Mynydd Mawr

The walk up Mynydd Mawr rewards you with views across the Llyn Peninsula that justify the climb - clear days see all the way to Snowdonia and the Irish Sea beyond. It's a proper mountain this, not some gentle slope, but the effort takes maybe two hours return from Pwllheli, making it manageable for reasonably fit hikers without needing to set out at dawn.

You'll find yourself on open moorland with gorse and heather underfoot, the kind of raw, wind-scoured landscape that feels miles from anywhere despite being just inland from the coastal resorts. The summit itself is unremarkable - a trig point and a cairn - but that's not really the point. What matters is the panorama and the solitude you'll likely find up here, especially midweek.

Families with older kids who can handle steep sections will enjoy it far more than those pushing toddlers. History buffs won't find much to anchor them here, but walkers after honest exercise and decent views should make the detour when staying in the area. Pwllheli sits at the base, a proper working Welsh town rather than a genteel resort, which means decent cafés without the tourist tax.

If you're staying at either Glampio Coed or Tyn Ddol Glamping, both within striking distance, this works perfectly as a morning or afternoon outing. Free, of course - it's a mountain. Go on a clear day or don't bother.