadside, Sleeker and Polygon Wood.

We thought we would visit one or two museums in the area, but which would be most highly recommended?

Richard.

[Mark Hone]

Best museum in the area is the 'Passchendaele Memorial Museum' at Zonnebeke, a hop, skip and a jump from Polygon Wood. Not so good for people with walking difficulties though. The Tyne Cot Vistor Centre, which is very accessible, is essentially an annex of this museum and is also good.

[bruce]

Since your relative fought around Langemark, then a visit to the German Cemetery there seens reasonable (they were there too!)

From there, towards Yorkshire trench, a small detour to the Five Points....stay in te car but look over to Langmark Church spire. You are then parked on what became the front line, and looking across at the area lost in the 1915 gas attack.

Yorkshire trench..then round to Essex Farm.

I think IFF has a lift.

A call to Charlotte at varlet Farm might be an idea....all on a level...clean loos..and a great welcome....about E3 a head.

Enjoy!

Bruce

[squirrel]

Hooge Crater Museum is not that distant from Polygon Wood and the access is good as well.

Also, it is well worth a visit and you can have lunch in the cafe there.

[whitley]

I was thinking that we might visit Passchendaele Memorial Museum and possibly the Hooge crater museum and was hoping somone might recommned them. Thanks

[whitley]

Many thanks to all of you who have taken the time to offer advice.

Irishmen1916, if you read this, I re-emailed my email address to you, but have read elswhere on this forum that some emails have not arrived or arrived very late. I do hope you got it..

Richard.