Mynydd Bettws

The walk up Mynydd Bettws takes you from Ruthin's fringes straight into proper hill country, and it's one of those ascents that feels bigger than the numbers suggest. At 1,532 feet, it's not exactly mountainous, but the climb is persistent and your legs know about it by the top.

What makes this worth the slog is the 360-degree view once you're there. On a clear day, you can see across Denbighshire to the Clwydian Range, and the valley spreads out below in that way that makes you understand why people bothered building settlements here centuries ago. The trig point marks the summit, and it's become something of a magnet for local walkers.

It's a walker's hill, pure and simple. Families with young legs will manage it fine, though expect the ascent to take a solid hour-plus depending on your fitness. It's the sort of place where you'll see the same faces you encountered halfway up heading down as you're heading up. No facilities at the summit, so bring water and something to eat if you're making an afternoon of it.

Free to access, naturally - it's open moorland. The best approach is from the paths around Ruthin itself. If you're camping at Clwydian Glamping Pods nearby, this sits perfectly as a morning walk before settling in. Weather matters here more than most places; cloud can roll in quickly and visibility drops to nothing. Pick a decent forecast and you'll have cracking views. Pick the wrong day and you're walking blind through bracken.