Braich Bryn-engan

The walk up Braich Bryn-engan rewards you with views that stretch across the Snowdonia valleys - the kind of perspective that makes you understand why people move to North Wales and never leave. It's a proper fell, not a stroll, and the path from Betws-y-Coed climbs steadily through birch woodland before opening onto moorland where the wind tends to do most of the talking.

What you get is uncluttered walking. No visitor centre, no tarmac, no crowds jostling for the Instagram shot. The summit itself is modest - a cairn rather than a dramatic peak - but the reason you're here is the vantage point across the Migneint moors to Snowdon and the surrounding ridges. On a clear day it's genuinely stirring. On a grey one, which happens often enough, you're walking through cloud and relying on the feel of the hill rather than the view.

This appeals to walkers who know what they're doing. It's not a family afternoon jaunt - allow three to four hours round trip and wear proper boots. The terrain underfoot can be boggy and the weather changes fast. Summer is your best bet, though locals will tell you the light in autumn does something special to these slopes.

If you're staying at Llyn Gwynant Campsite nearby, this works brilliantly as a half-day excursion that gets you properly tired and properly fed by evening. It's the kind of walk that makes you feel like you've earned your place in the landscape rather than just passed through it.