Image shared for Aircraft Crash Site - Wellington Bomber and Vampire Jet (Black mountains)
Upland / Hill Circular

Aircraft Crash Site - Wellington Bomber and Vampire Jet (Black mountains)

Powys

Distance
12.8 mi
Est. time
6h
Difficulty
Hard
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PaulWalkmates Route by PaulWalkmates

About this walk

High on the lonely ridges of the Black Mountains lie the scattered remains of two very different aircraft, separated by era but united by the same unforgiving terrain.

Wellington Bomber

During the Second World War, a Vickers Wellington came down in poor weather on these hills. The Wellington was a workhorse of RAF Bomber Command, known for its distinctive geodetic construction, which allowed parts of the airframe to survive even violent impacts. Fragments of aluminium skin, twisted framework and engine components can still be found embedded in the peat and heather.

Many of these crashes were the result of low cloud, navigational error or training exercises gone wrong rather than enemy action. The Black Mountains sit high and broad, often shrouded in mist. In marginal weather, they give very little warning. For aircrew flying without modern navigation aids, a slight miscalculation could be fatal.

Vampire Jet

Years later, a de Havilland Vampire met a similar fate in the same range. The Vampire was one of Britain’s early jet fighters, a sleek and radical design in its day. Its presence here marks the transition from propeller-driven bombers to the jet age, yet the hills proved just as dangerous.

Jet aircraft were faster and more powerful, but they were still vulnerable to the same combination of low cloud, rising ground and limited visibility. Wreckage from the Vampire is typically more compact, with heavier components such as engine parts and structural sections surviving the impact.

Visiting the Site

Reaching these crash sites is a serious upland walk. The ground is often boggy, navigation can be tricky, and weather can turn quickly. You are in proper mountain country, despite the relatively modest summit heights.

If you go:

Carry a map and compass and know how to use them.

Do not rely solely on a phone.

Treat the wreckage with respect. These sites are effectively war graves and protected heritage locations.

Leave everything exactly as you find it.

There is something sobering about standing beside twisted metal in such a quiet landscape. The wind moves across the grass, skylarks lift overhead, and the wreckage sits as a reminder of the human cost behind aviation history.

It is not just a walk. It is a moment of reflection on how unforgiving both mountains and machines can be.

Walk details

County
Powys
Main location
Pen-y-cae
Hills
Carreg Goch , Disgwylfa , Bannau Sir Gaer - Picws Du , Waun Lefrith , Fan Hir
Nearby town
Pen-y-cae
Walk type
Circular
Category
Upland / Hill
Distance
12.8 mi (20.6 km)
Est. time
6h
Explorer
Yes, off the beaten track

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Along the route

4 places
Tafarn-y-Garreg
Pub · 0.0 mi along
Fan Brycheiniog
Peak · 9.2 mi along
Tafarn-y-Garreg
Campsite · 12.8 mi along
Tafarn-y-Garreg
Parking · 12.8 mi along

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