Pen y Pigyn

There's not much left of Pen y Pigyn, to be honest - a handful of stones and earthworks scattered across a hillside near Ruthin. But that's rather the point. This Iron Age fort sits high enough that you can see right across Denbighshire, and standing there you get a real sense of why someone built a settlement here in the first place. The views alone make the walk worthwhile.

It's the kind of place that appeals to walkers and archaeology buffs far more than it will to families hoping for something interactive. There are no visitor facilities, no interpretive boards spelling everything out for you - just history left to the landscape itself. You'll need decent boots and a bit of patience to pick your way through the overgrown ramparts, but if you're already hiking the Clwydian Way or exploring the nearby hills, a detour up here costs nothing and takes maybe forty minutes including the scramble to the top.

The real strength of Pen y Pigyn is how it sits within a wider landscape of Bronze and Iron Age sites across the region. Staying at somewhere like Clwydian Glamping Pods - just five-and-a-half miles away - puts you in perfect range for a day of proper hillwalking. Ruthin itself is close enough for supplies and a decent pub afterwards. Early morning in spring is your best bet weather-wise, when the ground's dry but the light's still soft on those distant valleys. It's not flashy, but it's genuine.