Western Front Way - Via Sacra
The Western Front Way is a new long-distance walking and cycling route for peace, mental wellbeing and remembrance, running along the paths that connect the length of World War I trenches. The idea was rediscovered in a letter written by a young soldier, Alexander Douglas Gillespie, who served at the Battle of Loos in 1915. He wrote home to his family and headmaster that, after the Great War had ended, he dreamed of creating a "beautiful road... for all nations to walk together in peace once the conflict was over."
The Western Front Way runs from Nieuwpoort on the Belgian coast to Pfetterhouse on the French-Swiss border. View all maps on the official website.
Shields in 2 directions show you the way. If you want a global overview of which towns and cities are on this route, you can download the map from Nieuwpoort to Albert (France) at the bottom of this page.
Walking guide
You can also buy a walking guide to the Western Front Way from the Tourist Office (€6), available in English. It zooms in on Flemish territory and along the way you will discover lesser-known war sites, special facts and tall tales that give your trip along the former front an extra dimension. The walking guide is a publication of the three Front cities Nieuwpoort, Diksmuide and Ypres with the cooperation of the municipality of Zonnebeke. Miguel Bouttry wrote the texts.
App
Discover the Western Front Way while walking or cycling via the WFW app. You can find the link to the app via this page.
Following collaboration with Westtoer and the tourism offices of the Flemish Front towns of Nieuwpoort, Diksmuide and Ypres, the route is fully marked in Belgium. Gillespie's idea was realised in Belgium over a distance of 100 km or 160 km if you include the loop via Tyne Cot. Shields have been placed along the entire route up to the southernmost point in Pfetterhouse. You can follow the trail in two directions.
The English walking guide containing the Belgian route can be bought (€6) from the Tourist Office.
You can download the app for free.
