Welshpool

The Lake Vyrnwy Dam towers above a landscape that feels more like the Scottish Highlands than mid Wales. This Victorian engineering marvel created one of the largest artificial lakes in Europe, flooding an entire village in the process - a dramatic backstory that somehow makes the scenery even more compelling.

Welshpool sits perfectly positioned as your gateway to this extraordinary corner of Powys. The town itself is proper Welsh market town material, but venture twenty minutes south and you'll find yourself at RSPB Lake Vyrnwy, where red kites circle overhead and ospreys fish in the crystal-clear waters. The sculpture park adds an unexpectedly contemporary twist to the wild moorland setting.

Climbing Moel y Belan or Craig Garth-bwlch rewards you with views that stretch across three counties on a clear day. The peaks aren't monsters, but they're steep enough to get your heart pumping. Down in the valleys, ancient churches like St Wddyn's tell stories of communities that predate the Norman conquest.

Hendre - Dyfnant Forest offers gentler walking, with waymarked trails threading through dense woodland that bursts into colour each autumn. It's the sort of place where you might spot red squirrels if you're patient enough.

Getting here is straightforward enough - Welshpool sits on the A458 between Shrewsbury and Dolgellau. The nearest train station connects you to Birmingham and the Midlands, though having a car opens up the real treasures scattered across this sparsely populated landscape.

Staying at one of the touring parks or glamping sites around Welshpool gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace. You're within striking distance of both the Snowdonia foothills and the gentler Shropshire borders - proper touring country where each valley reveals something different.