The high, wind-scoured plateaus of the Peak District’s Dark Peak are home to a somber secret: the remains of over 170 aircraft that have crashed into its peat bogs and gritstone ridges over the last century. For hikers, visiting these crash sites is more than a trek; it is a pilgrimage through “Britain’s Bermuda Triangle,” offering a visceral encounter with history in one of the UK’s most unforgiving landscapes.
We can guide a fascinating day’s walk, with historic details, a sombre visit, but a worthy one.
The Haunting of Bleaklow: The B-29 “Over Exposed”
The most iconic site lies on Bleaklow Moor, near the summit of Higher Shelf Stones. Here, the wreckage of a US Air Force B-29 Superfortress named Over Exposed remains scattered across the heather. On a foggy morning in November 1948, the plane—which had previously photographed atomic tests at Bikini Atoll—descended too early during a routine flight. All 13 crew members perished.
Today, the scene is hauntingly preserved. Huge sections of the aluminum fuselage, radial engines, and landing gear lie twisted in the peat. Unlike a museum, the wreckage is raw and exposed to the elements. A simple stone memorial sits at the center, often adorned with poppies and wooden crosses. Standing among the debris as the mist rolls over the moor, it is impossible not to feel the weight of the tragedy.
Other High-Altitude Relics
While the B-29 is the most famous, the moors hold many other stories:
- Kinder Scout: The highest point in the Peaks holds the remains of two F-86 Sabres that collided in mid-air in 1954. Their wreckage is found in the deep, rocky gullies on the northern edge.
- Torside Clough: Hikers can find the engines and wings of a Blenheim Bomber that succumbed to the notoriously changeable Peak District weather.
- James’s Thorn: Nearby the B-29 site, the remains of a Douglas C-47 Dakota can be found, another victim of the low cloud and “magnetic” pull of the high moors.
While the B-29 on Bleaklow is the “famous” site, Black Hill (west of Holme Moss) offers a more concentrated and perhaps even more somber experience. The terrain here is notoriously difficult—a high, peat-heavy plateau that remains waterlogged even in the height of summer.
Because the plateau is so featureless, many pilots in the 1940s and 50s became disoriented in the “clutter” of the hills. Here are the specific sites you will find on and around Black Hill:
The “Formation Crash”: Gloster Meteors (1951)
One of the most tragic sites involves two RAF Gloster Meteor jets (VZ518 and WA791). In April 1951, the aircraft were flying in formation through thick cloud. They descended too early, thinking they had cleared the high ground, and struck the moor on Sliddens Moss (the southeastern flank of Black Hill) still in their formation.
- What you’ll see: The wreckage is widely scattered across the peat hags. Small, silver fragments of the airframes and twisted pieces of the early jet engines are visible. Unlike the B-29 site, these remains are often “tidied” into small piles by visiting hikers to keep them from being swallowed by the bog.
The Lone Sabre: North American F-86 (1954)
Near the Holme Moss transmitter (on the approach to Black Hill), you can find the remains of a Canadian F-86 Sabre. This was a high-performance jet that crashed in December 1954 during a ferry flight. The pilot, Flying Officer Patrick Robinson, was killed instantly when the plane struck the snow-covered moor.
- The Wreckage: A significant “pile” of debris remains, including pieces of the wing with original yellow stencilling and fuel filler caps still visible. It is located at roughly SE 078 047, though it is notoriously hard to spot in the heather.
The Fairey Swordfish (1940)
On the western slopes of Black Hill, toward Wessenden Head, lies the site of a Fairey Swordfish (P4223). This biplane—famous for its role in the sinking of the Bismarck—crashed in January 1940 during a ferry flight in terrible weather.
- The Site: Very little remains here today compared to the jet sites, as the wood-and-fabric construction of the Swordfish didn’t survive the decades well. However, keen-eyed hikers can still find small metal components and rusted bolts buried in the peat near the impact point.