Pen Llynnau Cregennen

Two lakes sit high on this moorland plateau, and you climb to reach them. Pen Llynnau Cregennen - the name means 'head of the lakes' - demands proper effort, but the reward is genuine: standing above Dolgellau with water on both sides and the Cader Idris massif filling the view opposite.

The walk takes you through rough pasture and past stone walls, gaining height steadily without ever becoming a scramble. Most people allow two to three hours for the round trip, depending on fitness and whether you linger at the top. The lakes themselves are unremarkable in appearance - dark water, boggy margins - but the setting transforms them. On clear days you see for miles. On misty ones, which happen often enough up here, the atmosphere turns properly moody.

This appeals most to walkers who want something more than a stroll but less than a serious hill day. Families with competent young hikers manage it. Don't expect facilities - there's nothing up there, so bring what you need. The nearest town, Dolgellau, sits below and makes a natural base.

Graig Wen Camping & Cottages sits just over a mile away, so you can wake up close to the trailhead. Several other parks - Hendre Mynach, Sunbeach, Torrent Walk - cluster within six miles, all well-positioned for exploring this part of Snowdonia. The walk works year-round, though winter can be wet and ankle-deep mud common. Spring and autumn are the sweet spot. Free to visit, obviously - it's moorland.