Moel y Golfa

About Moel y Golfa

As the crowning glory of the Breidden Hills, Moel y Golfa is a Marilyn that refuses to be overshadowed by its monument-toting neighbor. It’s a steep, volcanic lump offering panoramic views that suggest it thinks it’s much taller than its modest 403 meters actually allow.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •Moel y Golfa is the undisputed king of the Breidden Hills, standing as a Marilyn with a prominence of 261 metres. It towers over its neighbor Breidden Hill, despite the latter getting all the attention for its giant stone pillar.
• •The hill is part of a volcanic ridge formed during the Ordovician period, which explains its surprisingly rugged and steep character. It effectively marks the northern end of the Long Mountain range, peering over the Shropshire Plain.
• •Unlike the well-trodden paths to Rodney’s Pillar, this summit features a monument to a local character named Ernest Drabble, known as the 'Gypsy King.' It’s a slightly eccentric alternative to the usual bronze-age cairns found elsewhere.
• •Historians have long debated if the surrounding slopes hosted the final, desperate stand of the British chieftain Caractacus against the Romans. If true, the views were likely the only thing the ancient Britons enjoyed that afternoon.
• •The direct ascent from the village of Middletown is less of a hike and more of a vertical mud-slide through the trees. You’ll spend most of the climb wondering why the Welsh word for 'mountain' is so frequently synonymous with 'calf-shredding incline.'