Cors Bodgynydd North Wales Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve

The boardwalk cuts straight through open moorland, and within minutes you've left the car park world behind entirely. Cors Bodgynydd is a proper wetland reserve - the kind of place where you actually see something you came to see, rather than trudging round hoping. Bog plants, dragonflies in summer, visiting birds. The North Wales Wildlife Trust manages it well, with the wooden path keeping your feet dry and stopping people wandering off and trampling the sphagnum moss that makes this place special.

It's best in late spring and summer when the birdlife picks up and the insects are out. Winter's quieter but perfectly walkable if you don't mind damp air. Allow an hour for a proper look - the reserve itself isn't vast, but there's enough to hold your attention if you're actually interested in what grows here rather than just ticking it off. The terrain is flat, which makes it accessible for most ages, though younger kids might find it a bit slow unless they're genuinely keen on nature.

Free entry - the car park's small and fills up weekends. From Betws-y-Coed it's a short drive south. If you're staying at Conwy Valley Touring Park nearby, it's well worth combining with an afternoon exploring the river walks around the town itself. It's not a destination in isolation, but as part of a Snowdonia trip it saves you from overdoing the mountains and gives your legs something different.