Pen Yr Allt Isaf

The walk up Pen Yr Allt Isaf from Dolgellau is properly steep but done in under an hour if you're reasonably fit. You're climbing just over 300 metres through forest and open moorland, and the views back across the Mawddach Valley are genuinely brilliant - on a clear day you can see right across to Cader Idris. It's not a technical scramble, just relentless legs-work through bracken and grass.

This is peak-bagging territory, pure and simple. Not many tourists make it up here, which is part of the charm. Families with younger kids might find it a slog - there's no pacing option, just uphill - but teenagers who can handle the gradient will love the views and the sense of actually earning something. Walkers heading out from Dolgellau for a proper morning jaunt should definitely factor this in.

There's no visitor centre, no café halfway up, no facilities to speak of - you're bringing your own water and snacks. The weather rolls in fast here too, so check conditions before you set out. It's the kind of fell walk that rewards you with privacy and proper mountain air rather than picture-postcard crowds.

If you're based at Llwyn yr Helm Caravan and Camping Park just outside Dolgellau, this makes a cracking half-day loop. Park in Dolgellau itself, follow the bridleway signs, and give yourself a good 90 minutes round trip. Free, naturally. Worth it.