Moel-Y-Golfa and the Masts of Criggion
March 23rd 2007 08:29
Hello again
Now last night I did a post on Shropshire and remembered about a place I visited called Moel-Y-Golfa
The Breidden is a volcanic feature, which dominates the Llandrinio area of the mid-Wales/Shropshire border and stands over 1200ft high. Footpaths lead up to the summit with excellent views of Shropshire & Wales.Breidden Hill is one of three peaks with Moel y Golfa the highest at 1324 ft. The other is Cefn y Castell, also known as Middletown Hill.
There are remains of an old hill fort en route which may have been the site of the last stand of Caractacus. Rodney's Pillar at the top was built by the gentlemen of Montgomeryshire who supplied oak from the area & shipped them down the river Severn to Bristol where Admiral Rodney's fleet was built.
Now as I was searching on the net for info, I came across this snippet, I have no idea who might have posted it, but just for the record it wasn't me:
Moel y Golfa 404m 15/8/95
This hill lies isolated from the rest of Wales on the east side of the Severn. Geographically it seems that it should belong to Shropshire, though no doubt I shall invoke the ire of every Welsh nationalist by such a suggestion. Its isolation makes it very conspicuous for miles around while its unique triple top and the monument on its most northerly summit make it instantly recognisable. I felt that we had climbed it many years ago when we lived near Wolverhampton but this visit did not provoke any glimmer of recognition. I parked in Middletown, a village who's apparently unchallenged appellation augments the English theme, and followed the right of way along the south side of Moel y Golfa until it swung round onto the south-west ridge. This finishes quite rockily above the trees with superb views back westwards towards the heart of Wales. The summit carries a radio mast and a memorial. The walker wishing to make a circuit of all three hills now faces frustration since there are no rights of way on the north side of Moel y Golfa. A waymark indicates a very sharp right turn. The fence here had been broken so I stepped over and followed a clear continuation of the track which petered out in a sheep pasture. I just went down the field and climbed the gate onto the road, feeling pleasure rather than guilt that it carried a 'PRIVATE NO ADMITTANCE' sign. It was an exceedingly hot day. On the ridge of Breidden Hill a man dressed in fluorescent jacket and crash helmet was sleeping in the sunshine. I sat down at the top in the small shadow cast by Rodney's Pillar and started my lunch, soon to be interrupted by an enormous explosion. The watchman had failed to notice my passing. I scampered off down the hill as dust rose from the quarry and settled on my sandwiches. Middleton Fell, the lowest of the trio, completed the circuit. It is free of trees and has an excellent track along its grassy ridge.
Now the other thing that struck me whilst looking for info regarding this post, was this snippet I found about the Masts at Criggion.
The 'secret' masts of Criggion
For 60 years the radio masts at Criggion were a part of the scenery of the Shropshire/Wales border until their demolition in 2003. We look into the role of this station, which played an essential part of Britain's communications in World War Two.
We look into the role of this station, which was an essential part of Britain's communications in World War Two.
Built during World War Two, the set of three masts and three towers were used for communications between the Admiralty and Royal Navy ships all over the world.
But when the war ended their role continued as a vital signal relay station for the Navy's nuclear submarines in the Cold War - as well as for overseas telephone communications.
By co-incidence the station stood in the shadow of Rodney's Pillar, a monument erected in 1782 on the summit of the nearby Breidden Hill to commemorate the defeat of a French fleet in the West Indies by ships built of Powysland Oaks - strange considering the the station was to prove equally important in 20th Century naval warfare.
One of the three 600 foot tall towers
Although it was built during World War II, the station was at its busiest in the 1960s, when about 160 people were employed on site and high fences surrounded it.
There were even watchtowers on the hillside and observation posts in the towers in case of attack. But by whom?
Criggion became the target for anti-nuclear protesters opposed to Britain's deployment of missile-launching submarines right up to the end of the 1990s.
Although the exact role of Criggion is wreathed in secrecy, it is believed it acts as a contact point for nuclear submarines across the world and was a 'category A' target during the Cold War.
Now it's a certain bet that this site played a big part in the Enigma saga that was part of WW2 if you all remember my post regarding that?
So I must say how strange it has been to revisit the past which was only brought to the surface by buying a small bottle of cider but it has been very enjoyable for myself to revisit the past and I hope you have all enjoyed it too.
Until next time, have a great weekend.
Hal
Now last night I did a post on Shropshire and remembered about a place I visited called Moel-Y-Golfa
The Breidden is a volcanic feature, which dominates the Llandrinio area of the mid-Wales/Shropshire border and stands over 1200ft high. Footpaths lead up to the summit with excellent views of Shropshire & Wales.Breidden Hill is one of three peaks with Moel y Golfa the highest at 1324 ft. The other is Cefn y Castell, also known as Middletown Hill.
There are remains of an old hill fort en route which may have been the site of the last stand of Caractacus. Rodney's Pillar at the top was built by the gentlemen of Montgomeryshire who supplied oak from the area & shipped them down the river Severn to Bristol where Admiral Rodney's fleet was built.
Now as I was searching on the net for info, I came across this snippet, I have no idea who might have posted it, but just for the record it wasn't me:
Moel y Golfa 404m 15/8/95
This hill lies isolated from the rest of Wales on the east side of the Severn. Geographically it seems that it should belong to Shropshire, though no doubt I shall invoke the ire of every Welsh nationalist by such a suggestion. Its isolation makes it very conspicuous for miles around while its unique triple top and the monument on its most northerly summit make it instantly recognisable. I felt that we had climbed it many years ago when we lived near Wolverhampton but this visit did not provoke any glimmer of recognition. I parked in Middletown, a village who's apparently unchallenged appellation augments the English theme, and followed the right of way along the south side of Moel y Golfa until it swung round onto the south-west ridge. This finishes quite rockily above the trees with superb views back westwards towards the heart of Wales. The summit carries a radio mast and a memorial. The walker wishing to make a circuit of all three hills now faces frustration since there are no rights of way on the north side of Moel y Golfa. A waymark indicates a very sharp right turn. The fence here had been broken so I stepped over and followed a clear continuation of the track which petered out in a sheep pasture. I just went down the field and climbed the gate onto the road, feeling pleasure rather than guilt that it carried a 'PRIVATE NO ADMITTANCE' sign. It was an exceedingly hot day. On the ridge of Breidden Hill a man dressed in fluorescent jacket and crash helmet was sleeping in the sunshine. I sat down at the top in the small shadow cast by Rodney's Pillar and started my lunch, soon to be interrupted by an enormous explosion. The watchman had failed to notice my passing. I scampered off down the hill as dust rose from the quarry and settled on my sandwiches. Middleton Fell, the lowest of the trio, completed the circuit. It is free of trees and has an excellent track along its grassy ridge.
Now the other thing that struck me whilst looking for info regarding this post, was this snippet I found about the Masts at Criggion.
The 'secret' masts of Criggion
For 60 years the radio masts at Criggion were a part of the scenery of the Shropshire/Wales border until their demolition in 2003. We look into the role of this station, which played an essential part of Britain's communications in World War Two.
We look into the role of this station, which was an essential part of Britain's communications in World War Two.
Built during World War Two, the set of three masts and three towers were used for communications between the Admiralty and Royal Navy ships all over the world.
But when the war ended their role continued as a vital signal relay station for the Navy's nuclear submarines in the Cold War - as well as for overseas telephone communications.
By co-incidence the station stood in the shadow of Rodney's Pillar, a monument erected in 1782 on the summit of the nearby Breidden Hill to commemorate the defeat of a French fleet in the West Indies by ships built of Powysland Oaks - strange considering the the station was to prove equally important in 20th Century naval warfare.
One of the three 600 foot tall towers
Although it was built during World War II, the station was at its busiest in the 1960s, when about 160 people were employed on site and high fences surrounded it.
There were even watchtowers on the hillside and observation posts in the towers in case of attack. But by whom?
Criggion became the target for anti-nuclear protesters opposed to Britain's deployment of missile-launching submarines right up to the end of the 1990s.
Although the exact role of Criggion is wreathed in secrecy, it is believed it acts as a contact point for nuclear submarines across the world and was a 'category A' target during the Cold War.
Now it's a certain bet that this site played a big part in the Enigma saga that was part of WW2 if you all remember my post regarding that?
So I must say how strange it has been to revisit the past which was only brought to the surface by buying a small bottle of cider but it has been very enjoyable for myself to revisit the past and I hope you have all enjoyed it too.
Until next time, have a great weekend.
Hal
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