Bwlch Mountain

The drive up to Bwlch Mountain takes you out of Port Talbot proper and into proper South Wales moorland - gorse and bracken replacing the industrial sprawl pretty quickly. Once you've parked up, it's a short walk to the summit where the views open up completely. On a clear day you're looking south towards the Bristol Channel, west across the Swansea Valley, and north into the Brecon Beacons. It's genuinely striking, especially if you've come from the valley floor.

This is walker territory, really. Not a destination for families after an afternoon's entertainment - there's no café, no facilities, just the view and the wind. But if you're based at Willow Springs Campsite nearby and want an easy hill walk with proper payoff, it's well worth the drive. The climb itself is manageable, taking maybe 20 minutes from the car park, so it won't knacker anyone of reasonable fitness.

The best time is late afternoon when the light sits properly across the valley, and spring or autumn when the weather's more stable. Summer gets crowded with locals, winter can be a bit bleak if the cloud rolls in. Allow an hour and a half total - walk, view, bit of time sitting about taking it in. Free entry, no permits, just turn up.

It's the sort of place that reminds you why people bothered settling in South Wales at all. Nothing fancy, just honest moorland and a proper view.