Moel Dduallt

The walk up Moel Dduallt from Blaenau Ffestiniog isn't long, but it's steep enough to make your legs know about it. On a clear day you get views across the slate quarries and down towards Snowdonia proper - it's the kind of perspective that makes you understand why the mountains matter around here. The peak itself is bare and windswept, nothing fancy, but that's rather the point.

This one's for walkers who want proper graft without committing to a full day's trek. Allow ninety minutes return if you're not hanging about, longer if you're stopping to take photos or just catching your breath. The path is well-used and obvious, though it gets boggy in places after rain. Families with older kids will manage fine; younger ones might find the gradient tedious.

The nearest town is Blaenau Ffestiniog itself, which sits in a slate-scarred landscape that's genuinely striking rather than pretty. If you're based at one of the nearby parks - Llechwedd Glamping is closest at 3.4 miles, or Barcdy if you prefer a more traditional caravan setup - Moel Dduallt makes an excellent morning outing before heading to bigger walks in the national park. It's free, obviously, and you start from town. Worth doing if you're in the area, but don't go out of your way for it alone.