WW1 War Poets: Oh What A Literary War!
5 days from £459pp
About the tour: WW1 War Poets: Oh What A Literary War!
Tour Introduction
The Great War inspired a myriad poignant poetry and moving literature, from the horrors of life in the trenches to the tragedy of a lost generation, uncover the work and the story behind some of Britain's most-famous war time poets. Work from the First World War gives us a fascinating insight into the period and the battles that were fought. On this new tour we look at some of the key voices to emerge from the war, including Wilfred Owen. Visiting Arras, Flanders, Ypres and the Somme, this fascinating battlefields experience will offer a new perspective of World War 1.
Tour Includes
- 4 nights hotel with continental breakfast
- Specialist Battlefield Guide
- Battlefield visits as described
- Convenient local joining points
- Travel by Silver Service luxury coach
(Deposits from £50pp)
We offer flexible payment options
Once you have booked your battlefield tour either online, or by telephone (01709 385 624), you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can -
- Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
- Send payments via online banking.
- Send payments via cheque.
- Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.
Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.
Tour Itinerary
For customers living outside of the UK, if you want to make a booking you will need to provide a UK postcode on our online booking system. If you are not able to provide a relevant UK postcode then you can enter the postcode for London Victoria Coach Station – SW1W 9TP. You should then be able to proceed to complete your booking.
If you do encounter a problem then you can speak to one of our friendly advisors who will be happy to help.
Please Note : After completing your booking, a member of our Customer Service team will be in touch to make sure everything is okay.
Either e-mail our Reservations Department or call on 01709 830 333 and they will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
Day 1
Local departure by coach, then to our hotel in Belgium where we stay for four nights.
Day 2 - Arras
We start the tour at Arras where we visit the grave of war poet and country writer, Edward Thomas, at Agny, also looking at the battlefield where he died.We move on to look at Bailleul Road East Cemetery learning about the work of Jewish poet Isaac Rosenberg and visiting his grave.
After lunch in Arras, we travel to the Sambre Canal battlefield at Ors, where we see the ground where Owen died in the last battle of WW1. We visit his grave and also see the Wilfred Owen Visitor’s Centre, a small museum to him in the nearby Mormal Forest.
Included meals: Breakfast
Agny Military Cemetery (5)
Key Visits
- Sambre Canal at Ors
- Wilfred Owens Grave
- Agny Military Cemetery
- Edward Thomas grave at Agny
- Bailleul Road East Cemetery
Day 3 - Flanders & Ypres
Today we are in Flanders to look at the writing of Henry Williamson, and the poetry of Ivor Gurney, Francis Ledwidge and Welsh poet, Hedd Wynn. We see the battlefields where they fought and visit the graves of Ledwidge and Hedd Wynn.After lunch at Hooge, we attend a new production by the *MESH Theatre Company where they bring alive the literature and poetry of WW1 in a new stage show, giving a unique feel to the theme of this tour.
We also have time to visit the In Flanders Fields Museum, and stay in Ypres for the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate.
*The theatre production by the MESH Theatre Company will be a production of ‘The Soldier’ by the award winning writer Rachel Wagstaff. The show will be a portrayal of the life of our most famous war poet Rupert Brooke and will take place in the St George’s Memorial Church in Ypres.
Included meals: Breakfast
Flanders (5)
Key Visits
- Flanders
- Mesh Theatre Company Stage Show
- Flanders Fields Museum
- Last Post Ceremony
Day 4 - The Somme
We look at the poets and writers on the Somme today, including the story of Will Streets, at Serre, where we see the battlefield where he and his comrades from the Sheffield City battalion fought on 1st July 1916, as well as visiting his grave at Euston Post Cemetery.We then see the Thiepval Memorial to the missing before having our lunch period in Albert.
In the afternoon we follow poet Ivor Gurney from Ovillers to Pozières, then look at the poets and writers from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, including Siegfried Sassoon, who described the battlefield at Fricourt. We also make a visit to the Point 110 Cemeteries.
At the Devonshire Cemetery we see the grave of poet William Noel Hodgson, before we end our day at High Wood, one of the costliest corners of the Somme, where Robert Graves and ‘Old Soldiers Never Die’ author Frank Richards fought.
Included meals: Breakfast
Thiepval Memorial (5)
Key Visits
- Thiepval Memorial
- Serre
- Fricourt
- Devonshire Cemetery
Day 5
Return home.
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 1
Local departure by coach, then to our hotel in northern France where we stay for four nights.
Day 2 - Arras
We begin our tour at Arras where we visit the grave of war poet and country writer, Edward Thomas, at Agny, also looking at the battlefield where he died.We move on to look at Bailleul Road East Cemetery learning about the work of Jewish poet Isaac Rosenberg and visiting his grave.
After lunch in Arras, we travel to the Sambre Canal battlefield at Ors, seeing the ground where Owen died in the last battle of WW1, visiting his grave and also seeing the Wilfred Owen Visitor’s Centre, a small museum to him in the nearby Mormal Forest.
Included meals: Breakfast
Agny Military Cemetery (5)
Key Visits
- Sambre Canal at Ors
- Wilfred Owen's Grave
- Agny Military Cemetery
- Edward Thomas Grave at Agny
- Bailleul Road East Cemetery
Day 3 - Flanders & Ypres
Today we are in Flanders, where we start on the Pilkem Ridge looking at Irish war poet, Francis Ledgwidge, and Welsh poet, Elas Evans or ‘Hedd Wyn’. We visit their graves, and look at the battlefield where they were fighting, seeing Yorkshire Trench and the nearby Visitor’s Centre. After lunch at Hooge, we look at the poems and writing of Edmund Blunden, seeing the battlefield at Mousetrap Farm where he fought during Third Ypres, and visit Vlamertinghe Chateau which he wrote about in 1917. At Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery we visit the grave of war poet Harold Parry, and we then travel to Ploegsteert, or ‘Plugstreet’, to look at the writing of Henry Williamson and his description of the Christmas Truce in 1914. We end the day in Ypres for the moving Last Post Ceremony.
Included meals: Breakfast
Flanders (3)
Key Visits
- Flanders
- Last Post Ceremony
Day 4 - The Somme
We look at the poets and writers on the Somme today, including the story of Will Streets, at Serre, seeing the battlefield where he and his comrades from the Sheffield City battalion fought on 1st July 1916, as well as visiting his grave at Euston Post Cemetery.We then see the Thiepval Memorial to the missing before having our lunch in Albert.
In the afternoon we follow poet Ivor Gurney from Ovillers to Pozières, then look at the poets and writers from the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, including Siegfried Sassoon, who described the battlefield at Fricourt. We also make a visit to the Point 110 Cemeteries.
At the Devonshire Cemetery we see the grave of poet William Noel Hodgson, before we end our day at High Wood, one of the costliest corners of the Somme, where Robert Graves and ‘Old Soldiers Never Die’ author Frank Richards fought.
Included meals: Breakfast
Thiepval Memorial (5)
Key Visits
- Thiepval Memorial
- Serre
- Fricourt
- Devonshire Cemetery
Day 5
Return home.
Included meals: Breakfast
Specialist Battlefield Guides
All of Leger’s battlefield tours are accompanied by specialist guides. Their individual in-depth knowledge of warfare will be informative, as well as enhance your overall experience, as they recreate a fascinating perception of the history and factual events of each battle. Discover the actual catalysts for war, the strategies employed and the final, inevitable outcomes, as well as experiencing the emotional human side of the front line.
Please note: On certain tours, you may get tour guides other that the ones listed below.
Hotel
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
All hotel rooms benefit from private bathroom facilities.
Some hotels have tea and coffee making facilities. Please check the tour pages for more information or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333
Most hotels have a lift, please call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 for more information.
Some hotels have ground floor rooms. Please email for information on individual hotels or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
Your hotels will supply towels in your room.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
2020 departures will stay for four nights at the 3-star Des Acacias Lille Tourcoing Hotel.
Des Acacias Lille Tourcoing
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About the hotel
The Des Acacias Lille Tourcoing Hotel is set in a leafy area near to the towns of Halluin, Roncq and Tourcoing to name a few. The hotel's facilities include a bar, a restaurant, lounge, fitness room and Wi-Fi/internet corner.
Hotel Features
- Bar
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Lift
- Restaurant
- WiFi Available
Room Features
- Bath and/or Shower
- Hairdryer
- Tea and Coffee Making Facilities
- Telephone
- TV
Hotel Horizon Ath Lessines
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About the hotel
Providing modern guest rooms, the Horizon Ath Lessines is situated in the area of Ghislenghien, close to the towns of Ath and Lessines.
Hotel Features
- Bar
- English Speaking Staff
- Guest Lounge
- Lift
- Restaurant
- WiFi Available
Room Features
- Bath and/or Shower
- Hairdryer
- Tea and Coffee Making Facilities
- Telephone
- TV
Travel Options
Departure times given for each region are approximate. Please check your travel documents to confirm the actual timings.
Front row seats can be reserved for £14pp (up to 6 days duration), £22pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £25pp (9 days duration and over) on all European tours. In addition to this seats on the second row can be reserved for £7pp (up to 6 days duration), £14pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £15pp (9 days duration and over). This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on the front row and is subject to availability. Guaranteed front/second row seats cannot be reserved on feeder journeys to/from the U.K. port. Children under 15 years cannot occupy a front row seat due to French Law. Central view seats are free.
Please note: On some coaches the legroom on front seats may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.
If your tour is cancelled for any reason and front/second row seats are not available on your new tour you will be refunded the supplement. No other compensation will be payable.
Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.
We guarantee that all passengers on the same booking will be seated together on the main tour coach. Seats on the transfer coaches to and from the U.K. port are not allocated.
Hot and cold drinks are served on the main tour coaches. Prices are approximately £1 or 1.25 Euro per drink. Prices will be confirmed by the driver. Drinks may also be served on the transfer coaches but this is not guaranteed.
Transfer vehicles are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure and will depend on where passengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 two weeks before you are due to travel.
With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer vehicles to and from the U.K. port may not have on-board toilets. When non-British coaches are used on transfers and tours (air holidays only) an on-board toilet may not be available. However, comfort stops will be made during long journeys.
All coaches feature air-conditioning. Should the air-conditioning system break down for a period exceeding 12 hours, compensation will be awarded up to a maximum of £10 per fare-paying passenger per tour.
Depending on the location of your pickup point, you may be picked up by coach (not necessarily the on you are touring on), minibus, taxi, National Express or Megabus service. You may then be taken to another centralised pickup location or service station. We operate a passenger interchange at Stop 24 Services, where you will meet the tour coach you are holidaying on and then continue on with your outbound journey. Similarly, on the way home, you may also change transfer vehicles at another location, to take you to your final drop off point.
One medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full. We may refuse to carry larger or heavier cases. Hand luggage can be stored in the overhead racks aboard the coach.
It could be either - This will be confirmed in your travel documents.
When it comes to getting to the Battlefields, Leger Holidays make it easy, with a selection of travel options for you choose from.
Silver Service Coach
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Silver Service Features
- Sit back and relax in specially-designed, deluxe reclining seats, with leather headrests, footrests and more legroom than standard coaches.
- Enjoy the perfect temperature onboard with climate control.
- Relax and have a chat in the spacious rear lounge.
- Servery on board offering a range of refreshments.
- Porterage* at most hotels, so you really don’t have to lift a finger.
- Time flies with our onboard entertainment system.
- With free personal headphones you can tune into the music channel, listen to the radio or watch DVDs.
- Onboard toilet
Silver Service Seating Plan
Silver Service Virtual Tour
Travel Extras
With an overnight stay or the option to meet us at the interchange, our travel extras allow you to create a travel experience to suit your needs...
Stay overnight near Dover
+ Find out moreWhy not go the night before your tour for a relaxing start?
You can park for FREE for up to seven days at the Holiday Inn Ashford North and enjoy an overnight stay with English breakfast from just £38 per person (Based on 2 sharing a twin/double room on a B&B basis, subject to availability. Single supplements and terms and conditions apply.) We’ll then collect you from the hotel on the day of departure and return you there at the end of your holiday.
To book this package, please call the hotel on 01233 713333, quoting ‘Leger Holidays’ and your booking reference. If your holiday is longer than seven days you can pay for additional days’ parking. Ask one of our friendly reservations team for more details when you book your holiday
Join coach at Interchange
+ Find out moreJoin your tour coach at the interchange.
On most tours if you’d prefer to join your tour coach at Stop 24 services, you can park your car in the car park which is accredited by the Park Mark safer parking scheme and is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV. Payment for the parking is made on arrival using the self-service machines.
Excludes tours to Ireland and the U.K. and tours travelling via Brittany Ferries.