Pen y Brynfforchog

The walk up Pen y Brynfforchog takes roughly ninety minutes from Dolgellau, and the effort rewards you with views that stretch across the Mawddach estuary and back towards Cadair Idris. It's a proper hill rather than a mountain - 630 metres - which means it sits in that sweet spot where families with decent walking legs won't find it a slog, but it still feels like an achievement once you're up there.

You'll find the summit marked by a small cairn, and on a clear day the perspective across the valley is genuinely striking. The route itself follows a mix of moorland and rocky ground, so boots are essential rather than optional. Weather changes fast up here, so don't dismiss the forecast.

This works brilliantly as part of a wider Dolgellau walking holiday. The town sits in proper walking country, and Pen y Brynfforchog connects naturally with other peaks in the area if you've got the legs for it. Llwyn yr Helm Caravan and Camping Park is only 2.6 miles away and highly rated, making it a logical base for tackling several peaks without too much driving between sites.

Historically minded walkers might appreciate that you're moving through terrain shaped by mining and slate extraction - evidence of that industrial past shows itself in scattered ruins as you climb. It's not a 'destination' attraction in the tourist board sense, though. You come here to walk, to breathe mountain air, and to sit quiet at the top with a flask of tea. If that appeals, it's time well spent.