Both the Ypres Salient and the Somme were on the Western Front during WW1. Ypres is only a 75-minute drive from Calais and the Somme is only 90 minutes. This makes it an accessible and relatively easy school history trip to run using a tour coach and ferry crossings. Depending on where the school is located, it also means that a 2, 3, 4 or 5-day itinerary can be arranged.

• In Ypres, school groups can explore the reconstructed trenches and British Dugout at the Passchendaele Museum, visit Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest Commonwealth cemetery in the World, visit Essex Fam Dressing Station, made famous by John McCrae’s poem, In Flanders Fields Museum, and participate in the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate.

  In the Somme, history students can visit the 1916 Somme Museum, Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Lochnagar Crater and Newfoundland Memorial Park.

  We always allow a little time for school groups to visit the Leonidas Chocolate shop in Ypres for some souvenir purchasing.

We can design the itinerary to meet your curriculum requirements. Groups studying “Life in the Trenches” may wish to visit Hill 62 Museum and for those studying “WW1 Medical Aid” then visits to Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery and Talbot House Museum are both relevant. Visiting a cemetery and researching fallen soldiers in advance of the trip can also be carried out by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 

Both Ypres and the Somme have purpose built school group hotels with many of them offering school groups exclusive use of their own floor or block. All offer private bathrooms and provide a buffet breakfast, evening meals and the option of a self-made packed lunch. Some hotels also have games room or outside space for school group to play football or basketball.

• The tour is very popular for school groups travelling in June and July as part of the curriculum enrichment week. It can cater to History students and English Literature students interested in WW1 Poetry. 

  For curriculum enrichment week we highly recommend spending the final day at Bellewaerde Theme Park in Ypres for that all important reward after a busy week.