Gwaith Powdwr

The old gunpowder works at Gwaith Powdwr sits quietly above the Afon Dwyryd near Talsarnau, a sobering reminder of industrial Wales. What you're looking at are the ruins of a 19th-century explosives factory - stone walls, remnants of buildings, the kind of place that makes you wonder what went on here and how many close calls there must have been.

Walking the site is straightforward enough. The ruins aren't extensive, but they tell a proper story if you take the time to read it. You'll see the bones of the operation scattered across the hillside - building foundations, old stone structures, bits of the machinery age half-swallowed by grass and time. It's the sort of visit that works best if you like industrial history and don't mind a bit of imagining.

Allow an hour at most, though you could happily spend thirty minutes and feel you've got the measure of it. Best suited to walkers and history types rather than kids after constant action. The setting is lovely - moorland views across the valley - which almost softens the industrial past.

If you're camping at either Glan-Y-Môr or Black Rock Sands, both within six miles, it's worth the short drive as a half-morning diversion. Brings a bit of edge to a park holiday, honestly. The site appears to be freely accessible, though do check locally in Talsarnau before setting out, as information on current access is sparse.