Cowleaze Wood Halifax Crash Memorial Circuit

A short woodland circuit to the memorial for Halifax LW579, which crashed in Cowleaze Wood on 31 March 1944 while returning from the Nuremberg raid. Forestry England records the crash and the memorial; the crew names are commemorated on a stone plinth brought from Lincoln Cathedral. This is a place for quiet remembrance rather than searching for wreckage.

Start at the footpath exit on the eastern side of Cowleaze Wood car park, off Christmas Common Road above Lewknor. Follow the forest paths southeast into the wood, then turn through the southern paths to the memorial. Continue northeast and take the longer northern woodland circuit before returning on the western paths to the car park. Use the plotted route at junctions: Forestry England says these walking trails are not waymarked. Allow about an hour for the 1.8 km circuit, including time at the memorial.

The route uses forest paths and public or permissive walking tracks. Expect roots, uneven ground and mud after rain; woodland cover does not make the paths suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. Wear footwear with grip, keep dogs under close control and leave memorial objects undisturbed.

Forestry England provides a paid car park, open daily, and a picnic area. The entrance has a 1.98 m height barrier and there are no designated accessible parking spaces. Check the current parking signs and bring water; do not depend on refreshments or toilets in the wood.

History and access: Forestry England, Cowleaze Wood and Walking at Cowleaze Wood (forestryengland.uk/cowleaze-wood); Lewknor Parish Council. Route geometry independently traced from OpenStreetMap data, © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright).