Teifi Valley Railway / Rheilffordd Dyffryn Teifi

A narrow-gauge railway running through the Teifi Valley near Llandysul is exactly the sort of thing that sounds dull until you're actually on it. Then you're gripping the armrest as the train lurches round a bend, steam billowing past the windows, and suddenly you get why people spend their weekends restoring old railways.

The Teifi Valley Railway operates heritage trains pulled by vintage locomotives along a three-mile stretch of track through proper Welsh countryside. You'll rattle past woodland and farmland, over the River Teifi, with the kind of views you'd otherwise only see if you were mad enough to walk. It's the sort of place where blokes in high-visibility waistcoats take their job tremendously seriously, which is rather charming.

Families with young children tend to get the most out of it, especially if they're the sort who'll sit rapt staring at pistons and wheels. Adults who remember train journeys as something vaguely exciting rather than a commute to London will enjoy it too. The route itself isn't long, so allow a couple of hours maximum if you're not staying for lunch at their on-site cafe.

Stay at The Hiveaway just down the road, or one of the glamping spots scattered across the valley - Woodland Hideaway Park and Let's Glamp Retro are both within walking distance for exploring the wider area. It's a decent afternoon out if you're based in Carmarthenshire, though not the sort of thing you'd plan a holiday around on its own.