Bryn Llandecwyn

The walk up Bryn Llandecwyn rewards you with proper views across the Snowdonia foothills and down towards the coast near Talsarnau. It's not a difficult climb - more of a steady trudge through moorland than anything that'll leave you gasping - and you can be up and back in under two hours if you're moving at a decent pace.

What makes this one worth doing is the lack of crowds. You'll find walkers heading up Snowdon or Cader Idris most weekends, but Bryn Llandecwyn sits quietly to the side, which means you get actual solitude. The views stretch west towards the Lleyn Peninsula on clear days, and the summit itself is modest but genuine - a proper trig point, not just a vague high point.

Families with kids aged eight and up will find it manageable. Younger ones might struggle with the moorland terrain, and there's not much to distract them once you're on the hill. History enthusiasts should know this area has Bronze Age remains, though nothing dramatic to look at. It's a walker's hill, full stop.

Based near Talsarnau, you're within striking distance of several caravan parks - Barcdy is just under a mile away if you need to pitch up nearby. Allow a full morning or early afternoon, start early to catch the light, and pick a day without low cloud or you'll see precisely nothing from the top.

Free to walk, naturally. Open year-round, though winter can be muddy and miserable up there.