Pen-yr-heol-las

The walk up to Pen-yr-heol-las from Crickhowell takes you straight into proper walking country. It's not a massive peak - more of a serious hill, really - but the effort pays off with views that stretch across the Brecon Beacons and down into the valleys below. The route itself is well-trodden and fairly straightforward, though your legs will know about it on the way back down.

This is one for walkers rather than sightseers. You won't find cafes or facilities up top - just grass, sky, and a real sense of being out in the mid-Wales landscape. On a clear day the visibility is excellent. On a damp day, which is fairly common round here, the cloud can roll in quickly and visibility drops like a stone. Either way, it's worth the trek if you're staying in the area and fancy a proper walk that doesn't take all day.

Allow two to three hours return depending on your pace and how long you linger at the top. The climb is steady rather than brutal. Families with older kids will manage it fine; younger ones might find it tedious. Start early if you're going in summer - the car park at Crickhowell fills up quickly on weekends.

If you're camping at Cwmdu Campsite, you're barely 2 miles away, which makes this an obvious half-day outing. Pencelli Castle is slightly further but equally convenient as a base. Both sites put you in perfect position for exploring the hills properly.