Netherlands, Bridges and Battle Locations

The route heads east into Germany, but my route planned to co-incide broadly with the Operation Market garden so called Hell's Highway - north over some key river crossings:

Joes' Bridge, Valkenswaard, Son, St Odenrode, Veghel, Grave, Nijmegen & Arnhem.

Some are distinctive, some just river crossings now with only the location referencing their historic importance.

Google Map

Windmills

Change of scenery, some windmills -  certainly in the Netherlands now!

Also roads - 2 cars wide, but half of that either side reserved for cyclists and cars using the central area.

The road passing through forests now and at least twice some areas set aside for war graves. The dramatised battles in A Bridge Too Far becoming somewhat real, almost expected to see a tank round the corner and Jame's Caan in his jeep hiding before making his move to the field hospital...

Plenty of history here, almost tangible even though displaced by 70+ years.

Bridges

This might get a little repetative, but I do like civil engineering !

Grave Bridge

A good half a dozen smaller spans, robust squat affair.

Nijmegen Bridge

Impressively tall, open, single arch

I found a great vantage point once across, an Island with the bridge and town in the distance.

..and again over my shoulder.

Arnhem Bridge -  John Frost Bridge

Following some kind of pink limo/hearse?

Bridge again - simple minimal lines.

Oosterbeek

The location just north west of John Frost Bridge where a key battle in the operation took place. A group of paratroops which was planned to meet up at the bridge became isolated here. The house next door to the church where Kate ter Horst lived becoming a field hospital.

Nothing here now but the locations, some buildings, memorials and memories - a must visit none the less.

The memorial in the church grounds, the entire church area so quiet not betraying its violent history.

Some traffic on the road, but not really anyone around - a few people walking dogs, very melancholy feel - perhaps just Attenborough's film feelings showing, or just perhaps the history of the place?

I passed the time of day with the Ter Horst's gardener as he was moving about the small green with a wheelbarrow, then venturing to the end of the drive and confirmed this was the right house. He said Kate's daughter now lives there and that it would be fine to take a picture.

...walking along the lane at the back of the house and church the view over allotments and the Arnhem bridge in the far distance. The bridge being the para's original target they just could not get to and support their colleagues.

Just up the road the original operation HQ is turned into a museum - perhaps a place to visit on another day.

Oosterbeek is up there on a very short list of deeply important locations for me alongside: The Saturn V rocket in Florida and Tolkien's grave in Oxfordshire. Some places and things just need to be experienced in person.

Into Germany

Then the road leads me east over the border into Germany for the next overnight stop.

Weather has been kind so far - topped up on sun block.