A fantastic and unique walking experience which takes you on three contrasting walks as you explore this beautiful and wild part of the Peak District National Park and learn about some of the aviation history influenced by this unique landscape including the famous Dambusters of the RAF’s 617 squadron. • Discover hidden aviation secrets in the Peak Districts wildest landscapes • Experience and learn about the area’s nature and conservation with your guide • Enjoy a 2 course lunch at the famous Yorkshire Bridge Inn and see their memorabilia of the Dambusters • 4 hour (half day) or 7-8 hour bespoke experience
A key part of this experience is about providing the flexibility to taylor your itinerary for you and your group. There is the choice of a half day (morning) or full day for the experience. You can also choose to include a special Dam Busters themed 2 course lunch at the Yorkshire Bridge Inn if you wish. The options can be selected when you book your tickets. If you decide not to include the lunch we will have more flexibility within the walking elements of the itinerary and the potential to spend longer visiting additional crash sites on Bleaklow including a Lancaster Bomber and/or a Defiant night fighter. Please feel free to call me or email me to talk further about these options although you do not need to decide until nearer to the event. Below is an outline of the standard experience.
Morning Walk - USAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress: A short drive takes you to Bleaklow, the Peak District's second highest mountain and location of some of its wildest countryside. Here you will have opportunities to learn from your guide about the special moorland ecology and it's conservation. If you have an interest in navigation your guide will happily share some skills and you could even try navigating the group across a section of the notoriously complex Bleaklow moor! The main crash site is an extensive area of wreckage from a USAF Boeing B-29 Superfortress nick-named “Over Exposed” which crashed on November 3rd 1948. This plane is famous for having filmed the first two Bikini Atoll atom bomb tests in July 1946 and it's involvement in relieving the West Berlin Blockade in 1948. If you opt for the full day experience without the pub lunch we also have the options to visit further crash sites on Bleaklow.
After the option of a great 2 course lunch at the Yorkshire Bridge Inn, those booking the full day experience will head out for a second walk during the afternoon. There are a number of different options for the afternoon walk which we can decide upon on the day. One of the most popular is walking from the Yorkshire Bridge up the nearby Winn Hill which provides one of the best views in the area of the surrounding hills and valleys.

Itinerary

The walks are on a mixture of good tracks with some smaller footpaths which are rough in places. The afternoon walk includes a hill of 250m (800ft) if you decide to walk up Winn Hill. At any time of year there are likely to be some wet and muddy sections, especially during the morning walk on Bleaklow with it's peat bogs. We will be leaving the paths for about 2km of walking across rougher ground as we head to the crash site so walking boots providing ankle support and keeping your feet dry are strongly recommended. For safety and insurance reasons we ask that customers don't consume alcohol during the event, We will be finishing off the standard tours back at the Yorkshire Bridge Inn after which you'll be free to enjoy their full services if you wish!
All our events are approved as "Good to Go" Covid-secure by Visit England. If you'd like to discuss the walk or other options before booking please contact us. Thanks, Paul Smith, myGuidedWalks.