Pen Maen-wern

The walk up Pen Maen-wern is properly steep, but the effort pays off once you've cleared the tree line and the Elan Valley sprawls out below. You're looking at about 1,600 feet of moorland, rough grassland, and exposed ridge where the wind has a real say in which direction you're walking. Llanwrtyd Wells sits just a few miles south, making this an obvious morning detour if you're based in the area.

It's a walkers' peak, full stop. No café, no visitor centre, no hand-holding. You get what you came for - moorland views across Mid Wales and the kind of quiet that makes you remember why you bothered leaving the car. The summit itself is unremarkable, a trig point and bracken, but the approach and the visibility on a clear day make it worthwhile. Allow two to three hours return from the nearest parking, and pick a day when the cloud has lifted; there's nothing to see if you're socked in fog.

If you're staying at Welsh Glamping or Elan Oaks Camping just down the road, this works well as a mid-week leg-stretcher between longer valley walks. It's not a family pram-pusher - the ground's boggy in places and steep enough that young kids need proper supervision. But for anyone who actually enjoys walking rather than just Instagram-spotting, Pen Maen-wern delivers exactly what it promises: height, effort, and properly uncluttered views.