Bryn Castell Hillfort

Getting up to Bryn Castell means a proper walk through the Dolgellau hills, but the effort pays off if you're the type who likes actual archaeology rather than interpretation boards. This is a genuine Iron Age hillfort - earthworks, defensive ditches, the lot - sitting high enough to give you commanding views across Gwynedd. You'll see the ramparts clearly if you know what you're looking at; the fort itself is substantial, though nowhere near as dramatic as some of the showier sites further south.

It's best suited to walkers and history types with decent fitness. Families with young children might find it a slog for what amounts to some bumps in the ground, though older kids interested in how ancient Britons actually lived will get something from it. Allow a couple of hours return journey from Dolgellau unless you're combining it with other peaks in the area.

There's no visitor facility to speak of - it's completely free and unmanned, which means no loo, no café, no crowds. Go early if you value solitude. The surrounding area around Dolgellau is rammed with holiday parks like Graig Wen Camping and Hendre Mynach if you're basing yourself in the region. It pairs well with a longer hillwalking break; the Torrent Walk Campsite sits near decent scrambling routes if you want to build a few days around it. Worth the detour only if you're already hiking in the area.