RSPB Mawddach

The Mawddach estuary near Dolgellau is where serious birdwatchers come to lose an afternoon. RSPB Mawddach is a proper working nature reserve - you're not paying to stare at a gift shop, you're turning up to watch what the salt marshes and mudflats actually throw at you. Binoculars are essential. In winter, the place heaves with redshank and curlew. Spring brings ospreys back to the river. Summer's quieter but the light on the water is cracking.

The reserve works well for patient families - kids spot herons lurking in the shallows, adults get absorbed in identification guides. The walks here aren't strenuous, more contemplative. Allow two to three hours if you're taking it seriously, less if you're just passing through. Free admission, which makes it a no-brainer between camps.

Geographically it slots perfectly into a Gwynedd holiday. Coed y Brenin Forest Camp sits just 4.9 miles away and rates brilliantly - you could base yourselves there and hit both the birding and the forest trails. Dolgellau itself is five minutes away for supplies and lunch. The Mawddach Walk, the famous estuary trail, starts nearby too - plenty to do without driving far.

Worth the detour? Absolutely, but only if you've got patience and a decent pair of bins. Casual visitors hunting pretty views might find it a bit slow. This is for people who actually want to watch birds, not just photograph them.