Pennard Castle

The ruins sit on a clifftop overlooking the Gower Peninsula, and the walk to get there is honestly as good as the castle itself. You're looking at what remains of a 13th-century stronghold that's been slowly surrendering to the Welsh weather for the better part of 800 years. The stone walls still stand in places, enough to give you a proper sense of scale, and on a clear day the views across the bay are genuinely worth the trek.

Getting there means a decent walk from the car park near Pennard village - twenty minutes or so across fields, depending on your pace and whether you stop to admire the landscape every five minutes, which you will. It's free to visit, and there's no visitor centre or facilities, so come prepared. Families with young kids should be comfortable enough, though the path can be muddy and there are cliff edges, so it's not a casual stroll.

The castle itself won't keep you for hours. Thirty minutes to have a proper look around, take some photos, and let the enormity of standing in the bones of medieval Wales sink in. If you're based at Three Cliffs Bay Holiday Park or any of the others dotted around the Gower, this is easily manageable as a morning or afternoon activity. The real value is combining it with the coastal walking - the route between here and Three Cliffs Bay itself is spectacular. Come when the weather's half-decent; grey, drizzly days rob the view of its punch, and the path gets slippy.