Pen-y-gaer

The Iron Age hillfort at Pen-y-gaer sits high above Tregaron, commanding views across the Cambrian Mountains that honestly take your breath away on a clear day. You're looking at the remains of a proper ancient settlement - concentric ramparts still visible, grass-covered but unmistakable once you know what you're looking at. It's the sort of place that makes you understand why someone 2,000 years ago picked this exact spot to build a fort.

Getting up there involves a decent hike from the small car park at the base. Not brutal, but it's steep enough that you'll feel it, and the final push is all legs. The reward is being genuinely alone with archaeology - no crowds, no gift shop, just wind and views. Kids will either love the scramble up and the sense of adventure, or complain within ten minutes. Family groups with older children do well here; younger ones might find it a bit of a slog for what's essentially earthworks and a view.

It's free, naturally, and you can spend anywhere from forty minutes to a couple of hours depending on how long you want to linger. Early morning or late afternoon light works beautifully for photos. If you're camping at Cambrian Mountains Glamping and Camping just down the road, this makes an excellent morning walk before the day gets too warm. Bring water. The landscape up there is exposed and there's nothing to shelter under.