ADVICE TO VISITORS

Travel to Holland

A range of ferry crossings to mainland Europe and Holland are available from various UK ports, that can be used by those visiting the MARKET GARDEN battlefields. In the north, Newcastle has an overnight service (fourteen hours) to Amsterdam and further south, Hull has a similar service to Zeebrugge. Harwich has sailings to the Hook of Holland (three and a half hours). Both Amsterdam and the Hook are about two hours drive from Eindoven, on good motorways. Sailings from the East Coast are not as frequent and can be more costly than those from the Channel Ports but savings in fuel and tiredness always make East Coast services worth considering. The Channel crossing, though shorter and quicker, do mean that the visitor is faced with a three to four-hour drive from Calais, via busy motorways (toll-free) around Antwerp and through southern Holland. For those who dislike ferries there is the Channel Tunnel, but this option, though quicker, is usually more expensive. It is worth checking out all the options available and make your selection of route based on UK travel, ferry times and cost. Special offers and Internet deals are always worth keeping an eye on and have, in my case, resulted in impromptu visits to the Continental battlefields.

Traffic law requires drivers to carry a full driving licence, a vehicle registration document, warning triangle and a spare fuel can of an approved type. Spare head light bulbs etc should be taken and, if your headlights do not have left-hand drive adapters, black tape. Do not forget your passport and a GB sticker. Agood web site to visit for up to date travel information is http://www.visitholland.com/geninfo/travel/.

Insurance

It is important to check that all visitors are properly insured to travel in France, Belgium and Holland. Firstly, check with insurance brokers to ensure that your car is properly covered for driving in the above countries and, secondly, make sure all have health cover. It is a legal requirement for a driver to carry a valid certificate of motor insurance. For those travelling by air and hiring cars, Amsterdam/Schipol is a major international hub, while Eindhoven is a significant regional airport in the centre of the Hell’s Highway battle area. For EU Citizens, form E111, available from post offices, grants the bearer reciprocal treatment rights in most European countries. However, the visitor should give serious consideration to purchasing a package of travel insurance from a broker or travel agent.

Accommodation

The Hell’s Highway battle area is dominated by the vastly expanded city of Eindhoven. Those who are drawn to cities will find every grade of hotel in the city but during weekdays it is advisable to book in advance, as rooms fill up with business travellers. The towns on the route, Valkenswaard, Son en Brugel, St Oedenrode, Veghel and Uden, all have attractive hotels of varying styles and grade. There are also significant numbers of well-ordered campsites, which represent good value for money and offer a wide range of services. Information on availability of rooms and bookings can be supplied by the Dutch Tourist Office. For those with access to the Internet, a visit to the following web site will be helpful if searching for the better hotels:

http://hotels.bookings.nl/tourist.nederland.hotbot.html/.

For those who wish to combine a family holiday with a tour of Hell’s Highway, a CentreParcs complex is located at Valkenswaard.

Courtesy

Despite considerable expansion of the villages, towns and cities on Hell’s Highway, much of the battle-area covered in this book, is open farmland, with many of the villages forming important parts of the battlefield. Whether open country or built up area, please respect private property, particularly avoid driving on unmade up farm tracks and entering non-public areas in villages. Adequate views of the scene of the action can be enjoyed from public land. Drivers should be particularly aware of the many cyclists in this flat part of Holland and please watch out for cycle lanes, which should not be blocked by careless parking. The people of Holland extend a genuine welcome to those who come to honour the memory of their Allied liberators. To preserve this welcome, please bear in mind the local people.

Maps

Good maps are an essential prerequisite to a successful battlefield visit. Best of all is a combination of contemporary and modern maps. The Battleground series of course, provides wartime maps, however, a full modern map sheet enables the visitor or those who are exploring the battlefield from the comfort of their armchair, to put the battle in a wider context. A number of modern maps are available in both the UK and Holland. A good road map of Holland is essential to navigate around Hell’s Highway, which takes the visitor on to some minor roads. The best and most detailed map coverage is available from stationers in Eindhoven. In the UK, detailed maps of the Netherlands are normally only available on order from a specialist map shop or as a special order through high street bookshops such as Waterstones.