GETTING ACROSS THE CHANNEL

The first obstacle for battlefield visitors from the UK is the English Channel. there are three ways to cross it - by Air. by Sea, and by the Channel Tunnel.

I have never flown to France or Flanders, as I always take my car, so I have no valid comment to make about flying to the Battlefields.

By Sea, there are three options - the Ferry, (various routes across the English Channel) the Hovercraft and the Hydrofoil - all starting from Dover. I've only ever used the Ferry.

There are two ways to cross via the Channel Tunnel - by using the car-trains and by using the Eurostar passenger train, and I've used both of these.

The Channel Tunnel (car-trains)
The tunnel is quick and efficient. Trains are regular enough to mean that under ideal conditions, one rarely has to wait long until the next one. The problem is that sometimes trains are cancelled and there may be a longer wait than expected. When working well, the tunnel gives a speedy crossing - 35 minutes from start to finish and this allows you to continue your journey with the minimum of delay. There is no facility for getting any refreshments during the crossing. In fact, it's difficult to go more than a few yards from your car, so the tunnel doesn't offer much of a rest if you have come a long way or still have a long way to go. Although I still prefer the ferry for the break it offers, I am using the tunnel more and more.

The Channel Tunnel (Eurostar passenger train)
When I returned from the Somme after making the TV programme, I came home via Eurostar. Very quick, very quiet (especially when inside the tunnel, when conversation falls to almost nil. My travelling companion (who happened to be a psychic medium) said that this was because all the passengers were SCARED!) If you are looking for a quick, comfortable journey as a foot-passenger  from England to France and back, then this is for you.

Cross-Channel Ferries
This is the real way to travel, in my opinion.  If you want to cross the sea, then use a ship of some kind. Dover to Calais takes between an hour and an hour-and-a-half, depending on which ferry company you use, and the time of your sailing. Dover to Ostende takes a little over 4 hours. The enforced break from driving is a blessing in my case, as I live four hours' drive from Dover.  When I get to Dover, I am nearer to the French and Flemish battlefields than I am to home - which is is true for most of the population of the UK.

Return to the "Visiting the Western Front" Start Page

Return to the Hellfire Corner Contents Section