Weareoneofthelongest-standingcompanies specialisinginsmall-grouptourstotheSommeand Ypresbattlefields.Havingtakenover300groupson tourstothebattlefieldsofWW1wehavenow transferredthatexpertisetoaSelf-Driveformatso thatyoucanexplorethesebattlefieldsonyourownor withfamilyorfriends,withoutbeingtiedtoacoach tour.Unsure?Maybeseewhattravellerssaidwhen they returned!Inanut-shellyouchosewhenyouwishtotraveland forhowlong.Youtakeyourcarandwearrangeyour hotelaccommodation,Channelcrossingand,most importantlyofall,weprovideyouwithouracclaimed self-driveSommeand/orYpresbattlefieldguides- your‘windowtothepast’,includingallthedirections, mapsetcyou’llneed.No other self-drive guides have so much detail and are so easy to follow!Pleaseread on. . .
Asyoumayalreadyhavefound,therearemanycompanies offeringbattlefieldtours,especiallyatthecentenaryofthe GreatWarspanning2014-2018.Ourtourshoweverarequite different.It’sonlywhenyoureceiveourguidepackthatyou realisejusthowdifferentandhowdetailedourself-drive guidesare(acommentwereceivetimeaftertime).Ourself-driveguidesarealsomuchmoredetailedandeasiertofollow compared with other self-drive options.Frommypersonalexperience,visitingthebattlefieldsofthe GreatWarisquiteamovingexperience,anexperiencebest appreciatedinthecompanyofclosefriendsorfamily(or alone),withoutanyrestrictionssuchastherigidtimetableof acoachtourdictatingthepace.Itcanbequitefrustratingto seethebattlefieldspassingbeforeyoureyeswithoutbeing abletostopwhereverandwheneveryouwanttostop,andto explorewhereyouwanttoexplore.Thefreedomtotruly comprehendtheimpactofthebattlefieldsatyourownpace, equippedwithyourowndetailed‘thenandnow’guide(s),is whatIalwayssetouttoachieve,andperhapswhattoday sets our tours apart.Ratherthanmeclutterupthispage(asItendtodo…),please followthemenulinksatthetop(left)ofthepagetofindout moreabouttheSelf-Drivetourswespecialiseinorganising,so thatyoujust‘packandgo’leavingustomakeallthe arrangementsandtoprovideyouwiththebestSelf-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
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"
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
Full menu
Covid-19 update May 2022Please also see advice for clients at the bottom of this page regarding Eurotunnel updates etc.ASelf-Drivetourwhereyoutourthebattlefieldsinthesafetyofyour vehicle,andwhereyoudonothavetomixwithfellowcoachtravellers,is probablythesafest,andperhapstheonlywaytotrulyexplorethe battlefields at your own pace..ThethankfullymoreoptimisticandsettledoutlookfortraveltoFranceand Belgiumisresultinginanincreaseinbookingsfor2022(particularlywith Eurotunnelbookingswithmanycrossingtimesalreadyfullybooked).Whilst nothavingacrystalball,ouradviceistoconsiderbookingASAPasdecent hotelaccommodationonthebattlefieldsisalsolimited.Pleasealso rememberthatwewillrefundallmoniespaidifwehavetocancelyourtour ifaserviceprovider,suchasyourChannelcrossingand/orhotel,isnot operating,ortraveltoFranceand/orBelgiumisnotpermittedbyeitherUK orFrench/BelgiumGovernmentsduetoCovid-19restrictionsonthedates you are due to travel. Please also see our Terms & Conditions.
Below are just some of our testimonials - click here to see them all
ADVICE FOR TRAVELLING TO FRANCE AND BELGIUMItshallremaintheresponsibilityoftheindividualtravellertoensurethathe/shecomplieswithall Eurotunnel/P&OFerriesandFrenchand/orBelgiumCovid-19rulesandrequirementsforthedurationof theirtour.SommeBattlefieldToursLtdwillnotberesponsibleforanyconsequencesarisingfromthe failureorinability,forwhateverreason,tocomplywithprevailingEurotunnel,P&OFerries,Frenchand/or Belgium Covid-19 rules and requirements. ThebelowlinksprovidehelpfuladviceregardingtherequirementsfortravellingtoandwithinFrance, including staying at hotels.pleasenotethatlinkswehaveprovidedbelowmaynotbethe current/definitiveadvice,assuchcanchangewithlittlewarning.Travellers should always check the most up to date requirements prior to departure.ABTA advice for travel to EU countries re Covid-19 please clickhereABTA advice for travel to EU countries post-Brexit please clickhereEurotunnel & P&O Ferries requirements for travelling to FranceClientstravellingtoFrancebywayofeitherEurotunnelorP&OFerriesshouldfirstcheckforthelatest travelrequirements,suchasproofofvaccinationandadvancedthesubmissionof information/documentation,asfailuretofollowrequiredproceduresand/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 hereP&O Ferries - 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 here. This website is also particularly helpful - click here. France - for details about the French ‘TousAntiCovid’ app, and how to link with your NHS vaccination details, please click hereBelgium - for Covid-19 travel & general access requirements please click here
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…)
OUR SELF-DRIVE TOURS.Weareoneofthelongest-standingcompanies specialisinginsmall-grouptourstotheSommeand Ypresbattlefields.Havingtakenover300groupson tourstothebattlefieldsofWW1wehavenow transferredthatexpertisetoaSelf-Driveformatso thatyoucanexplorethesebattlefieldsonyourown orwithfamilyorfriends,withoutbeingtiedtoa coachtour.Notsure?Maybeseewhattravellerssaidwhen they returned from a Self-Drive tour!Inanut-shellyouchosewhenyouwishtotraveland forhowlong.Youtakeyourcarandwearrangeyour hotelaccommodation,Channelcrossingand,most importantlyofall,weprovideyouwithouracclaimed self-driveSommeand/orYpresbattlefieldguides- your‘windowtothepast’,includingallthedirections, mapsetcyou’llneed.Nootherself-driveguideshave somuchdetailandaresoeasytofollow!Pleaseread on. . .
Asyoumayalreadyhavefound,therearemany companiesofferingbattlefieldtours,especiallyatthe centenaryoftheGreatWarspanning2014-2018.Our tourshoweverarequitedifferent.It’sonlywhenyou receiveourguidepackthatyourealisejusthow differentandhowdetailedourself-driveguidesare(a commentwereceivetimeaftertime).Ourself-drive guidesarealsomuchmoredetailedandeasierto follow compared with other self-drive options.Frommypersonalexperience,visitingthebattlefields oftheGreatWarisquiteamovingexperience,an experiencebestappreciatedinthecompanyofclose friendsorfamily(oralone),withoutanyrestrictions suchastherigidtimetableofacoachtourdictating thepace.Itcanbequitefrustratingtoseethe battlefieldspassingbeforeyoureyeswithoutbeing abletostopwhereverandwheneveryouwantto stop,andtoexplorewhereyouwanttoexplore.The freedomtotrulycomprehendtheimpactofthe battlefieldsatyourownpace,equippedwithyourown detailed‘thenandnow’guide(s),iswhatIalwaysset outtoachieve,andperhapswhattodaysetsourtours apart.Ratherthanmeclutterupthispage(asItendto do…),pleasefollowthemenulinksatthetop(left)of thepagetofindoutmoreabouttheSelf-Drivetourswespecialiseinorganising,sothatyoujust‘packand go’leavingustomakeallthearrangementsandto 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 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!
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Covid-19 update May 2022Please also see travel advice and at the bottom of this page ASelf-Drivetourwhereyoutourthebattlefieldsinthesafetyof yourvehicle,andwhereyoudonothavetomixwithfellow coachtravellers,isprobablythesafest,andperhapstheonly way to truly explore the battlefields at your own pace.ThemoreoptimisticandsettledoutlookfortraveltoFranceand Belgiumisresultinginanincreaseinbookingsfor2022 (particularlywithEurotunnelbookingswithmanycrossingtimes alreadyfullybooked).Whilstnothavingacrystalball,ouradvice istoconsiderbookingASAPasdecenthotelaccommodationon thebattlefieldsislimited.Pleasealsorememberthatwewill refundallmoniespaidifwehavetocancelyourtourifaservice provider,suchasyourChannelcrossingand/orhotel,isnot operating,ortraveltoFranceand/orBelgiumisnotpermittedby eitherUKorFrench/BelgiumGovernmentsduetoCovid-19 restrictionsonthedatesyouareduetotravel.Pleasealsosee our Terms & Conditions.
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 & P&O Ferries requirements for travelling to FranceClientstravellingtoFrancebywayofeither EurotunnelorP&OFerriesshouldfirstcheckforthe latesttravelrequirements,suchasproofof vaccinationandadvancedthesubmissionof 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 hereP&O Ferries - 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