Napoleonic War Tours

Hugh regularly leads tours to view the Battlefield of Waterloo 1815, illustrated above, and to the battlefields of the Peninsular War 1808-1814. These are wonderfully evocative tours and happily combine a whiff of grapeshot with all the pleasure of visiting abroad. In Brussels, there is a splendid range of places to stay around the Grand Place in the centre as well as a terrific selection of cafes, bars and restaurants: Belgium is justifiably acclaimed for gourmandising!

In Portugal and Spain, the battlefields, often replete with citadels and forts that were there at the time, are to be found amid beautiful countryside, the more so when the wild flowers are in season. Wellington's troops fought their way right across Portugal and Spain from the Atlantic coast over the Pyrenees and into France, so there is plenty to discover. You must try a tour to Ciudad Rodrigo to relive its siege and dramatic capture in 1812, and to view Wellington's masterly operations in the surrounding area with its spectacular scenery.

Note that these tours can be fashioned to include as much, or as little, walking as you wish. Waterloo for example can easly be marched in a day at a modest pace, or can be viewed from a series of strategic viewpoints. Small groups can benefit by using car rental rather than a coach and driver, which is cheaper and gives greater flexibility.