Craiglwyn

The walk up Craiglwyn from Llanrwst is straightforward enough, though the path gets properly steep towards the summit. You're looking at roughly an hour up if you're moving at a decent pace, maybe ninety minutes if you stop to catch your breath and admire the Conwy Valley spreading out below. The views from the top are genuinely fine - on a clear day you can see right across North Wales, with Snowdonia's peaks filling half the horizon. It's not a technical climb, just relentless incline through bracken and moorland, so families with older kids will manage it fine. Younger ones might find it a bit much.

What makes Craiglwyn work is that it's accessible but doesn't feel crowded. You'll share the path with other walkers, sure, but it's nothing like the tourist convoys you get on Snowdon. The summit itself is modest - a cairn and a sprawl of rocks - but the sense of having earned the view matters. Winter's a different proposition altogether; the exposed ridge can get vicious in poor weather, so stick to spring through autumn unless you really know what you're doing.

If you're based at Maenan Abbey Caravan Park or Erw Glas Glamping just down the road, this is an excellent half-day option. It fills a morning nicely without eating into your afternoon plans. Free to walk, naturally. Go early to nab parking near Llanrwst, and bring water - there's nothing at the top.