ASelf-Drivetourwhereyouexplorethebattlefieldsin thesafetyofyourvehicle,andwhereyoudonothaveto mixwithfellowcoachtravellers,isprobablythesafest, andperhapstheonlywaytotrulyexplorethe battlefields at your own pace.Weareoneofthelongest-standingcompaniesspecialisingin small-grouptourstotheSommeandYpresbattlefields.Having takenover300groupsontourstothebattlefieldsofWW1,we havenowtransferredthatexpertisetoaSelf-Driveformatso thatyoucanexplorethesebattlefieldsonyourownorwith familyorfriends,withoutbeingtiedtoacoachtour.Unsure? Maybe see what travellers said when they returned!Inanut-shellyouchosewhenyouwishtotravelandforhow long.Youtakeyourcarandwearrangeyourhotel accommodation,Channelcrossingand,mostimportantlyofall, weprovideyouwithouracclaimedself-driveSommeand/or Ypresbattlefieldguides-your‘windowtothepast’,includingall thedirections,mapsetcyou’llneed.No other self-drive guides have so much detail and are so easy to follow!Wecanalso arrangefora1:1personalguidetomeetyouatyourhotelto takeyou,andjustyou,toalmostanyWW1battlefieldonthe northern Western Front of France and Belgium.
It’sonlywhenyoureceiveourguideSelf-Driveguidepack thatyourealisejusthowdifferentandhowdetailedourself-driveguidesare(acommentwereceivetimeaftertime-see our Trust Pilot reviews and personal testimonials). Frommypersonalexperience,visitingthebattlefieldsofthe GreatWarisquiteamovingexperience,anexperiencebest appreciatedinthecompanyofclosefriendsorfamily(oralone), withoutanyrestrictionssuchastherigidtimetableofacoach tourdictatingthepace.Itcanbequitefrustratingtoseethe battlefieldspassingbeforeyoureyeswithoutbeingabletostop whereverandwheneveryouwanttostop,andtoexplorewhere youwanttoexplore.Thefreedomtotrulycomprehendthe impactofthebattlefieldsatyourownpace,equippedwithyour owndetailed‘thenandnow’guide(s),iswhatIalwayssetoutto achieve, and perhaps what today sets our tours apart.Ratherthanmeclutterupthispage(asItendtodo…),please followthemenulinksatthetop(left)ofthepagetofindout moreabouttheSelf-Drivetourswespecialiseinorganising,so thatyoujust‘packandgo’leavingustomakeallthe arrangementsandtoprovideyouwiththebestSelf-Driveguide available.Thank you for visiting our website which we designed and built ourselves so it’s completely free of all the tracking ‘cookies’, adverts and other nonsense which bedevil us today.James Power 2023Managing Director and ownerSomme Battlefield Tours Ltd (Established 1996)James Power is an Associate Member of the Guild of Battlefield Guidesand Western Front Association
The only company to be awarded ‘Best Battlefield Tour’
From Diane Kenwood Editor Women's WeeklyItwasaprofoundlymovingand fascinatingtrip,which,thanksto yourstunninglydetailedand thoroughorganisationwent without a hitch. . .Yourattentiontodetailis astonishing...Youreallydid bringeverylocationtolifeinthe mostfantasticway.(Ilovedyour personalremarksdottedthrough thecommentary).Itwasso marvelloustobeabletodo everythingatourownpaceand spendhoweverlong,orshort,a timeaswechoseattheplaces we stopped. Thankyousomuchfor everything-foryourhelpinthe earlystagessortingoutwhatthe bestitineraryandapproach wouldbe,fororganisingallthe bookingsandforthebrilliant supportpacks.Ihaveraved aboutyourcompanytoeveryone I'vespokentosincemyreturn (andwilldefinitelywriteaboutit inthemagazine)andIknowat leastonepersonwho'sdefinitely goingtobookthroughyouasa result.Ihopeyougetinundated with bookings!
Country Life"If you're fiercely independent, you could do no better than to sign up for the highly acclaimed self-guided tours provided by James Power. His painstakingly researched itineraries are the work of a master logistician"
some example pages - the battlefield revealed!(click to enlarge)
The background (if you have a large screen) is a trench map of the Somme battlefield 1916 included with our Self-Drive Somme and Ypres guided tours. Click above to enlarge (also the poppies!)
Welcome to Somme & Ypres Battlefield Tours LtdExplore the battlefields at your own pace with our acclaimed
Self-Drive tours to the Somme and Ypres battlefieldsof theGreat War 1914-1918
Below are just some of our testimonials - click here to see them all - and our most recentTrust Pilotreviews!
Welcome to Somme & Ypres Battlefield Tours LtdExplore the battlefields at your own pace with our acclaimed.Self-Drive tours to theSomme and Ypres battlefieldsof theGreat War1914-1918(click a poppy…)
It’sonlywhenyoureceiveourguideSelf-Driveguidepack thatyourealisejusthowdifferentandhowdetailedour self-driveguidesare(acommentwereceivetimeafter time - see our Trust Pilot reviews and personal testimonials. Frommypersonalexperience,visitingthebattlefieldsofthe GreatWarisquiteamovingexperience,anexperiencebest appreciatedinthecompanyofclosefriendsorfamily(or alone),withoutanyrestrictionssuchastherigidtimetableof acoachtourdictatingthepace.Itcanbequitefrustratingto seethebattlefieldspassingbeforeyoureyeswithoutbeing abletostopwhereverandwheneveryouwanttostop,and toexplorewhereyouwanttoexplore.Thefreedomtotruly comprehendtheimpactofthebattlefieldsatyourownpace, equippedwithyourowndetailed‘thenandnow’guide(s),is whatIalwayssetouttoachieve,andperhapswhattoday sets our tours apart.Ratherthanmeclutterupthispage(asItendtodo…), pleasefollowthemenulinksatthetop(left)ofthepageto findoutmoreabouttheSelf-Drivetourswespecialisein organising,sothatyoujust‘packandgo’leavingustomake allthearrangementsandtoprovideyouwiththebestSelf-Drive guide available.Thank you for visiting our website which we designed and built ourselves so it’s completely free of all the tracking ‘cookies’, adverts and other nonsense which bedevil us today.James Power Managing Director and ownerSomme Battlefield Tours Ltd (Established 1996)James Power is an Associate Member of the Guild of Battlefield Guidesand Western Front Association
Click some example pages - the battlefield revealed!(click to enlarge)
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ASelf-Drivetourwhereyoutourthebattlefieldsinthe safetyofyourvehicle,andwhereyoudonothavetomix withfellowcoachtravellers,isprobablythesafest,and perhapstheonlywaytotrulyexplorethebattlefieldsat your own pace.Weareoneofthelongest-standingcompaniesspecialisingin small-grouptourstotheSommeandYpresbattlefields.Having takenover300groupsontourstothebattlefieldsofWW1we havenowtransferredthatexpertisetoaSelf-Driveformatso thatyoucanexplorethesebattlefieldsonyourownorwith familyorfriends,withoutbeingtiedtoacoachtour.Unsure? Maybe see what travellers said when they returned!Inanut-shellyouchosewhenyouwishtotravelandforhow long.Youtakeyourcarandwearrangeyourhotel accommodation,Channelcrossingand,mostimportantlyofall, weprovideyouwithouracclaimedself-driveSommeand/or Ypresbattlefieldguides-your‘windowtothepast’,includingall thedirections,mapsetcyou’llneed.No other self-drive guides have so much detail and are so easy to follow!Wecanalso arrangefora1:1personalguidetomeetyouatyourhotelto takeyou,andjustyou,toalmostanyWW1battlefieldonthe northern Western Front of France and Belgium.
SOME HELPFUL LINKS FOR WHEN TRAVELLING TO FRANCE AND BELGIUMThebelowlinksprovidehelpfuladviceregardingthe requirementsfortravellingtoandwithinFrance, including staying at hotels.pleasenotethatlinkswe haveprovidedbelowmaynotbethe current/definitiveadvice,assuchcanchangewith littlewarning.Travellers should always check the most up to date requirements prior to departure.ABTAadvicefortraveltoEUcountriesre Covid-19 please clickhereABTAadvicefortraveltoEUcountriespost-Brexit please clickhereEurotunnel requirements for travelling to FranceClientstravellingtoFrancebyEurotunnelshouldfirst checkforthelatesttravelrequirements,suchas proofofvaccinationandadvancedthesubmissionof information/documentation,asfailuretofollow requiredproceduresand/orhavethenecessary documentation may result in not being able to travel.Eurotunnel - for Covid-19 updates (especially the documentation and procedures you will need to follow in order to travel) please click hereFrance - for Covid-19 travel & general access requirements please click here and for more about ‘pass sanitaire’ (if still required) please click hereFrance - for details about the French ‘TousAntiCovid’ app, and how to link with your NHS vaccination details, please click here Belgium - for Covid-19 travel & general access requirements please click here
We recommend and include Eurotunnel - the fastest and easiest way to cross the Channel!