Mynydd y Llyn

The walk up Mynydd y Llyn from Machynlleth isn't long, but it's steep enough to earn the views. You're climbing to just over 800 metres, and the effort pays off - on a clear day the Cardigan Bay sprawls out in front of you like someone's unrolled a map. The peak itself is modest, nothing dramatic, but that's rather the point. This is proper mid-Wales walking: quiet, genuine, the kind of place where you'll see red kites circling rather than crowds.

Allow two to three hours return if you're not rushing. The path is well-trodden and manageable for anyone with reasonable fitness, though it does get boggy after rain - waterproof boots aren't optional. Families with older kids will manage it fine; younger ones might find the slog a bit much. There's no entrance fee or facilities at the top, so bring water and a packed lunch if you want to sit up there properly.

It slots perfectly into a week based at one of the nearby campsites - Gwerniago or Searivers are both close enough for an afternoon trip. Machynlleth itself is a proper little market town with good cafes and a railway heritage centre if the weather turns grim. But honestly, come here for the walking. It's the kind of hill that doesn't try to impress you, which somehow makes it more impressive.