Updated 15/6/09
Driving Notes and Itinerary for st1:placeYpres</st1:place> 27th June
Naturally Europe drives on the right so be very careful - you are instinctively a left sided driver and every time you get back into the car you brain will automatically reset to left - so check yourself and take time at every junction - if you can look what other traffic is doing. Take your time - the locals are used to dumb English people trying to figure their left from right. Also it is going to be a long day with a lot of driving, make sure you have plenty of water and sun cream.
And remember cyclists please. Cycling is a religion is Belgium always always check when getting out of the cars, both passenger and driver.
Our itinerary will be:
Meet J8 M20 6.00 - 6.15
Depart Junction 8 M20 6.15 to allow all 17 cars to book in at terminal in time.
Arr terminal 7.15 (have your booking number ready for self service check-in)
Dep terminal 7.50
Arr 9.25 Travel to Ypres (I've allowed a long time for this as some of the roads are closed). We'll take the A18/E40 past Dunkerque and take J1a onto the N8 (this isn't the most direct route but it avoids some bad roadwork’s)
Arr Ypres 11.00. Meet up with Flanders MX-5 Club, We'll try and park around the Ypres Reservoir Cemetery on a road called Minneplein. People are free to do as they will - I don't intend to be a tour guide in Ypres itself, we'll walk into the centre square and I'll take to Café Des Halls - you don't have to have a coffee but it will be our rendezvous point later and I want to show you where it is. Then you're free to visit the 'In Flanders Field' museum or just drift around and have a coffee or some lunch. From 12.30 I shall be in the Café Des Halles opposite from the Cloth Hall where we shall depart at 1300 and return to the cars for our afternoon tour. I suggest you grab a sandwich, we will have a meal in Ypres later before the last post.
1.15 dep Ypres Reservoir Cemetery
1.30 arr Essex Farm Cemetery - this is quite often busy and so we may park at Bard Cemetery about 200m further up the road, or we may get split (I may ask to sit as a passenger if we get split so I can show you where Bard is - it is very simple - unless you don't know it).
2.00 Dep Essex farm
2.15 Arr Vancouver Corner
2.30 Dep Vancouver Corner
2.45 Arr Langemarck German Cemetery
3.00 Dep Langemarck
3.15 Arr Tyne Cott
4.15 Dep Tyne Cott
4.30 Arr Passé dale National Museum 1917 (if we're lucky we may get a guide)
6.00 Dep Museum
6.15 Arr Ypres Reservoir Cemetery
6.15-7.30 Supper
8.00 Menin Gate - Last Post
9.00 Dep Ypres
1145 Dep Terminal
1120 Arrive UK (Farewells, debrief on the train - no further stop planned in UK)
Please let me stress this is very full day, there is a lot to get in and I will be pushing you quite hard to meet time schedules etc so that we can fit it all in, I seriously debated cutting the visit to Langemarck to save time, but something in me feels it is only right to visit both Langemarck and Tyne Cott. If you choose to stop for cheap petrol, cigarettes and alcohol can I suggest you do so on the return journey to the terminal. I'm going out with full tanks precisely so I won't have to stop you should get by on just over a half tank - but driving styles and engine sizes vary - so I would top up petrol before leaving J8). We should get to the terminal with plenty of time, so if you see something or if you want to hang about in Ypres for an extra half hour you are free to do so (but please let me know). The drive back isn't difficult and we'll just retrace the morning route (but remember it will be dark), so make sure you have got your head lights adjusted.
Should you get detached during the day Paul Milton mobile is 07543 198781, and Sarah Jarrett (Area Coordinator) 07973 679636 should you wish to spend extra time at any particular site for any reason you are entirely free to do so, I will be issuing maps to try and help you - as there are 23 cars with the Flanders MX-5 Group joining us, it is inevitable that we will get separated by traffic lights and the like.
UPDATED 3rd March[:)]
UPDATED - 12th February Ypres Trip changed from 4th April to 27th June Due to various expressions of interest and calendar clashes it has been decided to change the date to the 27th June, this means we can take advantage of the very long days and stay in Ypres for the Last Post ceremony at 8pm and still get back to the Tunnel in reasonable daylight hopefully. Exact times will be posted later. Please post expressions of interest by end of April and let me know if you want to come along. Thanks Sarah (Mazda Chick)
If anyone wants to stay over night (recommended) then you may be interested in the place we stayed at.
It was a B&B in a very nice farm just outside the town. They can accommodate up to 18 people in a smart accommodation building. They are English speaking. They also have a small museum of WW1 memorabilia they have collected. It cost us €62 per room per night. Price to be confirmed of course.
Details.
Dirk en Charlotte Cardoen-Descamps
Varlet Farm
Wallemolenstraat 43
8920 Poelkapelle
Belgium
http://www.varletfarm.com/en/index.htm
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MX-5 OC DAY TRIP TO YPRES Come through the Eurotunnel on a day trip to historic Ypres. The town has a beautiful central square with the medieval Cloth Hall at one side which houses the ‘In Flanders Fields’ museum. At the other side is the Menin Gate which contains the names of all those allied soldiers who were killed in the battle for Passchendale who have no known grave. The square is bordered by cafes and shops so we can lunch before buying a box of chocolates to munch on our afternoon run take back to our loved ones. After lunch we’ll make a tour of the surrounding countryside through areas which were the scene of some of the major battles of the 1st world war and pay a visit to the enormous Tyne Cot cemetery before making our way back to the tunnel and train back to Blighty.
We be leaving from Junction 8 of the M20
The Eurotunnel fare is £54 pound return per car and you should book directly. Please note that this is a revision of the Ypres tours that was to have run in September but which was postponed due to the tunnel fire. We’ve done all we can to keep costs down, but obviously we’re in colder economic times at the moment so we’ll understand if people are more reluctant to spend their money.
Sarah (Mazda Chick) on sarahmx5@yahoo.co.uk or call 07973679636[:)]
Paul Milton on paul_milton@btinternet.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Organiser Contact Details Paul Milton 07543198781 paul_milton@btinternet.com