Moel Troed-Y-Rhiw

The walk up Moel Troed-Y-Rhiw from Port Talbot is straightforward enough, but the payoff is genuinely worth the effort. You're climbing to just under 370 metres, which doesn't sound dramatic until you realise how quickly the industrial sprawl of the town falls away below you. The views across the Neath valley are proper expansive - on a clear day you can see right across to the Brecon Beacons, which makes the whole thing feel less like a local hill walk and more like something with genuine substance.

The route itself is well-trodden and accessible without specialist gear. Most people allow ninety minutes return from Port Talbot town, though if you're taking kids or stopping to admire the view halfway up, budget two hours. The peak itself is peaceful, just a cairn and open moorland with bracken and grass - nothing fancy, but that's rather the point. You're standing on honest Welsh moorland here.

This works brilliantly as a morning outing if you're camped at Willow Springs Campsite nearby - it's only 2.8 miles away. It's the sort of walk that appeals to people who actually like walking rather than Instagram moments, and older children will find it manageable without getting bored. The real charm is that it's not crowded. Come early or late in the day and you might have the whole place to yourself. Best visited on a day when the visibility is decent - a cloudy summit strip all the appeal.