West Flanders (1 Viewer)

[Motörhead Fun]

Just back from 3 nights in Flanders. Places stayed at.

Motorhome parking at Nieuwpoort. In the dunes / beach. I think there is a E5 charge is you stay all day but we left mid morning. Very busy and nice spot on the coast. Around 2km from King Albert Memorial which has a new museum underneath. Nieuwpoort is where sluice gates were opened in October 1914 to flood land around the Yser and hold back German advance. Coords 51.167867, 2.766705

Ypres. Stayed on roadside around corner from Menin Gate. Coords 50.847209, 2.893421. Around a dozen vans there. Nice spot overlooking water and ramparts

Polygon Wood. Stayed in car park of Café Tavern de Dreve. Coords 50.854038, 2.978580. This café is owned by Johan Vandewalle who is co-author of 'Beneath Flanders Fields - tunnelling in WW1'. If you eat / drink in his café he is more than happy for you to stay. He is very knowledgeable about WW1 and assisted in the time team programme. He has documentaries that he has made that are worth watching and has a lot of artefacts in his café. If you do stay, please ask about his 'Brothers-in-arms' project and feel free to make a E5 contribution. There is also an interesting walk through the woods with pill box remains and two cemeteries. This does not seem to be visited by the coach tours so is more atmospheric than a lot of the other sites in the area.

 

[jockaneezer]

Stayed at Nieuwpoort last month, well Westende actually, nothing more depressing than a seaside town out of season ( Westende that is ) ! Is the museum open yet, they were putting the finishing touches to it when we were there ? Googled the crack about the lock keeper flooding the river, very interesting story. Will try to get to the Menin Gate next time we're over, thanks for the coordinates.

 

[iandsm]

I was at the ceremony at the Menin gate last night and just about ten seconds into the minute silence a loud ringtone was heard. It was the turned off and after a little while I heard in quite a loud voice that I am certain others near me heard, " Yes hello, everything all right at home, we re having a lovely time" etc.etc. and yes you are right he was a Brit. I thought I would go and shove his mobile where the sun don't shine but the trumpets started and drowned him out. What a fool, to show such little respect at such a sensitive moment. Made feel ashamed to be British.

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[chaser]

Done these a time or two, but one place you never hear anyone mention is blockhaus near eperlecques, just south of bourborg , it doesn't maybe sound much but when we were there , there was English coaches there, it is one great lump of concrete, and when I say big I meen it , all done with prison labour to build and house the v2 rockets it larger than a block of flats about 10 stories high but it was bombed by the raf before it get going, anyone interested in ww2 should have a look , it's still left as it was after it was bombed, well worth half a day.

 

[chaser]

http://www.leblockhaus.com/en/ This is the link for anyone interested

 

[Steve101uk]

http://www.leblockhaus.com/en/ This is the link for anyone interested

bookmarked thanks

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