A
Self-Drive
tour
where
you
explore
the
battlefields
in
the
safety
and
comfort
of
your
vehicle,
at
your
own
pace
and
able
to
stop
whenever
you
please
to
investigate
whatever
catches
your
eye,
is
perhaps
the
only
way
to
truly
explore
the
battlefields
of
the
Great
War.
Most
importantly
of
all,
you
will
always
have
our
acclaimed
Self-Drive
guide
at
your
fingertips
to
take
you
on
a
journey
to
unraval
and
reveal
the
history
and
legacy of Great War beneath your feet.
We
are
one
of
the
longest-standing
companies
specialising
in
small-
group
tours
to
the
Somme
and
Ypres
battlefields.
Having
taken
over
300
groups
on
tours
to
the
battlefields
of
WW1,
we
have
now
transferred
that
expertise
to
a
Self-Drive
format
so
that
you
can
explore
these
battlefields
on
your
own
or
with
family
or
friends,
without
being
tied
to
a
coach
tour.
Unsure?
Maybe
see
what
travellers
said
when they returned!
In
a
nut-shell
you
chose
when
you
wish
to
travel
and
for
how
long.
You
take
your
car
and
we
arrange
your
hotel
accommodation,
LeShuttle
Channel
tunnel
crossing
and,
most
importantly
of
all,
we
provide
you
with
our
acclaimed
self-drive
Somme
and/or
Ypres
battlefield
guides
-
your
‘window
to
the
past’,
including
all
the
directions,
maps
etc
you’ll
need.
No
other
self-drive
guides
have
so
much
detail
and
are
so
easy
to
follow!
We
can
also
arrange
for
a
1:1
personal
guide
to
meet
you
at
your
hotel
to
take
you,
and
just
you,
to
almost
any
WW1
battlefield
on
the
northern
Western
Front
of
France
and Belgium.
Please
note
that
our
written
guides
are
not
sold
separately.
Our
Self-
Drive
tour
‘package’
therefore
must
include
hotel
accommodation
as
shown in our
Hotel options
page.
It’s
only
when
you
receive
our
guide
Self-Drive
guide
pack
that
you
realise
just
how
different
and
how
detailed
our
self-drive
guides
are
(a
comment
we
receive
time
after
time
-
see
our
Trust
Pilot
reviews and personal
testimonials
).
From
my
personal
experience,
visiting
the
battlefields
of
the
Great
War
is
quite
a
moving
experience,
an
experience
best
appreciated
in
the
company
of
close
friends
or
family
(or
alone),
without
any
restrictions
such
as
the
rigid
timetable
of
a
coach
tour
dictating
the
pace.
It
can
be
quite
frustrating
to
see
the
battlefields
passing
before
your
eyes
without
being
able
to
stop
wherever
and
whenever
you
want
to
stop,
and
to
explore
where
you
want
to
explore.
The
freedom
to
truly
comprehend
the
impact
of
the
battlefields
at
your
own
pace,
equipped
with
your
own
detailed
‘then
and
now’
guide(s),
is
what
I
always
set
out
to
achieve,
and
perhaps
what
today
sets
our tours apart.
Rather
than
me
clutter
up
this
page
(as
I
tend
to
do…),
please
follow
the
menu
links
at
the
top
(left)
of
the
page
to
find
out
more
about
the
Self-Drive
tours
we
specialise
in
organising,
so
that
you
just
‘pack
and
go’
leaving
us
to
make
all
the
arrangements
and
to
provide you with the best Self-Drive guide available.
Thank you for visiting our website which we designed and built
ourselves, so it’s completely free of all the annoying tracking
‘cookies’, adverts and other nonsense which bedevil us today.
James Power
2026
James & Annette Power and
Somme Battlefield Tours Ltd (Established 1996)
A UK Registered Limited Company No: 03326835
James Power is an Associate Member of the
Guild of Battlefield Guides
and Western Front Association
The only company to be
awarded ‘Best Battlefield Tour’
!
MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT
2026
Click here for advice
regarding fuel
availability etc when
travelling to France and
Belgium
(all still OK as at
June 2026).
From Diane Kenwood
Editor Women's Weekly
It
was
a
profoundly
moving
and
fascinating
trip,
which,
thanks
to
your
stunningly
detailed
and
thorough
organisation
went
without a hitch. . .
Your
attention
to
detail
is
astonishing.
.
.
You
really
did
bring
every
location
to
life
in
the
most
fantastic
way.
(I
loved
your
personal
remarks
dotted
through
the
commentary).
It
was
so
marvellous
to
be
able
to
do
everything
at
our
own
pace
and
spend
however
long,
or
short,
a
time
as
we
chose
at
the
places
we stopped.
Thank
you
so
much
for
everything
-
for
your
help
in
the
early
stages
sorting
out
what
the
best
itinerary
and
approach
would
be,
for
organising
all
the
bookings
and
for
the
brilliant
support
packs.
I
have
raved
about
your
company
to
everyone
I've
spoken
to
since
my
return
(and
will
definitely
write
about
it
in
the
magazine)
and
I
know
at
least
one
person
who's
definitely
going
to
book
through
you
as
a
result.
I
hope
you
get
inundated
with bookings!
For
the
time
being
we
very
much
regret
that
we
are
unable
to
ship
our
self-drive
guide
material
to
the
United
States,
New
Zealand
and
Australia
due
to
delays
being
experienced
as
a
result
all
of
customs
procedures.
We
have
had
several
instances
where
our
guide
material
has
taken
over
three
months
to
be
received
by
clients,
which
is
unacceptable.
We
are
also
mindful
of
the
procedures
and
challenges
the
US/Australian customs authorities have to address in providing the crucial service they provide.
We
may
however
be
able
to
ship
your
guide
material
direct
to
your
first
hotel
if
in
the
UK
or
Ypres
or
the
Somme,
but
this
solution
may
not
allow
you
time
to
pre-read
your
material
to
formulate
your
travel
expectations.
Please
also
see
our
Ypres
and
Somme
itineraries
so
see
whether they fit the agenda you have in mind.
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"
The Sunday Telegraph
The only Self-Drive company to be
nominated ‘Best Battlefield Tour’
“After spending 6 days touring the battle sites in Belgium and northern
France, we cannot praise Battlefield Tours 'package' highly enough -
immense detail but easy to follow and customise [with] superb little
photo illustrations for the navigator’s assistance. . .The package James
provides is truly outstanding and beyond what we could have expected
for its detail but practical guidance. . . A really nice chap, providing a
brilliant service - what more could you ask for?”
Stuart & Sue Greengrass May 2024
Please click the below poppy to hear
one of the most moving readings of
Col John McCrae’s 1915 poem
‘In Flanders Fields’
Above - some example pages…the battlefields revealed!
Below - location Somme & Ypres and drive times
.
(click images to enlarge - see our self-drive tour page for more details)
Welcome to Somme & Ypres Battlefield Tours Ltd
Explore the battlefields at your own pace with our acclaimed
Self-Drive tours to the
Somme and Ypres battlefields
of the
Great War 1914-1918
Testimonials
Below are just some of our
testimonials - click here to
see them all - and our most recent
Trust Pilot
reviews!
2026 marks our 30th year arranging
bespoke personal tours to the
battlefields of the
Great War 1914-1918
Somme Battlefield Tours Ltd. Wimborne, Dorset, BH21 1EJ, UK. Tel: 07776 195773 or 01202 840520
info@battlefield-tours.com
Full menu
To
speed
up
your
journey
through
the
LeShuttle
Channel
tunnel
car
transport
service
terminals,
you
must
supply
your
passenger
information
to
Eurotunnel
before
you
travel,
using
the
Advance
Passenger
Information
(API)
link
to
be
found
in
the
confirmation
email
sent
to
you
direct
by
Eurotunnel
when
you
booked your tour with us.
If
you
have
trouble
submitting
your
API,
please
contact
us
so
that
we
can
arrange
for
LeShuttle
to
send
you
a
fresh
confirmation
email
as
the
API
link
can
only
be
activated
once
and
may
expire
if
not
used
.
It
is
therefore
advisable
to
have
everyone’s
full
names
and
passport
details
to
hand
when
you
submit
your API. Your API may also be submitted by phone on LeShuttle’s helpline on 0330 1233207.
Here are some helpful links:
•
Click here to submit your Advanced Passenger Information (‘API’)
•
Click here for the latest travel and departures updates
•
Click here for help getting to the LeShuttle terminals (Folkestone and Calais)
•
Click here for what happens when you arrive at LeShuttle terminals (and FAQs)
•
Click here to register in advance for Duty Free shopping at the LeShuttle terminals
(you must register in advance)
•
First time travelling with LeShuttle ? Click here for a helpful video following arrival
and crossing procedures
.
The European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES)
A
new
digital
border
system
has
changed
requirements
for
British
citizens
travelling
to
the
Schengen
area.
Click
here
for
more information.
If
you
are
travelling
to
a
country
in
the
Schengen
area
(such
as
France
and
Belgium)
for
a
short
stay
using
a
UK
passport,
you
will
be
required
to
register
your
biometric
details,
such
as
fingerprints
and
a
photo,
when
you
arrive
at
the
LeShuttle
(aka
Eurotunnel)
terminal.
You
do
not
need
to
take
any
action
before
you
arrive
at
the
border,
and
there
is
no
cost
for
EES
registration.
As
you
navigate
your
way
through
the
LeShuttle
arrival
procedure
you
will
be
directed
to
a
dedicated
line
of
new
terminals
ready
to
quickly
scan
your
passport
and
fingerprints.
You
may
also
need
to
provide
either
your fingerprint or photo when you exit the Schengen area.
Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
(Only applies if anyone travelling in your group is not in possession of a full British or Irish Passport)
An
ETA
is
now
mandatory
for
ALL
travellers
who
do
not
hold
a
UK
or
Irish
passport
,
including
many
nationalities
previously
able
to
enter
the
UK
without
pre-travel
authorisation.
Travellers
who
hold
a
valid
UK
entry
visa
are
exempt
from the ETA requirement
. Full eligibility details are available on the official UK Government website
here
.
The
above
requirement
applies
to
all
adult
and
child
passengers
who
fall
under
the
new
rules.
Non-UK/Irish
passport
holders
without
a
valid
ETA
will
not
be
permitted
to
board
on
the
day
of
travel
,
regardless
of
booking
status,
and checks maybe carried out prior to departure.
Once again, please note that you will not need an ETA if at the actual time of travel to a Schengen
country you are in possession of a valid British or Irish passport.
Please
note
that
refunds
will
not
be
allowed
for
any
additional
expenses
being
incurred
due
to
travel
being
denied
or
disrupted
as
a
result
of
a
client
or
persons
comprising
a
tour
group
not
being
in
possession
of
a
valid
passport
or,
if
not
in possession of a valid UK or Irish passport, for not conforming with the ETA requirement
.
CLIENTS TRAVELLING BY
LeShuttle
(formerly known as Eurotunnel Le Shuttle)
Submitting your Advanced Passenger Information
and other helpful advice
Welcome to
Somme & Ypres Battlefield Tours Ltd
Explore the battlefields at your own pace
with our acclaimed
.
Self-Drive tours to the
Somme and Ypres battlefields
of the
Great War
1914-1918
(click a poppy…)
It’s
only
when
you
receive
our
guide
Self-Drive
guide
pack
that
you
realise
just
how
different
and
how
detailed
our
self-drive
guides
are
(a
comment
we
receive
time
after
time
-
see
our
Trust
Pilot
reviews
and
personal
testimonials
.
From
my
personal
experience,
visiting
the
battlefields
of
the
Great
War
is
quite
a
moving
experience,
an
experience
best
appreciated
in
the
company
of
close
friends
or
family
(or
alone),
without
any
restrictions
such
as
the
rigid
timetable
of
a
coach
tour
dictating
the
pace.
It
can
be
quite
frustrating
to
see
the
battlefields
passing
before
your
eyes
without
being
able
to
stop
wherever
and
whenever
you
want
to
stop,
and
to
explore
where
you
want
to
explore.
The
freedom
to
truly
comprehend
the
impact
of
the
battlefields
at
your
own
pace,
equipped
with
your
own
detailed
‘then
and
now’
guide(s),
is
what
I
always
set
out
to achieve, and perhaps what today sets our tours apart.
Rather
than
me
clutter
up
this
page
(as
I
tend
to
do…),
please
follow
the
menu
links
at
the
top
(left)
of
the
page
to
find
out
more
about
the
Self-Drive
tours
we
specialise
in
organising,
so
that
you
just
‘pack
and
go’
leaving
us
to
make
all
the
arrangements
and
to
provide
you
with
the
best Self-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.
James Power
2026
Somme Battlefield Tours Ltd (Established 1996)
James Power is an Associate Member of the
Guild of Battlefield Guides
and Western Front Association
Somme Battlefield Tours Ltd
Wimborne Dorset BH21 1EJ
+44 (0) 7776 195773 or +44 (0) 1202 840520
info@battlefield-tours.com
Menu
A
Self-Drive
tour
where
you
explore
the
battlefields
in
the
safety
and
comfort
of
your
vehicle,
at
your
own
pace
and
able
to
stop
whenever
you
please
to
investigate
whatever
catches
your
eye,
is
perhaps
the
only
way
to
truly
explore
the
battlefields
of
the
Great
War.
Most
importantly
of
all,
you
will
always
have
our
acclaimed
Self-Drive
guide
at
your
fingertips
to
take
you
on
a
journey
to
unraval
and
reveal
the
history
and
legacy
of
Great War beneath your feet.
We
are
one
of
the
longest-standing
companies
specialising
in
small-group
tours
to
the
Somme
and
Ypres
battlefields.
Having
taken
over
300
groups
on
tours
to
the
battlefields
of
WW1
we
have
now
transferred
that
expertise
to
a
Self-Drive
format
so
that
you
can
explore
these
battlefields
on
your
own
or
with
family
or
friends,
without
being
tied
to
a
coach
tour.
Unsure?
Maybe see what travellers
said
when they returned!
In
a
nut-shell
you
chose
when
you
wish
to
travel
and
for
how
long.
You
take
your
car
and
we
arrange
your
hotel
accommodation,
Channel
crossing
(LeShuttle)
and,
most
importantly
of
all,
we
provide
you
with
our
acclaimed
self-drive
Somme
and/or
Ypres
battlefield
guides
-
your
‘window
to
the
past’,
including
all
the
directions,
maps
etc
you’ll
need.
No
other
self-drive
guides
have
so
much
detail
and
are
so
easy
to
follow!
We
can
also
arrange
for
a
1:1
personal
guide
to
meet
you
at
your
hotel
to
take
you,
and
just
you,
to
almost
any
WW1
battlefield
on
the
northern
Western
Front
of
France
and
Belgium.
Please
note
that
our
written
guides
are
not
sold
separately.
Our
Self-Drive
tour
‘package’
therefore
must
include
hotel
accommodation as shown in our
Hotel options
page.
We recommend and include LeShuttle
(formerly known as Eurotunnel Le Shuttle)
the fastest and easiest way to cross the Channel!
CLIENTS TRAVELLING BY
LeShuttle
(Formerly knownas Eurotunnel Le Shuttle)
Submitting your Advanced Passenger
Information and other helpful advice
To
speed
up
your
journey
through
the
Eurotunnel
terminals,
you
must
supply
your
passenger
information
to
Eurotunnel
before
you
travel,
using
the
Advance
Passenger
Information
(API)
link
to
be
found
in
the
confirmation
email
sent
to
you
direct
by
Eurotunnel
when you booked your tour with us.
If
you
have
trouble
submitting
your
API,
please
contact
us
so
that
we
can
arrange
for
Eurotunnel
to
send
you
a
fresh
confirmation
email
as
the
API
link
can
only
be
activated
once
and
may
expire
if
not
used
.
It
is
therefore
advisable
to
have
everyone’s
full
names
and
passport
details
to
hand
when
you
submit
your
API.
Your
API
may
also
be
submitted
by
phone
on
Eurotunnel’s helpline 0330 1233207.
Here are some helpful links:
•
Click here to submit your Advanced Passenger
Information (‘API’)
•
Click here for the latest travel and departures
updates
•
Click here for help getting to the LeShuttle terminals
(Folkestone and Calais)
•
Click here for what happens when you arrive at
LeShuttle terminals (and FAQs)
•
Click here to register in advance for Duty Free
shopping at the LeShuttleterminals
(you must register in advance)
•
First time travelling with LeShuttle? Click here for a
helpful video following arrival
and crossing procedures
The European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES)
A
new
digital
border
system
has
changed
requirements
for
British
citizens
travelling
to
the
Schengen
area.
Click
here
for
more information.
If
you
are
travelling
to
a
country
in
the
Schengen
area
(such
as
France
and
Belgium)
for
a
short
stay
using
a
UK
passport,
you
will
be
required
to
register
your
biometric
details,
such
as
fingerprints
and
a
photo,
when
you
arrive
at
the
LeShuttle
(aka
Eurotunnel)
terminal.
You
do
not
need
to
take
any
action
before
you
arrive
at
the
border,
and
there
is
no
cost
for
EES
registration.
As
you
navigate
your
way
through
the
LeShuttle
arrival
procedure
you
will
be
directed
to
a
dedicated
line
of
new
terminals
ready
to
quickly
scan
your
passport
and
fingerprints.
You
may
also
need
to
provide
either
your
fingerprint or photo when you exit the Schengen area.
Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)
(Only applies if anyone travelling in your group is not in
possession of a full British or Irish Passport)
An
ETA
is
now
mandatory
for
ALL
travellers
who
do
not
hold
a
UK
or
Irish
passport
,
including
many
nationalities
previously
able
to
enter
the
UK
without
pre-travel
authorisation.
Travellers
who
hold
a
valid
UK
entry
visa
are
exempt
from
the
ETA
requirement
.
Full
eligibility
details
are
available
on
the
official
UK Government website
here
.
The
above
requirement
applies
to
all
adult
and
child
passengers
who
fall
under
the
new
rules.
Non-UK/Irish
passport
holders
without
a
valid
ETA
will
not
be
permitted
to
board
on
the
day
of
travel
,
regardless
of
booking
status,
and
checks
maybe
carried
out
prior
to
departure.
Once again, please note that you will not need an ETA if at the
actual time of travel to a Schengen
country you are in possession of a valid British or Irish
passport.
Please
note
that
refunds
will
not
be
allowed
for
any
additional
expenses
being
incurred
due
to
travel
being
denied
or
disrupted
as
a
result
of
a
client
or
persons
comprising
a
tour
group
not
being
in
possession
of
a
valid
passport
or,
if
not
in
possession
of
a
valid
UK
or
Irish
passport,
for
not
conforming
with the ETA requirement
.
For
the
time
being
we
very
much
regret
that
we
are
unable
to
ship
our
self-drive
guide
material
to
the
United
States
and
Australia
due
to
delays
being
experienced
as
a
result
of
customs
procedures.
We
have
had
several
instances
where
our
guide
material
has
taken
over
two
months
to
be
received
by
clients,
which
is
unacceptable.
We
are
also
mindful
of
the
procedures
and
challenges
the
US/Australian
customs
authorities have to address in providing the crucial service they provide.
We
may
however
be
able
to
ship
your
guide
material
direct
to
your
first
hotel
if
in
the
UK
or
Ypres
or
the
Somme,
but
this
solution
may
not
allow
you
time
to
pre-read
your
material
to
formulate
your
travel
expectations.
Please
also
see
our
Ypres
and
Somme
itineraries
so
see
whether these fit the agenda you have in mind.
Above - some example pages…the battlefields revealed!
Below - location Somme & Ypres and drive times
.
(click images to enlarge - see our self-drive tour page for more details)
2026 marks our 30th year arranging bespoke,
individually-taylored tours to the Soome &
Ypres battlefields of the Great War 1914-1918
MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT 2026
Click here for advice regarding
fuel availability etc when
travelling to France and
Belgium
(all still OK as at June 2026).
