Cwm Pwll-y-wrach

The walk into Cwm Pwll-y-wrach starts innocuously enough - you'll find the trailhead near Crickhowell, a proper market town that punches above its weight for amenities. What unfolds is a narrow, wooded valley that feels genuinely remote despite being accessible from civilisation.

The forest here is dense and atmospheric. Beech and oak tower overhead, and in autumn the whole thing becomes a cathedral of rust and gold. There's a small waterfall further up the valley if you're willing to push on, though it's not the dramatic cascade you might hope for in summer when water levels drop. The real appeal is the walk itself rather than a specific destination - it's about 45 minutes each way at a gentle pace, and the path is well-trodden but occasionally muddy.

This suits walkers more than families with young children. The terrain is manageable but not pushchair-friendly, and frankly, there's not much to do at the bottom except turn around and come back. That said, if you're based nearby - and Woodland Park Glamping sits just six miles away - it's an excellent leg-stretcher on a morning before heading elsewhere.

Go after rain when the valley feels properly alive, or early autumn when the light filters through the canopy properly. Skip it on peak summer weekends unless solitude truly doesn't matter to you. Admission is free and unrestricted - no gates, no facilities, no pretence. Just a valley and the woods.