Snowdon railway

The railway track winds up from Llanbrynmair towards Snowdon's peak, and it's one of those things that sounds quaint until you're actually on it. The Snowdon Mountain Railway - a proper cog railway, not just a scenic train - climbs nearly 3,500 feet in about an hour, and the gradient is steep enough that you genuinely feel it working.

You board at Llanbrynmair station and the engine does the heavy lifting. On clear days, the views from the top are exceptional - you're looking across North Wales, down into the valleys, sometimes as far as the Mersey estuary. On cloudy days, you're in the mist, which has its own appeal but isn't why you came.

It's brilliant for families who don't fancy a five-hour slog up the mountain on foot, though the journey itself takes the guts of three hours there and back. History types will appreciate the Victorian engineering - the railway's been running since 1896. Casual walkers and the less energetic get proper mountain views without breaking a sweat.

Cringoed Caravan Park sits just 0.6 miles away, making it an ideal base if you're doing this as part of a broader Powys break. The railway charges admission - expect to pay around £30-40 per adult, less for kids - and it's worth booking ahead in summer. Go on a clear day if you can; the difference between brilliant and mediocre is entirely down to weather.