Hafren Forest Car Park Coedwig Hafren

The car park at Hafren Forest is your gateway into one of Mid Wales' proper wild spaces, where the Afon Hafren - the River Severn at its source - cuts through dense woodland that feels genuinely remote despite being just outside Llanidloes. You're not coming here for a café or visitor centre (there isn't one), but for walking, and the forest delivers on that front with serious trails ranging from gentle riverside strolls to proper lung-busting climbs through the trees.

Walkers will get the most from this place. The car park itself is functional - tarmac, a few spaces, maybe a bin - but it's the starting point for some brilliant day walks along the river and up into the plantations. Allow a couple of hours minimum if you want to see anything worthwhile; a full day if you're tackling the higher routes. The terrain is mixed - muddy when wet (and it does rain here), rooty underfoot, with occasional steep sections that'll remind your legs they're working.

Stay at any of the nearby camping spots - Glangwy Farm, Red Kite Touring Park, or Clywedog Riverside - and you're ideally placed for exploring this corner of Powys without battling tourist crowds. Summer's your best bet, though spring and autumn bring fewer midges and clearer views. The forest can feel oppressive in winter drizzle, so pick your weather. Free to use, no facilities at the car park itself, so bring what you need. This isn't Instagram-ready scenery, but it's genuinely good walking country.