Bryn Llwyd

The walk up Bryn Llwyd rewards you with proper views across Cardigan Bay, and on a clear day you can pick out Snowdonia rising in the distance. It's not a mammoth climb - you're looking at around an hour to the summit from Aberystwyth if you're reasonably fit - but the path can be boggy and the gradient catches you unaware in places.

This is walkers' territory, full stop. History buffs might appreciate the old fortified settlement up here, but you're coming for the vistas and the fresh air, not a visitor centre experience. The peak sits high enough that weather changes fast, so don't head up in anything dodgy.

If you're camping nearby - Forester's Retreat Glamping is barely a mile away, or Tyn Ffordd Fach for something more budget-friendly - this becomes a natural half-day sortie from base. Combine it with a afternoon in Aberystwyth town itself (the pier, the castle ruins) and you've got a solid day. The climb works best in spring or autumn when the light's golden and the crowds are thinner.

Free, obviously. No facilities on the hill itself, so take water and something to eat. Allow three hours if you're dawdling and taking photos. Kids over about eight will manage it fine, but younger ones might find the uneven ground tiresome. It's worth the leg work for the panorama alone.