Sweeney Mountain

The walk up Sweeney Mountain is a proper leg-burner, but the views across Mid Wales make it worthwhile. This isn't a gentle afternoon stroll - it's a genuine hill climb just south of Oswestry, and you'll feel it in your calves by the halfway mark.

What you get is moorland walking at its best. The summit sits around 1,800 feet, which might not sound dramatic until you're actually huffing your way up through the rough grass and heather. The panorama from the top stretches across Powys and into Shropshire, and on a clear day it's genuinely absorbing. You can make out the Tanat Valley, and if the light's right, the view westward toward the Berwyn range is rather special.

It's best suited to walkers who don't mind a stiff pull and don't need a tea shop at the summit. Families with older kids will manage fine, but younger ones might find the lack of a clear path and the exposure a bit much. Allow two to three hours return, depending on fitness and how long you linger at the top.

If you're based at one of the nearby glamping spots - Sweeney Farm is practically on your doorstep - this works brilliantly as a morning or evening walk. Tanat Holiday Park, a few miles south, also makes a convenient base. The walk is free, obviously, being open moorland. Go when it's settled weather; cloud rolling in here makes navigation trickier than it needs to be.