Lliw Upper

You'll find Lliw Upper tucked away in the Carmarthenshire hills, a proper reservoir that most visitors heading to South Wales seem to miss entirely. The water sits calmly between steep moorland, and on a clear day the reflections are genuinely striking - the kind of thing that makes you want to linger longer than you'd planned.

It's a walker's spot rather than a tourist attraction in any formal sense. There's no visitor centre, no cafe, no gift shop - just the lake itself and the paths around it. The walk is manageable for families with older kids, though younger ones might find it a bit dull if they're after something more interactive. History buffs won't find much here, but anyone after fresh air and space will get their money's worth.

The appeal is straightforward: you get solitude and decent views without fighting crowds. Allow a couple of hours for a proper circuit, though you can do shorter stretches if time's tight. Spring and autumn are lovely - summer can get busy with dog walkers, and winter brings its own bleak beauty if you're into that.

Stay at River View Touring Park just down the road and you've got a brilliant base for exploring the wider area. Black Ewe Glamping's closer if you fancy something with more creature comforts - the hot tub makes sense after a few hours on the moors. Swansea's only a short drive away if you need proper shops or restaurants.