Graig-Ddu

The walk up Graig-Ddu from Ruthin isn't long, but it's steep enough to make you work for it. You're climbing through Denbighshire moorland, and the views back towards the town and the Vale of Clwyd properly reward the huffing and puffing. On a clear day you can see for miles - the Clwydian Range rolls out in front of you like crumpled fabric.

It's the kind of peak that walkers love and casual strollers might find a bit much. Three hours round trip if you're taking it at a reasonable pace, which includes standing around at the top with a flask, as you should. The summit itself is modest - moorland grass, a few rocks - but the isolation is the thing. You're not queuing for photos or dodging tour groups. Just you, the wind, and the curvature of North Wales stretching out.

Families with primary-age kids might find it frustrating rather than fun; the path is relentless and there's no payoff view at the halfway point. But older teenagers and proper hill walkers will get plenty from it, especially if weather cooperates. Go mid-morning on a weekday if you can - Ruthin draws weekend tourists, and you'll have the ridge mostly to yourself.

If you're based at Clwydian Glamping Pods just a few miles away, this is an obvious morning mission before heading back for a late breakfast. It's free, there's no visitor centre, just access across open moorland. That's entirely part of its appeal.