Craig Nyth-y-Gigfran (Y Blaen Llym)

The walk up Craig Nyth-y-Gigfran isn't particularly long, but it's steep enough to feel like proper work. Starting from the Blaenau Ffestiniog side, you're climbing through moorland that gets progressively wilder the higher you go. The peak itself - also known as Y Blaen Llym - sits at around 610 metres and offers views across Snowdonia that punch well above its modest height. On a clear day you can see right across to the bigger mountains; on a grey Welsh day, which is most days, you'll get that brooding landscape feeling that makes these hills special.

This is a walker's hill rather than a scenic stop. Most people who come here are out for a couple of hours, doing it as part of a day's hillwalking from Blaenau Ffestiniog or as a warm-up before tackling something more serious. Kids will find it manageable if they've got decent boots and a bit of patience - the scrambling sections near the top aren't technical, just a bit fiddly. The terrain is open moorland, so navigation matters; bring a map or rely on your phone unless conditions are perfect.

If you're based at one of the nearby campsites - Llyn Gwynant or Cae Du offer proper facilities - this makes a straightforward morning's exercise before returning for lunch. Free to walk, no facilities on the mountain itself, and best attempted when the weather's playing ball. Worth doing if you're in the area exploring Snowdonia's quieter peaks.