|
|||||||||
Self-Drive tours (Somme)
Self-Drive tours are ideal for people wanting to have the freedom to tour the battlefield at a time and pace of their own choosing. You tell us the dates you have free and we do the rest.
The problem with touring the battlefield independently is that it is difficult to know, with any degree of accuracy, where the various actions took place. The Self-Drive guide produced by Somme Battlefield Tours overcomes these problems. It's the only such guide currently available which includes detailed copies (colour) of original trench maps dating from 1916, cross referenced to large scale present day maps and easy to follow narrative. The guide also now includes panoramic photographs, clearly marked with trench lines etc. to use in conjunction with the trench maps. This unique combination allows you to easily find the exact spot where the various actions took place, as well as precisely where the trenches were, something not possible with many off-the-shelf guide books.
Great emphasis has been placed on making the guide as easy to use as possible, including where to park your car and the location of little-known footpaths leading to old trenches/shell craters/personal memorials etc. The guide will 'talk you through' exactly where to position yourself and what to look for as you stand on the sites of some of the most tragic episodes of the 1916 Somme Battle. The Self-Drive guide is produced specifically for individual clients and is therefore regularly updated so as to ensure that anything of recent interest is included.
The guide can also be extended to include places of specific interest to you. Tell us where you wish to visit and if it's not already included we will do our utmost to extend the guide accordingly (especially useful for clients travelling from the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand).
The Self-Drive tour takes about two days, but don't worry if you have less time available as it can be achieved in a day. Please note that the guide is only available as part of the below 'package' and as such can not be provided separately.
The Self-Drive 'package'
Firstly decide how much time you have available. Ideally try and spend three nights on the battlefield as this will give you at least
|
two clear days to follow the Self-Drive tour. Two nights is about the minimum. We can also easily combine a visit to the Somme with a visit to Ypres and/or Verdun (see links above). You choose the dates you wish to travel and Somme Battlefield Tours does the rest. The carefully prepared Self-Drive Somme tour 'package' produced by Somme Battlefield Tours Ltd comprises:
(not necessary for clients travelling from outside the United Kingdom) En-suite Hotel/guest house accommodation (incl breakfast) staying on the battlefield (click here for options - or click 'Hotels etc' left). The comprehensive Somme Battlefield Self-Drive written tour guide which includes: Copies of original 1916 trench maps. Present day maps over-written with the course of the old front line trenches and cross-referenced to the present day maps. Detailed description of how to find your way around the battlefield itinerary route. Detailed descriptions of individual actions and what to look out for when visiting the various sites. Newspaper extracts from 3 July 1916 (the first day reports of the battle were published) The cost The cost for a Self-Drive tour depends on the time of year you travel and the number of rooms/nights you require - and whether you are combining a visit to Ypres etc. As these factors vary so much please telephone or e-mail us for a quotation. |
