Day 31 – Thu 10 Jul 14, Lille (France) to Ypres (Belgium)
Forecast: 16-21 deg
C, rain; Listed distance: 31km; Actual distance travelled: 49km; Cumulative
distance: 1239km; Av speed: 12.8 km/h; Max speed: 23.9 km/h; Lille: 16 deg C, Wind:
NNW, 18-22 km/h; Ypres: 15 deg C, Wind: NNW. 30-48 km/h; Start time: 8:40am;
Stop time: 2pm; Ride time: 3h42m
As we thought we only had just over 30km to ride we didn't rush to leave. Well, Wendy didn't anyway. It was drizzling lightly as we rode away from probably the best 2* we have ever stayed in. Despite the age of the place, everything was functional, some things more so than others. The window shade was next to useless, and the aircon seemed to be centrally controlled or on a timer so you couldn't adjust the temperature nor the heat/cool settings. Oh, and the shower leaked badly. We got clean towels and more soap on our second day which is more than you get in some 3* places!
The drizzle became rain a few times and lasted until well after midday.
We stopped for lunch in Comines, a twin town in France and Belgium, which was about half way. All we really wanted was a coffee to warm us up but couldn't find a coffee shop; plenty of grog shops, but no cafés. We eventually found a bakery and bought a ham and salad roll and some dessert which we devoured under the arches of the town Cathedral as it was dry and protected from the howling wind. We did not linger very long in Comines and were soon back on the bike path heading for Ypres, now spelt Ieper. The bike path was very nice except for the tree that had been blown over and was blocking it. So, after some bush clearing, we were on our way again.
About 5km out of town Wendy saw a sign that read "Hill 60". She immediately thought of the movie "Beneath Hill 60" and also remembered that one of Greg's grandfathers had fought and been wounded there. So she yelled out to Greg who stopped and when Wendy directed him to the sign he was delighted. We had a quick look on Google Maps and it was only 450m up the road, so off we went, only to be confronted by a cordoned-off work area where they were rebuilding the bridge. Another consultation with the map told us how to get there the long way. It only added another 4km to the trip and as it was a pretty short one anyway, it wasn't too much of a hassle except for the wind and drizzle. However, we were both really glad we did it, especially Greg; it means a whole lot more when you have known someone who's been there. Hill 60 was where the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company (1ATC) played a significant role in this battle and many of them, along with British and Germans soldiers are permanently buried under the hill where they were trapped by cave-ins caused by explosions or accidents while tunnelling. 1 ATC was Greg's grandfather's (on his Mum's side) unit and lucky for the Walker/Jenkins families Greg's Granddad, William (Bill) Jenkins, although wounded by mustard gas, survived the war. Greg says he was the kindest, gentlest and wonderful man you would ever want to meet despite what he had lived through during the War. If only he could be here today to tell us about his experiences beneath Hill 60. The whole hill is now preserved (as best that nature allows) as it was at the end of the war. The trenches, cave-in hollows and bunker holes/debris are all still clearly visible.
We arrived in Ypres bedraggled by the wind more so than the rain today. We found the Town Square where the In Flanders Fields Museum is, ate ice cream, and sat and listened to a couple of school bands play various pieces. This was done in order to kill some time as we couldn't check in until 4pm. Wendy had asked for a 3pm check in, but by 2:30pm, we were starting to freeze so texted the guy who got his niece to let us in. We are staying in a B&B (B&B Demi Lune) for the next two nights and the room and bathroom are quite nice.
After unpacking and a nana nap, we went for a wander to check out restaurants and found a half decent one serving pizza, pasta and steaks. Wendy had a spaghetti carbonara which wasn't as nice as the previous three, but still ok, and Greg had fettuccine salmon which he said was delicious!
As we thought we only had just over 30km to ride we didn't rush to leave. Well, Wendy didn't anyway. It was drizzling lightly as we rode away from probably the best 2* we have ever stayed in. Despite the age of the place, everything was functional, some things more so than others. The window shade was next to useless, and the aircon seemed to be centrally controlled or on a timer so you couldn't adjust the temperature nor the heat/cool settings. Oh, and the shower leaked badly. We got clean towels and more soap on our second day which is more than you get in some 3* places!
The drizzle became rain a few times and lasted until well after midday.
We stopped for lunch in Comines, a twin town in France and Belgium, which was about half way. All we really wanted was a coffee to warm us up but couldn't find a coffee shop; plenty of grog shops, but no cafés. We eventually found a bakery and bought a ham and salad roll and some dessert which we devoured under the arches of the town Cathedral as it was dry and protected from the howling wind. We did not linger very long in Comines and were soon back on the bike path heading for Ypres, now spelt Ieper. The bike path was very nice except for the tree that had been blown over and was blocking it. So, after some bush clearing, we were on our way again.
About 5km out of town Wendy saw a sign that read "Hill 60". She immediately thought of the movie "Beneath Hill 60" and also remembered that one of Greg's grandfathers had fought and been wounded there. So she yelled out to Greg who stopped and when Wendy directed him to the sign he was delighted. We had a quick look on Google Maps and it was only 450m up the road, so off we went, only to be confronted by a cordoned-off work area where they were rebuilding the bridge. Another consultation with the map told us how to get there the long way. It only added another 4km to the trip and as it was a pretty short one anyway, it wasn't too much of a hassle except for the wind and drizzle. However, we were both really glad we did it, especially Greg; it means a whole lot more when you have known someone who's been there. Hill 60 was where the 1st Australian Tunnelling Company (1ATC) played a significant role in this battle and many of them, along with British and Germans soldiers are permanently buried under the hill where they were trapped by cave-ins caused by explosions or accidents while tunnelling. 1 ATC was Greg's grandfather's (on his Mum's side) unit and lucky for the Walker/Jenkins families Greg's Granddad, William (Bill) Jenkins, although wounded by mustard gas, survived the war. Greg says he was the kindest, gentlest and wonderful man you would ever want to meet despite what he had lived through during the War. If only he could be here today to tell us about his experiences beneath Hill 60. The whole hill is now preserved (as best that nature allows) as it was at the end of the war. The trenches, cave-in hollows and bunker holes/debris are all still clearly visible.
We arrived in Ypres bedraggled by the wind more so than the rain today. We found the Town Square where the In Flanders Fields Museum is, ate ice cream, and sat and listened to a couple of school bands play various pieces. This was done in order to kill some time as we couldn't check in until 4pm. Wendy had asked for a 3pm check in, but by 2:30pm, we were starting to freeze so texted the guy who got his niece to let us in. We are staying in a B&B (B&B Demi Lune) for the next two nights and the room and bathroom are quite nice.
After unpacking and a nana nap, we went for a wander to check out restaurants and found a half decent one serving pizza, pasta and steaks. Wendy had a spaghetti carbonara which wasn't as nice as the previous three, but still ok, and Greg had fettuccine salmon which he said was delicious!
Ypres is one of the prettiest towns we've been through on this trip. It has a great old cobbled town square
surrounded by lovely old buildings and a grand cathedral. There's a rather good
WW1 Museum also in the town square. A 100m or so up the road of course is the
famous Menin Gate, where the names of more than 54,000 "missing"
British Empire soldiers from this area of battle in WW1 are inscribed. Since 1928 the local Last Post Association
(mostly volunteer firemen) have played the Last Post at 8pm each and every
evening. It has become a wonderful
tribute and a daily reminder to all of us of those brave men who paid the
ultimate sacrifice. You couldn't help shed a tear during this Last
Post. Lest We Forget.
Memin Gate
View of the B&B backyard from our room
Hill 60
In Flanders Fields Museum
Room 104 B7B Demi Lune, Ypres
Menin Gate
Mr Walker and his pub
We think this is St George's Memorial Church
B&B Demi Lune
An execllent, even though wet, Belgian bike path
Comines Town Hall
Cathedral at Comines
A little path clearing was required
Hill 60 scenery
Menin Gate, Ypres
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