Llyn Fryddon fawr

Getting to Llyn Fryddon Fawr means leaving the beaten path around Aberystwyth and heading inland where the Ceredigion hills start to bite. It's a proper upland lake - dark water, steep sides, the kind of place that feels a world away from the coastal tourist trail despite being only a few miles from town.

The walk in rewards you with views across open moorland, and if you're lucky with the light, the lake itself can be striking. It's not a manicured destination with visitor facilities or marked trails - this is more about the journey than the arrival. Walkers will appreciate the remoteness; families with young children might find it a bit of an ask given the terrain.

There's no café, no car park to speak of, and no entrance fee because there's nothing formal here. You turn up, you explore, you get what the landscape offers. Allow a good couple of hours to get there and back from Aberystwyth, plus whatever time you want to spend at the lake itself.

If you're staying at one of the nearby parks - Woodlands Caravan or Brynllwyd Glamping are both highly rated - this makes a solid half-day excursion away from the main tourist spots. It's worth doing if you're comfortable with unstructured walking and don't mind a bit of scrambling. Just don't expect much beyond the water and the hills.