Individually designed and personally guided tours for individuals, couples or small groups.
Bespoke Battlefield Tours
All tours led by Martin Roden, a teacher with 33 years' experience of planning, leading and guiding tours to the battlefields of Holland, France and Belgium.
Client testimonies:
"I spent an absolutely fascinating three days around Ypres and Arras exploring the many facets of the Great War with Martin Roden on a bespoke battlefield tour of the Western Front. We visited many of the famous memorials including the Menin Gate, the Thiepval Memorial the Tyne Cot Cemetery, Vimy Ridge and the Somme. Martin is a mine of information on the area and on the subject of the First World War. He is a history teacher at Birkenhead School and his knowledge of the conflict must be unparalleled. During our visit we visited the memorials of several of my relatives who fought in the war. Martin exudes enthusiasm, he is fantastic company and you will not find a better or more knowledgeable guide for your tour. Martin is recommended unreservedly for your visit."
Richard P
I'm a agraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.
"A long term interest in the WW1 fields of Belgium and France sparked a special adventure and, fortunately, I was very lucky to have chosen Bespoke Battlefield Tours to undertake a three day tour of WW1 batllefields in July 2017. It was a wonderful and at times very moving experience, all aided by the fantastic knowledge of Martin Roden, my tour guide. Warm, friendly, good humoured and, importantly, he had an extensive knowledge of all the battle areas from the Somme to Ypres, to the ridges at Messines and Vimy, to the fields of Passchendaele, the mine craters at Beaumont Hammel and much, much more, Martin made every moment of each day very special. Until you stand in the now lush green fields and hills - once scenes of unimaginable slaughter - it is difficult to really explain what a difference it makes to actually be there and for Martin to share his vast knowledge – wonderful, breath-taking and an experience not to be missed. As a host Martin Roden is excellent, always has time to explain the strategies which took place, and also a fantastic and welcoming person to enjoy the evenings of good humour and lovely food outings. Now, I would always choose Bespoke Battlefield Tours for its personal and friendly tours and for its wealth of knowledge, for three days I saw so much more than I expected and I hope to visit other WW1 and WW2 battle areas with Bespoke Battlefield Tours in the near future. Thank you Martin".
Graham M
“I travelled with Martin on a bespoke battlefield tour of the Western Front. We toured around Arras, Mons and Ypres moving down to the Somme. Along our route we spotted German bunkers and visited famous memorials including the Menin Gate, the Thiepval Memorial, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Vimy Ridge, Flanders and the battlefields of the Somme. Martin talked us through the battles, how the troops moved, where the German forces came from and where the Allies were positioned. I felt I had a first-hand appreciation of how the land looked in those days along with the chaos and devastation the Great War caused. Two of most moving and tearful parts of the tour for me were firstly standing in one of the trenches on the Somme at the Accrington Pals Memorial. The German trench was 50 meters away and here’s where our boys went “over the top” resulting in thousands of casualties on both sides. The second was when reciting the poem “In Flanders Fields” by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae whilst standing in the cemetery in Flanders.We visited the tunnel in the Wellington Quarry (La Carrière Wellington) museum, Arras. To be transported underground and witness how the troops lived and hear the battles that were taking place above ground – try not to miss it! We also visited both Allied troops and German cemeteries during our trip. The scenes of rows and rows of hundreds and hundreds of graves had such an impact, it reduced us to silence and tears reminiscing of how hundreds and thousands of soldiers died during these times.Martin is a minefield of information on the subject of the First World War and the areas he visits. He is a history teacher at Birkenhead School having taught two of my boys; one gaining an “A” in A ‘level British History and the other an “A” in his GCSE history – Martin knows what he’s talking about!! Martin is enthusiastic and fantastic company and you will not find a better or more knowledgeable guide for your tour. I will definitely be using Martin again for our next trip”.
Gillian B