Black Mountain

I started from the Trecastle road, heading straight up the usual path to Llyn y Fan Fawr in wonderful sunshine, though didn't overheat due to the stiff south westerly; the path up to Bwlch Giedd is currently being repitched and I stopped for a quick chat with the single National Park employee working on it, today shovelling earth and mud onto the stones in the hope that walkers will tread it in and help the stone to consolidate. So, if you come across a newly

pitched path covered in earth, don't avoid it, help stamp it in!!

From the top of the bwlch I took a bearing and walked through the mist to the memorial cairn of Anson L9149, then walked on the compass to the summit shelter on Fan Brycheiniog, through an unforecast heavy snow shower that caused a white-out for about 15 minutes After Jaffa Cakes kindly offered by some guys from Nottingham walking the ridge from Tafarn y Garreg, I descended from Tro'r Fan Foel and made for the crash site of Lancaster W4929 which crashed on a training flight in 1943 killing its crew of 8. There's a small memorial at the site, slightly incongruous in the middle of the Beacons, but along with the wreckage an intensely moving war memorial.

A variety of navigational techniques got me to the memorial cairn of Liberator PB4 Y1 38753 on Moel Feity, there's no visible wreckage now, but a poppy cross from Llanelli walking club decorated the cairn.

It was a great day out, classic 4 seasons weather, good navigation practice, and an opportunity to pay respects to some young men who died in service of our country.

Photos on my Picasa site.

Its a great area and the bleakness adds to its character rather than detracts. Wildcamped just to the left of picture 5 with Diddy et al in 70mph winds a couple of years ago. That was fun

I usually make a vague attempt to visit the various crash sites in the area but always seem to miss them. Probably due to the lashing rain in my eyes leading me awry

There a some crash sites fromm WW II in the Mournes.

 If we have a Iplod meet some time I can take you to them. Not much, if anything to see at most of them. But when near I always say "Thank You".

 We might not have the freedom we have today if it hadn't been for people like them.

 R.I.P.

Unfortunatly due to circumstances in N.I., their are no memorials to mark the sites. Unless you knew them it would be very easy to walk over them and not realise you had done so.

 Most are quite close to popular walking routes , so wouldn't be much of a diversion to get to them.

 Some time if we have a meet in the Mournes, I could show them to anyone who was interested.

 I don't want to post GR's/identerfiers, as they are classed as "war graves". I don't want people 'poking' about them. They should be treated with respect.

 At some of them bits of wreckage can still be found/seen and I don't want "collectors", "curio" seekers, etc. disturbing them. I'd like them to be as intact as possible even though the bodies where removed during the war.

No of course it isn't.

Especially if you camp in a see-through tent again

It's almost certainly going to be at Dan yr Ogof, some time between Easter and autumn.

I have a new non-see through tent Kate

and Western Beacons sounds grand

A newly extended version of the original booklet, containing details of an additional ten crash sites has now been produced in partnership with the Royal Air Force Association (RAFA) and will be available to purchase through local information centres shortly. The money raised for the RAF Association by the sale of this booklet will go to the Battle of Britain Wings Appeal. This appeal has been raising money since the end of World War 2 in order to provide help, friendship and support to those serving and former members of the Royal Air Force and the Air Forces of the Commonwealth, their spouses and dependants of those who died whilst serving.

From the BBNP website.

pete, I'll PM you some grid refs shortly.

Bob - once we've worked out the dates we'll put up a thread in the Meets and Partners section - we were discussing it at Black Sail and thinking of some time late Spring / Summer but hadn't made any firm plans. All OMers welcome on the weekend or to join us for day walks.

I'll post up info about the booklet as soon as I hear anything. Great ideas for putting together walks with a real difference.

And watch the site for our OM Meet some time when the days get longer

There are some small pieces of wreckage of the PB4 Y1-38753 at the crash site, on Foel Feity.  My wife and I gathered what we could find and placed it at the base of the small memorial cairn there, in July 2011.   (I have also read in other forums that there is no wreckage at the cairn - as found by the authors of the messages.  There must then be two stone cairns in that area erected in memorial, but I suspect the one spoken of in this forum can't be at the actual crash location).