Talybont Reservoir

The drive to Talybont Reservoir takes you through proper moorland - rolling hills, sheep dotted about, and those sudden glimpses of water that make you pull over without thinking. It's a working reservoir that supplies water to the valleys below, but what matters is what you get from standing at its edge: an honest, wild stretch of water with the Brecon Beacons looming behind it.

This is a walker's spot, no question. The perimeter path is manageable and rewards you with different views at every turn - sometimes steep banks, sometimes gentler shores where you can actually get close to the water's edge. On a clear day the reflections off the surface are sharp enough to make you forget you're looking at infrastructure. Allow a couple of hours minimum for the walk, longer if you dawdle, which you probably will.

Families with older kids will get on fine here. Younger ones might find it a bit samey after an hour unless they're genuinely keen on water and hills. There's no café, no facilities to speak of, so come prepared.

It sits perfectly between Pencelli Castle and Cwmdu campsites - both within easy reach - and works brilliantly as a half-day add-on to a larger Beacons exploration. Free access, naturally. Spring and autumn are best; summer brings crowds and midges, winter can be bleak. The nearest proper town is Brecon, about twenty minutes south, which handles supplies and pubs when you need them.