Ffynnon Oer

The walk up Ffynnon Oer from Crickhowell is steep, proper steep, but the summit rewards you with views that stretch across the Brecon Beacons in ways the bigger peaks can't quite match. It's not a long haul - most people knock it out in two hours including a breather at the top - but those legs will know about it on the way down.

This isn't a tourist trap with a car park and a cafe. You're climbing a genuine hill that locals walk, not a destination manufactured for guidebooks. The path is clear enough, though muddy in places, and you'll pass through moorland that feels properly wild. What makes it worthwhile is the isolation. On a decent day you'll see far fewer people than you'd encounter on Pen y Fan, and the ridge views back towards the town are rather lovely.

Family groups with older kids will manage fine - it's the sort of walk that takes concentration but doesn't demand scrambling or technical bits. Younger children might find the steep sections tiresome. Walkers based at either Cwmdu Campsite or Pencelli Castle will find this a natural half-day outing that doesn't require driving elsewhere.

Go early if you can, not for crowds but because the light shifts quickly across those valleys. The weather can turn fast up there, so check the forecast and bring waterproofs even if it looks fine in town. It's free, obviously - just a walk - and worth the effort.