Routes

Planner

Features

Updates

App

Get the App

Natural Monuments

The Bluff Memorial and Crater

Natural Monuments

The Bluff Memorial and Crater

Highlight • Historical Site

The Bluff Memorial and Crater

Recommended by 375 hikers out of 383

Save

Location: Ypres, Ieper, West Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

Save

See hikes here

Take Me There

Routes here

Best Hikes to The Bluff Memorial and Crater

4.7

(264)

1,457

hikers

1. Caterpillar Crater – World War I Crater loop from Zillebeke

12.1km

03:09

70m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

4.6

(74)

514

hikers

2. The Bluff Memorial and Crater – Hedge Row Trench Cemetery loop from Zillebeke

7.06km

01:49

40m

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Easy

4.6

(42)

224

hikers

3. Caterpillar Crater – World War I Crater loop from Savanne

18.5km

04:52

150m

Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Intermediate

Tips

Francis 🪖🥾

February 12, 2021

here you can enter a building to watch a movie about the war that happened at this location

Translated by Google •

🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

September 10, 2022

What war does to a landscape…
Entry point for the walk “Ypres-salient – South”. On this narrow artificially raised ridge, resulting from 19th century excavations for the Ypres-Comines canal, discover how the landscape was mutilated by the war machine. Due to circumstances in the 19th century, the intended canal was never realized. Today you can still discover the scars of the Great War here on this site, better known as 'The Bluff'. This was the only place on the Flemish front where the Allies and not the Germans took the higher positions.
The Bluff is a place on the front where the landscape has suffered seriously.
The Bluf is one of the most dramatic war landscapes in Flanders Fields, with many large and small craters.

A total of 455 fallen soldiers were given their final resting place here, spread across the cemeteries: Hedge Row Trenche Cemetery, Woods Cemetery and First D.C.L.I Cemetery - The Bluff.

The visitors pavilion provides more information through a short film about what happened here during the Great War. You can discover many mine craters, shelters, bunkers and military cemeteries from WWI here. To look for traces of the past, appropriate footwear is recommended. A hiking trail winds around the mine craters and takes you into the bed of the old Ypres – Komen Canal. This experience path makes you think.

You can easily spend half a day to discover all the cemeteries, the South information pavilion, mine craters and the no man's land. Recommendation: Wear sturdy walking shoes if you want to follow in the footsteps of the frontline soldiers.

Spacious parking is provided on Palingbeekstraat or a smaller parking lot at the visitor center in Vaartstraat 7 Zillebeke.

Translated by Google •

Anita

October 4, 2021

Nice walk quiet and interesting and the route is clear

Translated by Google •

Details

Informations

Elevation 60 m

Weather

Today

Tuesday 28 October

15°C

10°C

70 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 23.0 km/h

Most visited during

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Ypres, Ieper, West Flanders, Flanders, Belgium

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Caterpillar Crater

Tree-Lined Avenue in Molenbos

Waterlock and World War I Ruins in Palingbeek

Ramparts Cemetery, Lille Gate

Het Tortelbos (Ieper)

Hoornwerk Pedestrian Bridge

Mesen

Troostplek FERM - Wijtschate

Het Minckhuisje (Tolhuis)

Hedge Row Trench Cemetery

Palingbeekstraat

Sluis 7 Bis (World War I Ruins)

The Bluff Memorial and Crater

1. Caterpillar Crater – World War I Crater loop from Zillebeke

2. The Bluff Memorial and Crater – Hedge Row Trench Cemetery loop from Zillebeke

3. Caterpillar Crater – World War I Crater loop from Savanne

Other Popular Places to Check Out

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️