Wales
Y Golfa
341M
1120FT
About Y Golfa
Y Golfa is a delightful Mid-Wales hump that serves as the ultimate gatekeeper for the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway. While technically a 'hill', it possesses the ego of a mountain, demanding steam engines grovel at its feet while golfers lose balls in its heather.
Key Statistics
Rank
757th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Snowdonia
Prominence
?
165m
Nearest Town
Ashbourne
Geology
Old Red Sandstone
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SJ182070
Latitude
52.6545°N
Longitude
3.2107°W
Did You Know?
- •The hill is the site of the Welshpool Golf Club, where the fairways are so steep that your short game requires the mountain goat-like balance of a Sherpa.
- •The legendary 'Golfa Bank' sees heritage steam trains laboring up a 1-in-29 gradient. It’s a mechanical struggle so dramatic you’ll feel guilty for not getting out to push.
- •Historically, the area served as a strategic lookout over the Severn Valley, though these days the only things being watched are errant tee shots and the occasional red kite.
- •Despite its modest height of 341 meters, the summit offers panoramic views stretching across to the Shropshire Hills, assuming the Welsh mist hasn't decided to settle in for the day.
- •Be warned: the local sheep have lived alongside the golf course for so long they have developed a professional indifference to flying projectiles and judging your swing.