Neath Canal Ynysbwllog Car Park

The car park at Ynysbwllog isn't the kind of place you'd write home about on its own, but it's the gateway to something proper worth your time if you're staying in the area. This is where you abandon the motor and head off along the Neath Canal towpath - a 14-mile restored waterway that winds through the industrial heart of South Wales and out towards countryside that genuinely surprises you.

The canal itself is the draw. Built in the 1790s to shift coal and iron from the valleys down to Port Talbot, it's been cleaned up and now you've got a flat, easy walk that runs right alongside the water. Local anglers line the banks on weekends. Narrowboats potter about. It's nothing like the picturesque canal routes down south, but there's something honest about it - proper South Wales character, works in progress, hills rising up beyond the trees.

Walkers will get the most from this. The towpath is ideal for all abilities since it's almost completely flat. You could do an hour there and back, or push on further if the weather holds. Families with young kids might manage a mile or so before attention spans wobble. The car park itself is free and basic - just tarmac and lines.

If you're camping at Willow Springs Campsite nearby, this makes a cracking morning outing. Go early to beat any crowds, bring a coffee in a flask, maybe a packed lunch. The canal doesn't try to be fancy. It just works.