Carreg-Yr-Ast

You won't find crowds at Carreg-Yr-Ast, which is rather the point. This modest peak sits above Llanwrtyd Wells in the Powys uplands, offering views across rolling moorland that stretch for miles when the weather plays ball. The walk up takes a solid hour or so depending on your fitness and which route you choose from the village - there are several approaches, none of them signposted to within an inch of their life, so a map or phone navigation is essential.

The summit itself is a proper windswept spot, nothing fancy, just a rounded cairn and the satisfaction of being somewhere that most tourists have never heard of. Fell walkers and moorland enthusiasts will get genuine value here - it's genuine Welsh hill country, the kind of place where you'll see sheep and not much else. Families with young children might find the unmarked paths and exposed terrain a bit much, and the reward at the top is honest rather than dramatic.

Give yourself a morning for it, starting early if weather is forecast decent. It's free, obviously. Carreg-Yr-Ast pairs well with the broader walking opportunities around Llanwrtyd Wells - there's proper circuit potential if you're based there. Welsh Glamping sits just 3.5 miles away, as does Elan Oaks, both excellent spots for a night or two if you're planning to tackle the surrounding peaks properly rather than just popping up and down one.