So, this summer I got to have the experience of a lifetime by taking part in a Battlefields tour of Belgium and France. The trip was an incredibly compelling and emotional time and it really opened my eyes to how horrific The Great War actually was. Here’s my diary from the tour-
5:15AM, SUNDAY JUNE 28TH-
WHY AM I AWAKE AT THIS INHUMANE HOUR ON A SUNDAY??! Just kidding. Despite the fact that I’m really not a morning person, I managed to haul myself out of bed, get ready and get to the bus stop in plenty of time- which is always a positive. With everyone on board, our bus left just before we were due to and the excitement began.
9:00AM, SUNDAY JUNE 28TH-
First service station stop. Despite the fact I looked and felt like I’d been dragged through a bush backwards, I was keen to stretch my legs and get something to eat(Lucozade and crisps to be exact- because who really counts the calories at this time in the morning?).
2:00PM, SUNDAY JUNE 28TH-
Lunch stop at Maidstone Services. By this point I’d woken up a bit and looked ever so slightly less zombie like.Ever so slightly. After a quick McDonalds meal, we boarded the coach once again and continued on towards Dover, where we were to catch our ferry to France.
3:40PM, SUNDAY JUNE 28TH-
Having passed through various passport checks we’d boarded the ferry and were ready to leave. Watching the Dover coastline slowly fade into the distance, the exciting part of the journey was finally underway.
6:10PM (CET), SUNDAY JUNE 28TH-
FRAAAAANCE! The bus pulled away from Calais port and headed towards Ypres, Belgium- where we were booked into a Youth Hostel for two nights.
7:30PM, SUNDAY JUNE 28TH-
After the full day of travel we finally pulled up at the Flanders Lodge Hostel in Ypres. We were assigned our rooms for the stay and I was put with my friends Andrea, Akiko, Ailsa, Connie and Cian- hauling our suitcases up the stairs we found the room easily enough and were pleasantly surprised by the decent room. After a quick change of clothes, everyone headed downstairs as we were having a meal in the hostel dining area- which putting it lightly wasn’t the best meal I’ve ever had, but thankfully I had a massive supply of chocolates with me!
10:00PM, SUNDAY JUNE 28TH-
After dinner and a short walk around the hostel a group of us were sat outside chilling- that was until one of the members of staff came outside to speak to us….
‘IT’S 5 PAST 10 ITS 5 PAST 10! YOU MUST BE INSIDE BY 10! Get inside!”. What a lovely welcome! We followed her orders and headed back upstairs to our rooms- ready to hit the hay before our first proper day of the trip.
MONDAY JUNE 29TH-
The sun was shining and despite the lack of sleep the previous night, there wasn’t too much of a struggle to get up and ready in time for breakfast. It was mildly better than dinner the previous night- but I did miss my Kelloggs Coco Pops.. Eventually, everyone was ready to leave the hostel and we set off, ready for an emotional rollercoaster as we explored the country. During the day we visited Bayernwald(the German trench system), the IFF Museum, Essex Farm CWGC, Langemarck German Military Cemetery, Vancouver Corner, Polygon Wood, Tyne Cot CWGC and Frezenburg (Scottish memorial). It was such an incredible experience to see so many places- and so moving to hear the stories of battles and also individuals who lost their lives during the war.
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| Tyne Cot Cemetery |
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| Bayernwald German Trench System |
After the long day, we headed back to the hostel to get changed into our school uniforms to attend the Menin Gate ceremony that evening. Before the ceremony was due to begin, we had some free time to have a little roam around Ypres town centre. Of course the first stop was an ice cream shop which quite literally had the nicest ice cream I’ve ever tasted! We then had a brief wander around the little tourist shops where I of course bought some famous Belgian chocolate as well as the usual touristy bits. After a little more wandering, we took our places for the Menin Gate ceremony which was again a great experience.
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| The Menin Gate |
The day ended with dinner at Tea Room Central - chicken and chips again but this time the chicken actually tasted like chicken, which is always good. Upon arrival back at the hostel everyone was absolutely exhausted so we all went straight up to bed- but of course there was much more chatting before we got shouted at by a random angry man who told us it was “a sleep room, not a play room!”- no chill man.
TUESDAY JUNE 30TH-
Thankfully, I hadn’t actually unpacked much of my stuff so I didn’t have too much stress in getting organised to leave the hostel. Once everyone was packed up and the rooms had been left in a relatively tidy way the bus pulled out of the car park as we began our journey to Albert, France- with lots of stops en route. The day consisted of us visiting the Post Office Rifles Cemetery, the Lievin Communal Cemetery Extension, the Wellington Quarry, Wancourt British Cemetery, Serre and Sheffield Memorial Park, Newfoundland Memorial Park, Lochnagar Crater and Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.
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| Lochnagar Cratar |
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Scottish Memorial-
Newfoundland Park |
We then got to our accommodation which, putting it lightly looked like a prison when we first pulled up outside. However, the staff inside were lovely an immediate improvement on our previous accommodation in Ypres. After we’d all rushed around getting ready, we left the hostel to go for dinner at the Corner Pub, Albert. Again, the meal-a burger/steak thing(I can’t remember what they called it)with chips was far nicer than the meal the first night and although we were upstairs and separate from the other diners, there was a lovely atmosphere in the place. Once everyone had finished the meal and after dinner choc ices we walked the short distance back to the hostel only to find out we were locked out of our floor. Of course, due to the fact it was now late evening no members of staff were floating around so the teachers had to go on the hunt. After what felt like a very hot and sweaty eternity we heard the magical sound of keys jangling and a janitor came and opened to door to our floor. We finally got in and everyone changed into their pyjamas, before heading to the common room where we played Articulate for a while.
So after an incredibly eye-opening 2 day in Belgium and France, the battlefields part of our trip was over. Next up? Disneyland! Since I’m a bigger Disney lover than the average 6-year-old, I just had to blog that part separately, so if you would like to give it a read, it’s over
here.
