1918 marked the end of the Great War but it’s still remembered and commemorated by people from many continents around the world. The town of Ypres, Belgium is thought of as hallowed ground by many descendants of those men and women who crossed the Channel to fight and support those fighting against the enemy.
BATTLEFIELDS: YPRES AND THE SOMME
At a Glance
Tour Dates
03 Sep 2025 07 Sep 2025
02 Sep 2026 06 Sep 2026
Duration
5 Days
Tour Starts in
Folkestone, UK
Tour Leaders
Travel Distance
Approx 378 miles
Difficulty
Roads
100% Tarmac
Hire Bikes
Available
Price From
1295 £
Tour Overview
Every year there are pilgrimages to the Fallen and every night, without fail, 365 days of the year, the local Ypres Fire Brigade buglers stand underneath the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing and play the ‘Last Post.’
The Battle of the Somme was the bloodiest in British History claiming 60,000 British servicemen’s lives and this is still the biggest loss in a single battle. It marked the first use of tanks in warfare when the British sent the first ‘landships’ into battle at Flers-Courcelette. Rising majestically about the Somme Battlefields is the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing that bears the name of more than 72,000 officers and men of the UK and South Africa who died in the Somme area and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.
Your tour visits some of the seminal battlefields from this significant period in European and World history. The Battles of the Somme and Ypres are two of the three most fiercely fought and tragic in terms of loss of life in World War 1.
Our tour will respectfully visit the scenes of so much sacrifice and bravery. We will be accompanied by our Tour leader Eugenie Brooks who is an experienced battlefield guide and she will ensure you get the most from each site visit. She has been visiting the battlefields since the 1980s and has personal connections with them.
We’ll stay two nights in Ypres and two near Albert, with excursions to the Battlefields, the Wellington Tunnels, Vimy Memorial, as well as attending the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate, Ypres where personal tributes can be placed during the Ceremony.
While the focus is historical the tour will also be an enjoyable and relaxed ride, with low daily mileages and plenty of opportunities to unwind and enjoy the culture and cuisine of France and Belgium. Due to the nature of the tour there is an element of group riding from one venue to the next. Eugenie will endeavour to tailor the routes and sites to any interests of the group. If there are any personal visits to a grave or Memorial in the area we are visiting then she is more than happy to assist with this request.
Great to visit relatively unknown sites and have expert guide. A tour everyone should go on!
Motorrad Tours welcome all makes and models of bike on tour. We also have a range of BMW bikes that you can hire. All our hire bikes for Classic and European Explorer Tours are current model BMW’s complete with ABS, Heated Grips, Panniers, Top Box, Tank Bag, Inner bags for all boxes and a pre programmed BMW Navigator GPS included.
| Price option | Solo Shared Single Room | Solo Single Room | *Rider and passenger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riding Your Own Motorcycle | 1295 | 1595 | 1795 |
| Including an F800GS, F900GS or F900XR Hire Bike | 1820 | 2120 | 2320 |
| Including an R1300GS, R1250RS or R1250RT Hire Bike | 1920 | 2220 | 2420 |
| Including an S1000XR Hire Bike | 1945 | 2245 | 2445 |
| Including an R1250GS Adventure Hire Bike | 1995 | 2295 | 2495 |
| Including a K1600 Grand America Hire Bike | 2020 | 2320 | 2520 |
* Rider and Passenger price is for both people, not per person.
HIRE BIKES: If you are booking with a hire bike we will hand your bike over on the afternoon prior to the first tour day. This will give you a chance to get familiar with the bike, make any adjustments, arrange your packing and not waste any time on the first day riding.
Day 1 Taking LeShuttle to France allows us to get straight out to visit the sites around Ypres including the Hooge Crater Museum. After dinner we will visit the Menin Gate to attend the daily Act of Remembrance
Day 2 Today will be spent in the company of our historical guide visiting sites including the Essex Farm Cemetery, the Paschendale Museum, Tyne Cot and many more
Day 3 We move on from Ypres to the Somme and our base near Albert for the next two nights. En route we will stop at the Canadian Memorial Vimy as well the CWGC visitor centre.
Day 4 Another day will be spent in the company of our historical guide, visiting amongst other sites the Lochnagar Mine Crater, Theipval, Delville Wood and the Old Blighty Cafe.
Day 5 Still time to explore today with just 110 miles to do heading for your LeShuttle home
- The Somme and Ypres Battlefields
- The Vimy War Memorial and the Vimy Trenches
- The Wellington Tunnels – A museum set in kilometres of original WWI tunnels
- The Thiepval Memorial to the Missing
- The Lochnagar Mine Crater
- Passchendale Museum
- Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial
- Newfoundland Memorial Park
- Ulster Tower
Superb tour. Tour leader was excellent. Tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and very good company
What's Included
- Pre tour pack including tour information, Michelin maps, route notes and GPS routes in Garmin/BMW format
- Electronic copy of the World of BMW Touring Essentials Book
- All accommodation as listed in the itinerary
- All breakfasts
- Welcome and farewell dinners (excludes beverages)
- Expert Historical Tour Leader throughout the Tour
- LeShuttle Return Crossing
- Commemorative Polo Shirt for all riders and passengers
- Expert advice and support throughout
- The protection of booking with a fully bonded tour operator
Not Included
- Fuel
- Lunches
- Dinners other than those listed
- Travel Insurance
- Anything not listed as included
Tour Availability
| From | To | Days | Nights | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
03-September-2025 |
07-September-2025 |
5 |
4 |
|
02-September-2026 |
06-September-2026 |
5 |
4 |
