Pen-y-groesffordd

The walk up Pen-y-groesffordd rewards you with views across the Vale of Clwyd that stretch all the way to the Irish Sea on a clear day. It's not a dramatic peak - more of a sturdy hill really - but that's precisely why it works. You get proper views without needing scrambling gear or a four-hour slog.

From Abergele, the walk takes around ninety minutes there and back depending on your pace. The path climbs steadily through farmland and rough grassland, nothing technical but steep enough to keep you honest. On the way up you'll notice the landscape shift - one minute you're among gorse and bracken, the next you're looking down at the patchwork of fields below.

This is one for walkers who prefer a proper leg-stretcher without the scrambling. Families with teenagers will find it manageable; younger kids might find the final push a bit much. The views are worth the effort, though if weather's poor it's not worth the trip.

If you're staying at The Beach Caravan Park or Bron-y-Wendon just outside Abergele, this makes a cracking morning walk before heading to the beach. The nearby Parkdean Resorts Ty Mawr and Golden Gate centres have more facilities if you're after something busier. Free to walk, obviously, and best tackled in decent weather when visibility counts. Early morning means fewer people and cleaner air - go then if you can manage it.