Middletown Hill & Moel y Golfa trail head at Bryn.
| Moel y Golfa &
Middletown Hill from Bryn Middletown Hill Moel y Golfa |
| Estimated net time | 1-1½ hours | ||
| Difficulty | No difficulties. | ||
| Drinking water | No access to running water. | ||
| GSM coverage | Coverage throughout the route, but a little patch in places (November 2012). | ||
| Parking | Room for many cars along the road around trail head. | ||
| Start height | 273 metres | ||
| Vertical metres | 280 metres for the roundtrip. | ||
| Trip distance | 3.7 km | ||
| GPS-file | X | ||
| Map |
|
||
| Route photo |
| ||
From the A5/A458 round about west of Shrewsbury exit west on road A458, signed for Welshpool, and drive almost 18 km to where the road "Garreg Bank" goes off uphill to the right. This is 4.9 km north-east on A458 from the A458/A483 round about north of Welshpool. Drive 260 metres and turn left where signed "Moelygolfa". Follow this single lane road 2.7 km to a car park on the right hand side of the road, making sure you turn right 700 metres from where you turned left for "Moelygolfa". Park here.
Start your hike by heading up the grass clad west slopes of Middeltown Hill, continuing north-east to its summit, which is not marked in any way. Descend back down to the car.
In order to ascend Moel y Golfa walk 100 metres back along the road where you arrived. Climb the gate, and head uphill towards a path, which is likely to be boggy. This path will take you through a small forest and onto open grass slopes. Continue 230 metres south-west, crossing a stone fence on its left side close to the trees, and you will find a path leading into the forest. Another gate must be climbed, and you can follow a path south-west to the summit. There are two potential summit candidates, with a large monument located between the two tops. Visit both tops, which are less then 50 metres apart, but the first top you reach is likely to be the highest.
Descend back down to your car by reversing your ascent route to Moel y Golfa.
Short hike on my way from Wales to Birmingham airport to meet colleagues, and the off to Warwick for work. My intention was to hike Moel y Golfa, but for some reason I started my hike the wrong way, and when I reached Middletown Hill and looked back I was surprised to see a higher top. Post-hike checking of GPS-tracks clarified everything.
Very nice hiking up grassy slopes to Middletown Hill, but partly boggy and the need to climb several fences to get to Moel y Golfa. From both tops I had reasonable views, but my body was starting to feel the strain from the last two days of hiking, and focus was more on getting some nutrition and maybe some of the less healthy stuff in company of colleagues.