Cerrig Yr Ieirch

The walk up to Cerrig Yr Ieirch isn't long, but it's steep enough that you'll feel it in your legs by the time you reach the summit. This isn't a mountain in the dramatic sense - it's a proper fell that rises above the slate quarries and grey-stone cottages of Blaenau Ffestiniog, visible from town if you know where to look.

What makes it worth the slog is the vantage point. You get views across the Moelwyn range and down into the Festiniog valley, with the old quarry workings mapping out the hillside like a patchwork quilt. On a clear day the perspective is excellent; on a murky one, which happens often up here, you're essentially climbing into cloud and hoping something appears.

It's walkers' territory, nothing more, nothing less. Families with young children will find it tiring rather than fun. History types won't find much beyond the quarry landscape itself. But if you're staying at Llechwedd Glamping nearby and want a proper leg-stretcher that doesn't require a full day commitment, this delivers. Allow ninety minutes return from the road, longer if you want to potter about at the top.

Bring waterproofs. The weather changes fast up here, and the ground can turn boggy after rain. Free to walk, obviously - it's just a fell. Best visited in decent visibility; there's not much point otherwise.