Esgair Gorlan

The walk up to Esgair Gorlan rewards you with a proper sense of achievement and some genuinely sweeping views across Ceredigion's moorland. It's not the tallest peak you'll tackle in Wales, but the ridge walk to get there - starting from near Aberystwyth - takes you through open countryside that feels genuinely remote despite being so close to town.

The ascent itself is fairly steady rather than brutal, which means families with older kids will manage it without too much grief. Younger ones might find it a bit of a slog, though. You're looking at a couple of hours round trip depending on pace and how long you linger at the top. There's something satisfying about standing up there on a clear day: the Cardigan Bay opens out to your left, and inland you get those long views toward the Plynlimon hills.

Go on a morning when cloud cover is low elsewhere - you'll often find the peak sits above the murk, which sounds touristy but genuinely happens. Avoid it mid-afternoon on weekends if you can; it's become more popular as people cotton on to the proximity from Aberystwyth.

If you're camping at Forester's Retreat or Aber Camping just outside town, this makes a cracking half-day walk. It slots nicely between a café stop in Aberystwyth and a longer exploration of the coastal paths. The main thing is checking conditions before you go - Welsh weather doesn't warn you.