Carn Fawr

High moorland above Tregaron offers a stark kind of beauty. Carn Fawr is what's left of an Iron Age hillfort - a sweep of ramparts and ditches that still command the ridge after two thousand years. It's not dramatic in the way a castle ruin is. There are no walls to clamber over, no towers to photograph. What you get instead is the landscape itself, the arrangement of ancient earthworks cutting across rough grass and heather, and from the top, views that stretch across the Cambrian Mountains towards Cardigan Bay on clear days.

The walk up takes about forty minutes from the car park and climbs steadily. It's a proper moorland hike - boggy underfoot in places, exposed when the weather turns. Bring the right boots and waterproofs, even in summer. This appeals to walkers with an interest in archaeology, or those who simply want to stand on something old and feel the weight of centuries. Young children might find it a bit of a slog with little to show for it at the end beyond the views - unless they're the sort who enjoy fortifications and imagining Celtic warriors.

Access appears unrestricted and free, though facilities at the site itself are non-existent. Allow two to three hours for the full experience, including the walk and time to poke about the ramparts. Cambrian Mountains Glamping and Camping sits just 2.9 miles away, making this a sensible add-on to a longer stay in the area. Winter visits are bleaker but less crowded - spring through early autumn is more forgiving underfoot.