We started by visiting the blockhouse near St Omer; here the vast structure still remains of an assembly plant and launch site for V2 rockets. The Liquid oxygen was to be produced here and had they been successful, the Germans would have launched 38 V2 rockets per day at England.

Thankfully over the course of a year the RAF dropped over 12,000 lbs of 'Tallboy' bombs which kept the place out of action.

After this visit we needed food to cheer ourselves up, so we headed to Cassel. One of the towns we had to ride through had closed itself off for a local festival, chaos ensued but the 30 of us arrived and sat down to a hearty lunch. Several people ordered raw steak (not even shown a pan but just mixed with herbs and spices UGH!!!!) Lost in Translation sums it up.

It was time then for Belgium and the Tyne Cot cemetery. The largest commonwealth First World War cemetery, with 11,000 graves and a wall containing 30,000 names of those whose bodies were never found, this is a very poignant place.

We then rode into the centre of Ypres and took a couple of hours off the bikes just sitting outside in sunshine at various Bars and restaurants. I treated myself to a large Belgium Ice-cream and a diet coke whilst enjoying this classic old French town with its cobbled streets.