Lochnagar mine

Lochnagar Crater is one of the most striking physical remnants of the First World War in France, a vast hole in the ground that still draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

How did the crater form?

The crater was created on 1 July 1916, the opening day of the Battle of the Somme, one of the deadliest offensives of the entire Western Front. On that morning a mine – an explosive charge that had been laid in an underground tunnel dug beneath German positions – was detonated, intended to clear the way for advancing infantry. The blast was so powerful that it tore open a massive depression in the earth, one that has survived almost untouched to this day.

Where exactly is it located?

The crater lies within the commune of Ovillers-la-Boisselle in northern France, roughly 600 metres southeast of the village of La Boisselle. A century ago this patch of land sat at the very heart of fighting over ground measured in metres, paid for with thousands of lives. Its approximate coordinates are 50.0156°N, 2.69736°E.

How big is the crater?

Lochnagar Crater now measures about 91 metres in diameter and 21 metres in depth. Numbers on their own barely convey the scale – standing at the rim, visitors can see just how much earth a single engineered detonation displaced. More than a century later, the site has never been filled in or returned to farmland, which is why it still preserves its raw, original shape.

Can visitors access the site?

The crater sits on privately owned land, but it is open to visitors. A cross has been placed at the edge of the crater, which has become the site's symbolic focal point. Every year on 1 July, the anniversary of the explosion and of the first day of the Battle of the Somme, memorial services are held here for the soldiers who died in the fighting on this part of the front.

Why is it worth visiting?

Lochnagar Crater is more than a geological curiosity — it is above all a place of remembrance carrying enormous historical weight. Around 200,000 tourists visit it each year, making it one of the most visited sites along the Western Front of the First World War. For historians, descendants of soldiers who fought here, military history enthusiasts, or simply travellers exploring the Somme region, it is regarded as an essential stop, offering a direct, physical sense of the scale of events that took place more than a century ago.

Frequently asked questions

When was Lochnagar Crater created? It was formed on 1 July 1916, when a mine was detonated on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

How big is the crater? It measures approximately 91 metres in diameter and 21 metres in depth.

Where exactly is the crater located? It lies within the commune of Ovillers-la-Boisselle, about 600 metres southeast of La Boisselle, in northern France.

Is the crater open to the public? Yes. Although the land is privately owned, the site is open to visitors, and a memorial cross stands at its rim.

Are commemorative events held there? Yes, a memorial service is held every year on 1 July for the soldiers who died during the Battle of the Somme.

How many people visit the crater? Roughly 200,000 tourists visit Lochnagar Crater each year, making it one of the most popular remembrance sites on the Western Front.