Crug yr Afan Round Cairn

A pile of stones on a Welsh hillside might not sound thrilling, but Crug yr Afan is the real deal - a Bronze Age round cairn that's been sitting here for roughly 4,000 years. You're looking at a proper archaeological site, not a tourist trap with a gift shop. The cairn itself is a mound of stacked stones, weathered and dignified, with views out across Neath Port Talbot that justify the trek alone.

The walk to reach it involves some gentle hillside wandering, and that's actually where half the appeal lies. You get a sense of the landscape as these ancient people would have known it - raw, open, windswept. It takes about twenty minutes on foot from the nearest parking, depending on your fitness and how many times you stop to catch your breath. Bring decent boots; the ground can be boggy.

History enthusiasts will find this compelling, though it's not flashy. There are no reconstructions, no interpretation boards with dramatic artwork - just the cairn, the archaeology, and your imagination. Families with older kids who enjoy countryside walks will get something out of it; younger children might struggle with the journey for what amounts to looking at a heap of rocks.

It's free, naturally, and open whenever you fancy the walk. If you're staying at Willow Springs Campsite nearby, it makes for a proper morning's outing. Combine it with walks across Afan Forest Park and you've got a solid day. Go in decent weather - this isn't the place to visit in driving rain.