Lower Lliw Reservoir

You'll spot Lower Lliw Reservoir on the drive between Swansea and the Carmarthenshire hills, a long stretch of water that catches the light beautifully in afternoon sun. It's a working reservoir - so don't expect theme park facilities - but that's precisely why it works so well. The walking is straightforward. A path runs along the eastern bank giving proper views across the water to the wooded slopes beyond, and on a clear day you can walk the perimeter in about an hour without breaking a sweat.

This is dog-walker and photographer territory, really. The light shifts constantly across the water, and early morning or late afternoon will reward you with the best shots. Families won't find much to occupy restless kids beyond stone-skipping and spotting waterfowl, so it's more a gentle detour than a day-long stop.

It costs nothing and you can turn up whenever - the car park near the dam is small but rarely rammed. Allow 45 minutes to two hours depending on pace and whether you're actually trying to walk or just pottering about. Spring and autumn are best; summer can feel a bit baked and exposed once the trees thin out.

If you're staying at Black Ewe Glamping just down the road, this makes a solid morning walk before heading back for lunch. The nearby touring parks at River View and South Wales Touring Park give you a good base for exploring the wider Carmarthenshire valleys too - Lower Lliw is more a pleasant local spot than a headline attraction, but that's often when places feel most genuine.