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Wellington and the Peninsular War
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WELLINGTON -WATERLOO - NAPOLEON

Stage 1. London - Reading - Dover - Portsmouth

Day 1 - London
A morning visit to Apsley House, also known as Number One, London. This was the London residence of the Dukes of Wellington and stands alone at Hyde Park Corner. My guided tour includes anecdotes of the Duke's personal collection and details about much of his art work; some looted by King Joseph Bonaparte in Spain and abandoned by the French after their defeat at Vitoria. We listen to many anecdotes as we pass through the Duke's rooms adorned with paintings, trophies & fine period furniture.

A pub lunch close by at the Rose & Crown just off Piccadilly.

Then onto the National Army Museum which now has on display William Siborne's impressive 19th century diorama of the Battle of Waterloo. Not appreciated at the time by His Grace...too many Prussian figures! Tis a wonderful history I tell of the making of this unique model. Also there is a display titled 'The Road to Waterloo' starting with the campaigns of the Peninsular War.

Day 2 - London & Reading

Starting at Saint Paul's Cathedral and the tombs in the crypt of England's heroes side by side, Nelson & Wellington. There is the interesting story of sculpture Alfred Steven's Wellington Monument near the main entrance which caused much controversy at the time all of which will be revealed!

We pay a morning's visit to the Maritime Museum by boat from Parliament which is always an enjoyable trip. There is the naval combats against the Franco- Spanish Fleets & a section on Nelson & the Battle of Trafalgar.

There are some very good taverns at Greenwich for a pub lunch.

It is a 1 hour's drive to Reading and Stratfield Saye House out in the charming Berkshire countryside. This was the grateful Nation's gift to the Duke after Waterloo. I donated many artifacts to the 8th Duke in the mid 90's to add to the museum there which we shall visit.

There is a delightful up-market pub cum B & B. with beams & 4 poster beds, where we will stay the night.

Day 3 - Dover & Portsmouth

On to Walmer Castle, Dover, which was another of the Duke's residences after he was made Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. He was delighted with all its pleasures and comforts and had many guests staying for dinner parties. It was here that the Duke died (on my birthday!) 14 September, 1852. There is a splendid museum and view from the battlements.

A drive along the coast from Dover to Portsmouth takes us to H.M.S. Victory which remains in dry dock at Portsmouth. It is an interesting addition to the period we are dealing with and is quite an experience to step on board Nelson's first rate 100 gun flag ship that led the attack on the Franco-Spanish fleets at Trafalgar.

Stage 2. Brussels - Waterloo - Charleroi - Paris

Days 4 & 5 - Brussels & Waterloo, Belgium.

Cross Channel Tunnel train to Brussels then a drive south to Waterloo. There are a few really up-market B & Bs to choose from very close to the battlefield. We need two nights at least to cover every aspect of the campaign. These include hiking up the Lion Mound for a panoramic view from the Allied side. There is the wax museum which I first visited in 1971....very good indeed & as is the audiovisual center.

We have visits to the farms of both Hougoumont & La Haie Sainte.

We view the battlefield from the French side at La Belle Alliance before heading south on the road to Rossomme & Caillou both Napoleon's HQs be it briefly. Our next stop is Quatre Bras.The statue of the Duke of Brunswick marks the spot not only where he was killed but where the centre of the fighting took place against Marshal Ney's forces on the 16th.

Over to the east we explore the battlefield of Ligny and the nearby villages of Fleurrs and St Amand. This is where Napoleon claimed that 20,000 dead Prussians was good news to slap on the walls of Paris! The church at Ligny is almost unchanged.

We then take the route Marshal Grouchy' took on his ill-fated march to Warve slowly following the Prussians with a third of the French Army. As close as we can we follow Blucher's flanking move against the French right wing to Papelotte. Do remember Wellington was NOT waiting for Blucher, he was waiting to see if he would come. A big difference for us Wellingtonians!.

Day 6 & 7 - Charleroi & Paris, France.

We cross into France at Charleroi, the place Napoleon chose for his attack on the Allies on the night of 14/ dawn of 15 June 1815.

In Paris our itinerary includes a visit to Nortre-Dame where Napoleon crowned himself Emperor on 2 December, 1802. Using a print of David's masterpiece of the event we get a feeling of where all the pomp took place.

At Invalides we visit Napoleon's last resting place and the adjacent military museum which houses some excellent examples of the 1st Empire.

The Arc de Triomphe with all Napoleonic battles listed and finally the Lourve with period paintings dating from the Napoleonic Wars.