A BRIDGE TOO FAR BIKE RIDE (B2F)
13th - 19th September 2010
Duration: 7 days / 6 nights
OVER VIEW
The ride is planned to start in Brussels after a Eurostar trip, go via the battle of Waterloo and then to Antwerp before joining the route taken from Eindhoven to our finish at Arnhem. Along the route we will visit battlefield sites and learn about their history as well as pay our respects. As you would expect from H4H, we have some other goodies planned to educate and amuse as well! We will be joined by a group of wounded servicemen and women from both the UK and US; we fought alongside our Allies in 1944 and we are alongside them again now.
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On 17 September 1944 thousands of Paratroopers descended from the sky behind enemy lines. Their goal was to secure the bridges over 5 rivers in Holland to enable the advance of the Allied army, avoiding the German defence line. If carried out as planned it should have ended the war by Christmas 1944. Unfortunately, this daring plan did not succeed as planned - the bridge at Arnhem proved to be ‘a bridge too far’.
We shall follow the story of this daring operation on this challenging cycle and will have the chance to join in the annual commemoration of those who fought here 66 years ago. To start our ride however, we will also be visiting other infamous battle field sites of the Low Countries, including the site of Napoleon Bonaparte’s last battle at Waterloo which took place in 1815. This will be an amazing physical challenge but also an incredible journey remembering those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and for their country, as our Forces are still doing today.
ITINERARY
Day 1: London to Brussels
We will arrive at St. Pancreas Station in London to hand over our bikes and then will cross the channel by Eurostar and upon arrival in Brussels we will head to our hotels for a good night’s rest before our first exploratory cycle tomorrow.
Day 2: Brussels – Leuven
This morning we will head south out of Brussels and head directly to Butte du Lion, one of themain sites of the historic Battle of Waterloo. We will be guided by our Battlefield Historians from this large,conicalartificial hill, and Genappe as we hear the detail of Napoleon’s last battle- we will also cycle to the very spot he was very nearly captured before fleeing. From here we will pedal some miles to warm up our muscles taking a loop south and up to Wavre, where another Battle was fought on the same day as Waterloo. We are following the route of the Prussians, in reverse. From here we travel the last few kilometres up to Leuven. This beautiful medieval Belgian city is famous for being one of the oldest and still operating Catholic University Cities of the world.
Cycle approx 75 miles
Day 3: Leuven – Antwerp
Today we will leave the history of Napoleon behind and start our move towards the theme of World War II. As we loop east and then westwards we will start our approach taken by the 11th Armoured Division as they began their liberation of Antwerp. Cycling north of Mechelen and over to Breendonk where we pay an emotional visit to the fully intact Jewish concentration camp based at an old military fort, we then cross the river at Boom. From the south west we will enter the city which held the strategic post of it’s port which led to the battle of it’s liberation on September 4th 1944. Once inside the city we will hear about the battle first hand, before heading to our hotels in Antwerp, host city to the 1920 Olympics.
Cycle approx 75 miles
Day 4: Antwerp – Eindhoven
Today is an exciting start to the beginning of the story of Operation Market Garden. It is a day following in the footsteps of both American troops and those of the British Army (30 Corps). Leaving Antwerp due east to Merksem, final destination and battle site for the 11th Armoured Division, we then move north re creating the ‘breakout’ from Antwerp via Hoogerheide and Bergen op Zoom. From here we follow their path down to Lommel where hundreds of graves are marked for German soldiers who died both in the World War II battles of Belgium, as well as 542 German soldiers who perished in WWI. Just outside this town we will cycle on to the very starting point of Operation Market Garden, Joe’s Bridge. The bridge is named after Lieutenant-Colonel J.O.E (Joe) Vandeleur, who commanded the Irish Guards infantry, who together with the Irish Guards armour, commanded by his cousin, Lieutenant-Colonel Giles Vandeleur, took the bridge on 10 September 1944. From here we will head up to Valkenswaard, a strategic point starting the advance by the Guards Armoured Division- there was only one road from here into Eindhoven and this was an extremely difficult operation, succeeding only after help from RAF Typhoon fighter bombers which crushed the German resistance. However, these difficulties meant they did not make their destination, Eindhoven, on Day one of Operation Market Garden as hoped- they were already behind schedule. We however, will cycle on into Eindhoven to rest.
Cycle approx 80 miles
Day 5:. Eindhoven - Nijmegen
Today we break into the territory of another WWII battle front, that of Operation Veritable. Operation Veritable was a Second World War pincer movement conducted by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's 21st Army Group to clear and occupy the land between the Rhine and Maas rivers. Both the British and the Canadians fought for this clearance. Visiting strategic historical sites such as the Son Bridge, Veghen, Uden and Goch we make our way up to the Reichswald forest where there are cemeteries for the RAF and Airborne Divisions. From here we pick up the trail of Operation Market Garden once again as we cross borders and head to Groosbeek. It was here that the 82nd Airborne Division landed to plan their offensive against the enemy, and a memorial stands here to these soldiers. Like them, we will advance into Nijmegen to rest for the night, a chance to explore the oldest city in the Netherlands. Cycle approx 80 miles
Day 6: Nijmegen – Arnhem
A hugely exciting day today as we traverse the rivers Maas and Neder-Rijn in our approach to Arnhem. This was the final surge planned to free all 5 bridges, which would have opened the way for land forces to free the Netherlands and enter south Germany….although this huge plan, as we know, failed at the last. We will cross these bridges as we remember those who died in this flawed operation. This is the very weekend anniversary of the Battle at Arnhem, so we will join hundreds of British and American troops for a grand ceremony on the heath where the paratroopers jumped in. It will be a weekend of remembrance for all present with activities and displays by the military forces of today.
Cycle approx: 40 miles
Day 7: Arnhem – Brussels – London
This morning we will gather for a memorial ceremony before a bus transfer back to Brussels ready to embark on our return journey to London by Eurostar. Breakfast, lunch included. You will be responsible for collecting your bike from St Pancras and making your own way home.
*Please note all routes are subject to change at organisers discretion.
Bridge Too Far Bike Ride 2010 Sponsors
Team Hybrid
Team Hybrid are the UK's top manufacturer of Hand Cycle wheelchair attachments and are proud to announce their support to H4H and Battle Back with a Hand Bike for the Bridge Too Far Bike Ride. Team Hybrid have firsthand experience with all types of disabilities and are excited to be working with H4H.
MacKay Decorators
Awarding winning MacKay Decorators are a professional team of painters and decorators who specialise in all aspects of interior and exterior decorating for commercial and residential customers. They are proud to support Help for Heroes and the Battle Back team on A Bridge Too Far Bike Ride.
NAAFI
NAAFI is delighted to be supporting the Help for Heroes Bridge Too Far Bike Ride. Those taking part will enjoy a NAAFI break en route as NAAFI goodie bags containing energy drinks and bars, and NAAFI tea for a real taste of home will also be available.
JAM Recruitment
Leading recruitment consultancy JAM has chosen Help for Heroes as its charity of the year. Over the coming months, JAM will be hosting a series of exciting fundraising activities from corporate golf events to staff dress down days. John Morris, CEO of JAM, said "When deciding which charity to support, Help for Heroes was our first choice. We work with many leading organisations in the Defence and Aerospace sector, many of which have had firsthand experience of the invaluable support that Help for Heroes provides".