Ffridd Trawsgoed

The walk up Ffridd Trawsgoed from Bala is a proper leg-burner, but on a clear day the payoff is worth every blistered heel. You're looking at a fairly relentless climb through moorland and rough scrub, the sort of terrain that eats trainers and tests your lungs in equal measure. Once you've got above the tree line, the views open out across Snowdonia and down to Bala Lake - absolutely stunning on the right afternoon.

This isn't a peak for the postcard brigade. It's steep, often windswept, and the path disappears in places when the cloud comes down. Proper walkers will love it though. The solitude you get up here contrasts brilliantly with some of the busier peaks nearby. Allow three hours for the round trip if you're reasonably fit, longer if navigation in poor weather worries you.

Families with older kids who don't mind a hard slog could manage it, but younger children will struggle with the sustained gradient. It's free to access, obviously - you're just trekking up a Welsh mountain. The nearest shelter is back down in Bala, so bring everything you need.

If you're camping at Tyn Cornel just outside town, this makes a brilliant day out. The campsite's well-placed for exploring the area, and combining this walk with a paddle on the lake afterwards rounds out a decent afternoon. Bit of effort for what it is, but the isolation makes it feel special.