Penwar

Penwar isn't going to blow your mind with dramatic peaks or sweeping vistas - but that's rather the point. This modest hill above Llanidloes offers exactly what a lot of Mid Wales walkers are after: a straightforward climb without the tourist crowds that plague Snowdonia. The walk itself takes a decent couple of hours up and back, depending on your approach, and you get proper 360-degree views across the valleys when conditions allow. On a clear day you can pick out the surrounding hills rolling away in all directions, though honestly a misty morning has its own appeal up here.

It suits walkers who like their peaks accessible rather than exhausting - families with decent stamina will manage it fine, and the reward is enough to justify the effort without becoming an all-day commitment. There's nothing fancy at the summit, no café, no visitor centre, just the hill itself. Come expecting solitude rather than facilities.

The beauty of staying at one of the nearby parks - Red Kite Touring, Clywedog Riverside, or Dol-Llys Farm are all within spitting distance of Llanidloes - is that you can tackle Penwar as a morning walk and still have the afternoon free to explore the town or head to other peaks in the region. It's the kind of place that slots neatly into a proper walking week rather than demanding a special journey. Free to visit, naturally. Spring and early autumn are nicest when the weather's more reliable.