Foel Dugoed

The walk up Foel Dugoed takes you straight into proper Mid Wales moorland - raw, windswept, and genuinely rewarding once you crest the summit. It's not a long slog, but it's steep enough to get the blood moving, and the views back toward Llanbrynmair and across the Powys hills justify every gasping breath.

This is a walker's peak rather than a leisure stroll. The terrain is boggy in places, especially after rain, and there's precious little shelter at the top, so come prepared with decent boots and a windproof jacket. The summit itself is modest - a cairn and a plateau rather than a dramatic point - but the perspective you get of the surrounding valleys makes it worthwhile.

History enthusiasts might appreciate that you're walking ground with a real sense of Welsh upland life, though there's not much to see from earlier centuries. Families with capable walkers aged ten and up will manage it fine; younger kids will find it tough going and there's nothing at the top to keep them entertained.

Allow about two hours for a round trip from the nearby car park at Cwm Trwch. The route is clear enough in decent visibility, though a map is essential if mist rolls in - which it does, often. Best tackled in summer or early autumn when the ground's drier.

If you're camping at Pandy Camping, just a short drive away, this makes a solid morning excursion before heading back for lunch. It's the kind of walk that reminds you why people bother with Welsh hills at all.