"The Waterloo Battlefield - A Fresh Look" Topic

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Hi all,

Whilst in lovely Belgium a trip to the Waterloo Battlefield is a must, it's about 8 years since I was last here and I cannot believe how much the place has changed, for the better too.

The Museum has been updated (although you get the feeling in the first couple of rooms that Napoleon won) and massively modernised. There is a 4D cinema with a very good new film (Apparently 4D is smell, Mrs Yarkshire swore she could smell horses and fire during the viewing, I just thought it was the sweaty bloke next to us).

I wasn't going to bother with a blog post until I saw all the changes which some may not be aware of.

Added to that Hougomont is open to all ! Hurrah. Spent 9 hours wandering round, great day out.

Regards Ken
The Yarkshire Gamer

EEEH lad tha knows nowt.

When I were a lad, we weren't stopped by no Keep Out sign at Hougomont. Twere over t'wall and booger them all and the risk it would collapse on you.

We had it different in our day. Museums? We dreamt of a complete interactive experience….we had Le Cambronne and the harridan that "greeted" thee on entry. (Now demolished….the pub not the lass).

Tourists these days…we had it hard. Our dad would make us do the full Lyke Wake Walk every morning before breakfast and we prayed for a pair of shoes one day.

Where's tha from in God's Own County?

Last time I was there was in '74.

Breakfast deadhead we used to dream of breakfast, we used to get up 3 hours before we went to bed and got nowt but a handful of soil to chew on….

Pudsey is home matey, People's Republic of West Yorkshire.

Regards Ken

Good to know, I was disappointed when I last went (more than 8 years ago).

My brother and I went for the bicentennial and whilst busy, it was good to see the changes, chat to the guys running the 15mm game in the visitor centre and bump into another Burnley fan at the top of the mound. It's all much improved.

I first went about eight years ago, towards the end of a day's from Switzerland that had already included Bastogne. The office was closed but I trained Sharpe wouldn't have been deterred by that, so went around the hedgerow until I could find a gap and scrambled up the far side of the mound. I then realised I needed to go back to fetch the camera, but it was an interesting experience, having the place to myself in half light. I particularly enjoyed seeing the confused looks of other latecomers in the car park, trying to work out how I'd got in.

Reminds me of walking through the Kremlin about 5 years ago in February. Blinding sunshine and -23C…seriously. Lad walks past in a West Ham woolly bob hat and two of us from my family were wearing our scarves around our ears. We only exchanged a few words as he was on this guided tour.

Top of the Rock in NY, two weeks ago someone spotted the badge on my backpack…….long chat. I love football (soccer) me.

Great thing about Burnley. Same colours! Better club at the moment too, but do not get me started.

Breakfast? You had it lucky.

Pudsey? That's not a place, it's a bear as collects for charity……Southern pooves. Us folk in North Yorkshire, we dreamt of lunch, let alone breakfast. Lunch were only for folk as pushed little daft figures around a table and threw dice. Our Dad … e let us chew on his leather belt for an hour, before he thrashed us, for tea.

Don't know yer born down there in West Yorkshire…..Winter is Comin'. Round Stokesley we are ready for it. White Walkers….? we see worse every night, already, at chucking-out time. Try Boro town centre……..Walking Dead there

LOL if there was ever a need for a Watch and a giant wall the Cleveland / Durham border would be it.

We all hate the bleedin Bear too.

Regards Ken

The colours are close enough deadhead, especially when I loved in Southampton for years and almost everyone assumed I was a fan of the Hammers. We stole them from Villa though, after a particularly bad season. We shall see how this one goes though, a long way to go…

I'm on the wrong side of the Pennines these days though, although West Yorkshire isn't so bad ;)

West Yorkshire is a republic now ?!?!?! ….

You lucky gentleman are surrounded by history. Here in western Canada early 1900's are a big deal!

Funnily enough, I organised a Pennine megagame set in the VBCW and it featured the People's Republic of South Yorkshire – it ended badly for some… link

If there is a wall being built, Watford is a good place to mark the cut-off. You soft Northerners…pah!

We do have a tall French built fortification, if not a wall, somewhere around here to watch out for Picts and Scots.

Never found it, but I keep hearing about La Tour de Yorkshire

Yes, apparently those in Harrogate have been getting ideas above their station. What was wrong with the Milk Race?

Burnley? Who's ever heard of Burnley? Guaranteed relegation….and what do they do? Beat Liverpool 2-0 today.

Biggest problem was which was the better goal of the two…..

I'd be proud of those Claret and Blues.

I am disgusted with the club I have followed since 1964 in the same colours.

Apologies…nothing to do with that ridge

Meant to say, great to see what has been added to " Ye Compleat (sic) Waterloo Experience", but I have to say I liked it best on a day when the field was empty, I had Hougoumont to myself and my two lads (after climbing the fence) and the place looked derelict and forgotten.

Commonsense says it all needs preserving, (because the Belgians sure will not) but I am astonished by the quality of work and thought that went into Hgmt. Totally unsympathetic to a building that long predates 1815…by centuries. Brand new roof tiles. Gates that look like a very pricey Henley Garden entrance. The whole thing is so tacky.

Worst is the museum showing the Hanoverian skeleton. That is a disgrace.

Now do not get me started on what has happened to WHU. We cannot stand, we cannot get tickets, they are selling popcorn (seriously..they are)

Things change and must. We (me dad, me bruvver and me) used to go to East London and stand in a crush to watch football. Catering was peanuts or hot chestnuts.

Waterloo was an empty field with the occasional Bedford Lorry carrying totally baffled tourists across the site. Buildings that were falling to bits or closed off to visitors…..Third time Mrs Deadhead came with us (first time it did not rain) and even she said "Oh, I do see what you mean about this place now". (Respect…)

It is true that it is far more of a visitor centre now, but at least things will be preserved and you can wander by the loopholes in the walls. I thought the audio-visual display was effective too. We climbed over the wall to cut back through the orchard to make sure that we saw the re-enactors forming up.

The actual battle re-enactment was somewhat disappointing, particularly when they went overboard on the smoke and started seemingly using up cartridges. The crowd management was poor and a lot of inexperienced staff on hand, but very pleased we went, regardless.

We'll take the three points for now, but can't hope to stay up when under the cosh so much. I was at a game today (fantasy, rather than Napoleonics), so only found out once we'd got down to the pub. Fortunately the fellow umpire I asked for the score was a Liverpool fan…

p.s. Chin up, at least you have a shiny new stadium.

Excellent!