Sanctuary Wood Cemetery is a cemetery managed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The cemetery was established in 1915 and contains the graves of 1,989 soldiers, 1,353 of whom are unidentified. It was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Sanctuary Wood itself was used by British troops in November 1914 as a shelter behind the front line. The wood was the scene of fierce fighting, most notably during the Battle of Mount Sorrel in June 1916, involving Canadian and German troops.

Translated by

•

Willem VS

June 11, 2025

Cycling

An interesting anecdote concerns the grave of Lieutenant Gilbert Talbot of the Rifle Brigade, which is located in Plot 1, Row G. His death inspired the foundation of Talbot House in Poperinghe, a retirement home for soldiers, established by his brother Neville Talbot and Chaplain Philip 'Tubby' Clayton.

Translated by

•

🇧🇪 Herwig Aertbeliën

September 8, 2022

Cycling

Thank you CANADIANS for your courage and perseverance!
On June 2, 1916, fierce battles were fought between Germans and Canadians for this place, which was relatively quiet at the beginning …

Translated by

•

Nearby routes

Best routes near Sanctuary Wood Cemetery

4.7

(15)

hikers

1. Zillebeke Pond – World War I Crater loop from Ieper

17.1km

04:22

70m

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

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Moderate

4.7

(14)

hikers

2. Hill 62 Canadian Memorial – Sanctuary Wood Cemetery loop from Kidspark

6.98km

01:48

40m

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

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Easy

4.8

(15)

100

hikers

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

27.7km

07:13

180m

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

Navigate

Send to Phone

Save

Hard

Details

Informations

Elevation 90 m

Weather

Monday 16 March

17°C

8°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 16.0 km/h

Most visited during

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

See nearby routes

Take Me There

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

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Coming World Remember Me Sculpture

The Bluff Memorial and Crater

View of Verdronken Weide

Maple Copse Cemetery

St. Martin's Cathedral (Sint-Maartenskathedraal), Ypres

Zillebeke Pond

Edgar Mobbs Memorial

World War I Crater

Peace Monument Sculpture

Path Along the Ypres–Comines Canal

Narrow Path Through Open Fields

Zillebekevijver

Sanctuary Wood Cemetery

1. Zillebeke Pond – World War I Crater loop from Ieper

2. Hill 62 Canadian Memorial – Sanctuary Wood Cemetery loop from Kidspark

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

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Sign up or log in to keep exploring this route

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️