Flying fortress on the Cheviot

You might recall that a little while ago we wrote a short blog about the WW2 memorial alongside Cuddystone Hall?

Well recently when we stayed at Dunsdale House we took the opportunity to climb past Bizzle Crags and on to Braydon Crags. It was up here, hidden in the large furrows amongst the peat we came across the remains of 44-6504, a Boing B-17G flying fortress which crashed here on 16th December 1944.

We found a small book, "Where the hills meet the sky" by Peter Clark. It covers many more crashes than just this Boing but what it also does is to talk about that afternoon in December when the plane crashed. It tells the story about the Shepherds and the Border Collie climbing the Bizzle to bring down the survivors. The two men who climbed the hill were awarded medals. The Collie also received the Dicken medal...the only non military dog to be given the honour during ww2.

Four of the airmen were brought down to Dunsdale.Three made their own way to Mount Hooly . Unfortunately two were killed.

You can see the pictures here on flickr.

College Valley in the snow - Dunsdale house

Our February long week end up at Dunsdale house in the College Valley turned into a winter wonderland with loads of snow.

We posted this image on Geograph.org









And we also took plenty of , well rather amateurish, videos on you tube.


One of which is here!