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The western front The western front
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Route Planning Where to go, when, what are the interesting places to see
Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



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  #1  
Old 17 Sep 2010
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The western front
Following this topic: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-belgium-36953. I started thinking about riding the whole western front.

I have this interest in everything WO I related since i was little. I have been to Yper, Verdun and Somme before (by car as a little boy with my dad). Its been a few years ago and as there is so much to see I want to do it again but on a motorcycle this time. My plan is to ride past the entire front ranging from Oostende to pfefferhouse (850KM). And while doing that visit the museums, graveyards and land marks that still remind to this awful event.


Western front - Google Maps
(its open to add adjustments, comments)

Anyone has some ideas for the route or places I should go to? I have seen quite allot already but there is so much to see I'm sure there must be some places I haven't seen yet. Tips for books etc are also welcome.

Btw im also interested in the Italian-Austrian front in the Alps since I dont know much about this front yet. But wonder if there is anything to be seen in this region?
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Old 17 Sep 2010
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Re: Western front, if you're going to ride the line of the front I suppose the first thing you'll have to do is decide which front as it moved about quite a bit over the years.

I've also been doing something similar - last year it was driving the route of the retreat from Mons to the Marne, the year before the extended 1916 Somme area. I'm in the area again in about 3-4 weeks and working out which bit for this year.
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Old 17 Sep 2010
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Great idea...
I'm more into WW2 myself. I'd like to do something similar and ride the Allied advance through NW Europe taking in the sites, museums and cemeteries etc at some point.

Done a few battlefield tours for mates myself including Normandy, Ardennes & Hurtgen. Not on bikes though, they don't ride - suckers! Good luck and if you ever decide to do a WW2 ride count me in.

My advice would be to check out the itineraries of various battlefield tour company's for inspiration. Or just buy Holts' Battlefield Guide books, with the maps, and fill ya boots!

Ypres Salient, Somme & Western Front - South: The First Battle of the Marne, the Aisne 1914, Verdun, the Somme 1916

With whats in these three books alone you'd be kept busy and out of trouble... heck its making my feet itchy to do it myself. There's nothing like walking the battlefields, with some understanding of the events that unfolded, to get a true idea of what happened.

xXx
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Old 17 Sep 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by backofbeyond View Post
Re: Western front, if you're going to ride the line of the front I suppose the first thing you'll have to do is decide which front as it moved about quite a bit over the years.

I've also been doing something similar - last year it was driving the route of the retreat from Mons to the Marne, the year before the extended 1916 Somme area. I'm in the area again in about 3-4 weeks and working out which bit for this year.
The Other front was indeed from Mons to Compiegne but that front was lost pretty quick in 1914. The route i marked is the western front as it was for most of the war. The front didnt move that much over the years sometimes it went few miles forward or backword but they where always fighting for the same city's and hills.
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Old 30 Sep 2010
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If you have access to a Garmin GPS, send me a PM with your email address as I have 2 GPS files , one for Ypres and the other for the Somme. Both contain hundreds of points of interest , markers, war graves, battlefield sites, significant positions, memorials and more. No charge for the files but I do ask that it not be used for commercial purposes and if you want to make a donation to the Royal British Legion Brussels branch I can let you know how to do that.
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Old 6 Oct 2010
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great ive send you a PM
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