Garn Wen

The walk up Garn Wen delivers proper views across the South Wales valleys once you reach the top. It's not a mountain by any stretch - more a solid hill walk that takes the better part of an hour from Port Talbot - but the effort pays off.

You get sweeping vistas across the industrial heritage of Neath Port Talbot and beyond, with the valleys rolling out in all directions. On a clear day it's genuinely worth the trek. The summit itself is fairly bare, wind-swept, a bit austere even. Not one for lingering with a picnic, more the sort of place where you stand, breathe in the view, and feel like you've earned it.

Walkers will appreciate the relative solitude up here. Families with younger children might find it a bit steep for the reward, unless they're keen hill kids already. There's nothing fancy waiting at the top - no café, no visitor centre, just you and the landscape.

If you're based at Willow Springs Campsite nearby, it's an ideal half-day outing to burn off energy and clear your head. Go early morning if you can, when the light sits nicely across the valleys and you'll have the place largely to yourself. The approach from Port Talbot is straightforward enough, though parking can be a bit of a squeeze depending on when you arrive.