The best traffic-free bike rides around Rémy

End of the trip at this villa in Vitry en Artois

Wancourt was captured on 12 April 1917 after very heavy fighting and the advance was continued on the following days. The cemetery, called at first Cojeul Valley Cemetery, or River Road Cemetery, was opened about ten days later; it was used until October 1918, but was in German hands from March 1918 until 26 August, when the Canadian Corps recaptured Wancourt. At the Armistice, the cemetery contained 410 graves, but was very greatly increased in the following years when graves were brought in from a number of small cemeteries and isolated positions on the battlefields south-east of Arras. The cemetery now contains 1936 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 829 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 76 casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and to 20 who were buried in Signal Trench Cemetery whose graves were destroyed in later battles.

Hibers Trench Cemetery, situated just north-west of Wancourt near Arras, was begun in April 1917 by the 50th (Northumbrian) Division shortly after the area was captured by British forces at the Battle of Arras. The cemetery contains 136 graves, six of which are unidentified, and also includes three Canadian graves added later in 1918. The simple design is by G.H. Goldsmith and reflects the understated dignity of this memorial. Its position on the Wancourt-Arras road makes it a silent witness to the fierce fighting that took place here, and the presence of personal inscriptions on some of the headstones emphasises the human story behind the numbers. A place of peace, remembrance and reflection.

Tigris Lane Cemetery is located in Wancourt, near Arras, and was named after a nearby trench. The cemetery was established in May 1917 by the 14th (Light) Division, shortly after the village was captured on 12 April 1917, and reused during its recapture by the Canadian Corps in August 1918. It contains the graves of 119 First World War soldiers, nine of whom are unidentified. Most of the graves belong to British (86) and Canadian (33) soldiers, underlining the international commitment to the region. The sober design is by G.H. Goldsmith and its location close to the TGV railway line emphasises the contrasts between past and present in this quiet place of remembrance.

Le Jardin Minelle is fed by spring water and has a central water feature which is a meeting place for various birds such as moorhens, ducks and swans. It is a beautiful place to walk or enjoy nature.

Organized hike, lots of fields, no forest, shame 😏

Mory Street Military Cemetery is a British military cemetery located in Saint-Léger, Pas-de-Calais. The cemetery was laid out in 1917 and designed by William Cowlishaw. It commemorates 66 First World War soldiers, 5 of whom are unidentified. The cemetery has a square plan with a semi-circular projection containing the Cross of Sacrifice.

Places of Interest The church of St.Leger, rebuilt, as was the whole village, after the First World War. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery. The village was situated in an area that was heavily fought over during the war. There are several military cemeteries in the area, including the Heninel-Croisilles Road Cemetery, where many soldiers who fought near Saint-Léger are buried. An interesting anecdote is that Saint-Léger and the surrounding villages changed hands several times during the war between the Allies and the German troops. This caused much destruction and suffering among the local population.