Somme Battlefields Weekend

Day 2

(Saturday): Heading south from Arras we arrive before long at the northernmost point of the attack of 1 July 1916, the diversionary attack at Gommecourt. Here we pause for coffee before examining the battlefield and gaining an overview introduction of the battle, which is best done out 'on the ground' as it has so much more relevance. Throughout the tour there will be maps and illustrations to help explain what your guide is telling you as you ride between stops. This first section to Gommecourt is the longest of the day and takes approximately 1 - 1.5 hours; after this the stops are all only a couple of miles, at most, apart. We visit the Pals Battalions memorial at Serre and see the largest of the Somme cemeteries, before crossing Redan Ridge and dropping down into Beaumont Hamel. This village was an objective on 1 July but was not captured until 13 November. There are a great many infamous places in this area, including the Sunken Lane, Newfoundland Memorial Park and the Hawthorn Ridge crater. We stop for lunch and then visit the Ulster Tower and the incomparable Thiepval Memorial, which has the names of over 72,000 soldiers whose bodies were never found. Overnight in Albert. 35 miles.

Day 4

(Monday): Riding back south from Bapaume we see how innovation was introduced to the battle in an attempt to break the deadlock; Flers Courcelette is where tanks were used for the first time. The very last actions of 'The Big Push' took place on 18 November during the Battle of the Ancre - one of the constituent battle of the larger Somme offensive - and after which proceedings were halted for winter; here the Royal Naval Division served. It's a pleasant ride back to Arras to finish, passing other places of interest along the way. 33 miles.