Allt Dolgwartheg

The woodland at Allt Dolgwartheg rises steeply from the Aberaeron area, offering proper forest walking rather than a manicured park stroll. You're looking at mixed woodland - the kind where you can actually lose yourself for an hour or two without seeing another soul. Paths wind through the trees, ranging from straightforward rambles to steeper climbs depending on which route you take. The canopy does its job in keeping things cool even on warmer days, and come autumn the light filtering through changing leaves is genuinely worth the journey.

Walkers will get the most from this. Families with young children might find some sections a bit steep, and frankly, if your kids need a visitor centre and a café, you'll be disappointed - this is proper woodland, not a leisure facility. There's something refreshing about that. The forest sits close enough to Aberaeron that you could base yourself at one of the nearby caravan parks - Wide Horizons or Aeron Coast are virtually on the doorstep - and make this part of a wider Ceredigion coastal walking holiday.

Allow two to three hours depending on fitness and which trails you choose. Bring decent footwear; even in dry weather, tree roots make the ground uneven. Free access, naturally - it's woodland. Best visited outside peak summer when the car park won't be rammed, though truthfully this spot never gets the crowds of more famous walks. Worth the detour if you're in the area and fancy a proper forest ramble rather than another manicured beauty spot.