National Trust - Cilgerran Castle

The ruins sit on a dramatic headland above the River Teifi, and frankly, the setting does half the work for you. Cilgerran Castle is a proper medieval fortress - or what's left of one - with two chunky round towers that catch the light brilliantly at certain times of day. You're looking at 13th-century stonework clinging to a slope that's steep enough to make your calves burn on the way down.

What you actually do here is walk around the ruins, peer into the tower interiors, and soak up the views across the river gorge. There's not much interpretation, so it rewards bringing a bit of historical knowledge with you - or learning as you go. Photographers will have a field day, especially on overcast days when the light softens. Kids will enjoy scrambling about for twenty minutes or so, though there's nothing interactive once they've explored the towers.

The National Trust manages it, and admission is free - one of those no-nonsense castle stops where you turn up, have a look, and move on. Allow half an hour if you're in a hurry, an hour if you want to sit and sketch or just absorb the atmosphere. The walk down to the river is muddy after rain, so bring decent boots.

It sits nicely within a Cardigan Bay holiday - only 1.5 miles from Cardigan Camping and Touring Caravan Site if you're based nearby. Combine it with a walk along the Teifi or a visit to Cardigan itself for a proper afternoon out.