Cwmfelin Waterfall

The walk down to Cwmfelin Waterfall isn't long, but it's steep enough to remind your legs why they were invented. You descend through woodland that opens up to reveal a proper waterfall - nothing fancy, but the kind of feature that justifies the scramble down. The water drops into a pool surrounded by rock faces, and on a grey Welsh day, when the water's flowing well, it feels genuinely wild for somewhere so close to Swansea.

Walkers will get the most from this. It's straightforward enough for families with older kids who don't mind a bit of a clamber, though the path can be muddy and slippery depending on the weather. Allow an hour or so for the whole trip, including time to sit by the pool and let the kids throw stones. The waterfall is best visited after heavy rain - summer visits can feel a bit underwhelming if the flow has dropped to a trickle.

It's free and there's no formal setup, which means no cafés or facilities. That's honestly part of its charm. If you're based at SWDA Riverside or Riverside Holiday Park, both just a few miles from Swansea centre, this makes an easy morning outing before heading elsewhere. It works well as a stop-off if you're exploring the Swansea Valley, but I wouldn't build a whole trip around it. Combine it with a walk along the Tawe Valley trail and you've got something worth a proper afternoon.