Mynydd St John

The walk up Mynydd St John rewards you with proper 360-degree views across Powys and the Shropshire border - on a clear day you can see for miles. It's a genuine high point without being brutally steep, which makes it popular with families who don't fancy a slog, though fit walkers will find it too easy to be interesting.

The climb takes around 45 minutes depending on which route you take from Welshpool. The summit itself is windswept and bare, with that raw, open-moorland feel that mid-Wales does so well. There's not much up there except the views and the satisfaction of having done it, so come for the landscape rather than any particular feature or building.

Walkers get the most from this one. The views justify the effort, and it's short enough to combine with other local walks without eating the whole day. Families with older kids will manage it fine; younger ones might grumble about the final push.

If you're staying at Pandy Camping nearby - which is excellent, incidentally - Mynydd St John makes a natural morning or late-afternoon outing. The moorland changes colour throughout the year, and late evening light here can be quite special. There's nowhere to eat or shelter on the summit itself, so bring what you need. The walk is free, as it should be, and accessible year-round, though winter can make it muddy and grey. Spring and autumn are when it's at its best.