Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways

Stepping onto a steam train from the Victorian era genuinely feels like time travel - the hiss of the engine, the smell of hot oil, the rhythmic clack of wheels on narrow-gauge track. The Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways run heritage services through some of North Wales' most dramatic scenery, climbing from Porthmadog up into the mountains with views that get progressively more stunning the higher you go.

You've got two main routes to choose from. The Ffestiniog line heads inland toward Blaenau Ffestiniog - a proper engineering feat when it was built in the 1830s to haul slate down from the quarries. The Welsh Highland route goes the other way, winding through the Aberglaslyn Pass with cliffs that feel close enough to touch from the carriage window. Most journeys take around two hours return, though you can hop off at stations along the way if you fancy a walk.

Kids absolutely love it - there's something about a real steam engine that beats any theme park ride. Adults who remember the golden age of railways get misty-eyed. Walkers benefit too: you can ride one direction and walk back down through the mountains.

If you're staying at one of the caravan parks within a few minutes of Porthmadog - Tyddyn Llwyn, Haven Greenacres, or Black Rock Sands are your closest options - this is a cracking half-day activity that works rain or shine. Book ahead in summer; it gets rammed with families. Bring a camera and a jumper, even in July.