Craig Fach

The walk up Craig Fach from near Caernarfon rewards you with proper views across the Snowdonia valleys without requiring the lung-busting effort of the bigger peaks nearby. It's a modest mountain by Welsh standards - nothing that'll take more than a couple of hours to summit - but that's rather the point. You get the satisfaction of reaching a peak, the landscape opens up around you, and you're not fighting through crowds of tourists in branded gear.

The scramble itself is straightforward enough for anyone reasonably fit, though the final section gets a bit rockier. On a clear day the views south towards the Menai Strait and across to Snowdon itself justify the walk. On a damp afternoon - which is fairly likely in North Wales - you'll be in cloud within twenty minutes of the top, so timing matters.

This works best for walkers and families with older kids who want a proper mountain experience without overcommitting to a full day's expedition. The nearby campsites - Llyn Gwynant is barely two miles away, Beddgelert and Llanberis within five - make this a natural fit for a walking holiday based in the area. You could knock it out as a morning outing and still have the afternoon free for exploring Caernarfon or the Llanberis slate quarries.

Bring a map and a decent compass. Mobile signal can be dodgy. The weather changes fast up here, so start early and don't linger if the cloud's rolling in.