Flanders and Poperinge

[workhard]

Thinking of blatting over to Belgium for a credit card long weekend tour next month or in March. Want to go base myself in Poperinge as wife's great uncle is buried in the Old Military Cemetery there and I've not been. Have been to Ypres a couple of times (by car) before. drinking Belgian beer will be a priority as well as getting some boeuf en flamande in.

Feasible from Calais or is ferry to Dunkerque a better option? Any comments/advice/warnings about trundling around bits of Flanders in winter

[Domestique]

We did Dunkirk to Ypres in September for a four day break. As soon as we came off the ferry waited for twenty minutes or so for all the other ferry traffic to go past then seemed to have the road pretty much to ourselves.

[jake]

The Trappist monastery brewery at Westvleteren (just N of Poperinge) is well worth a visit to partake of some refreshment. In '08 we cycled from "Pop" to Calais (via St Omer). It's a nice enough ride but, in hindsight, we wished we'd spent more time on the Belgian canals and caught the train back to Calais.

[andrew_s]

drinking Belgian beer will be a priority

I recommend the bar in the Palace hotel.
A lot of Pop is shut on Sunday night, so if you want to attend the Menin Gate in Ieper that would be a good day to ride over (assuming you have lights)
St Sixtus at Westvleteren is a proper monastery, visitors not wanted, so no brewery tour. There's a cafe just over the road from the entrance which seems to be the only reliable place to get their beer (the Abt 12 is reputed to be the best beer in Belgium). Their annual holiday always seems to coincide with my visits though (late September).

I've always used the Dunkerque ferry.
I suspect that riding back to Calais might be a bit trying if there was a good south westerly blowing up the Channel.

An interesting place to stay might be Talbot House (TOC-H)

[workhard]

thanks for the tip's. Toc H is on the list for a possible overnight stay with another in a more ladedah gastro establishment.

[BE1]

Thinking of blatting over to Belgium for a credit card long weekend tour next month or in March. Want to go base myself in Poperinge as wife's great uncle is buried in the Old Military Cemetery there and I've not been. Have been to Ypres a couple of times (by car) before. drinking Belgian beer will be a priority as well as getting some boeuf en flamande in.

Feasible from Calais or is ferry to Dunkerque a better option? Any comments/advice/warnings about trundling around bits of Flanders in winter

It can be VERY wet and windy so do n't forget the waterproofs and enough layers. Still it is riding in that kind of weather which makes the beef stew all the tastier

[pete75]

Norfolk Line from Dover to Dunkirk costs less than the Calais routes and is a more pleasant voyage without hordes of day trippers on the boat. Takes about 40 minutes longer - something I find an advantage as I enjoy the sea crossing.