Bryniau Ystumcegid

The walk up Bryniau Ystumcegid isn't long, but it's steep enough to earn your breath back. This modest peak sits just inland from Garndolbenmaen in Gwynedd, offering one of those views that makes the grunt worthwhile - sweeping across the Snowdonia foothills to the coast beyond. On a clear day you're looking at the Llyn peninsula stretching away, and if you're lucky, Snowdon catching the light in the distance.

It's a straightforward hill rather than a technical climb, which means families with decent-legged kids will manage it fine. The path isn't always obvious, mind you, so local knowledge helps or a decent map app. Allow a good hour up and back, perhaps longer if you're stopping to properly admire the view from the summit. There's no visitor centre, no facilities, no charge - it's proper wild Wales, which is exactly the appeal.

If you're based at one of the holiday parks nearby - Ty'n Llan is closest at just two miles away - this works as an afternoon excursion that won't eat your whole day. Combine it with a wander around Garndolbenmaen itself, which sits on the old slate mining routes, or push on towards the coast. The climbing here is gentle enough that it won't knacker you before exploring further afield. Best tackled in decent weather, when the vistas justify the climb.