Llanfechan

The walk up Llanfechan rewards you with views across the Mawddach estuary that genuinely take your breath away. It's not a huge mountain - more of a proper hill, really - but the approach from Dolgellau is steep enough to feel like proper exercise without being brutal.

You'll find yourself in moorland with gorse and heather, the kind of landscape that feels properly wild despite being within reach of the nearest town. The summit itself isn't dramatic, but that's almost the point. You're not fighting through crowds here. It's just you, the views, and the occasional walker who actually knows where they're going.

Walkers will get the most from this one. Families with reasonably fit kids can manage it, though expect grumbles on the way up. There's nothing at the top - no cafe, no visitor centre, just the landscape - so come prepared with water and something to eat. The whole thing takes a couple of hours depending on your pace and how long you linger at the summit.

It fits nicely into a broader walk exploring the Dolgellau area, or as a morning activity if you're based at Gwerniago Campsite just five miles away. Winter can make it boggy and tricky underfoot, so autumn or spring is your best bet. There's genuine solitude here if you time it right, which you won't get on more famous Welsh peaks.