Upper Talley Lake

Upper Talley Lake sits high in the Carmarthenshire hills, a proper upland water that feels genuinely remote despite being only a short drive from RhydArWen. It's the sort of place where you actually notice the quiet - no arcade machines, no ice cream vans, just water, moorland, and the sound of wind moving through the valley.

You can walk right around it, which takes a good hour without rushing. The path isn't manicured or obvious; it's the kind of walk where you're picking your way between heather and bog, which means proper footwear matters. The views open up as you head upslope, and on a clear day you can see right across the Tywi Valley. The water itself is dark and cold-looking, ringed by native woodland that's still recovering from centuries of sheep grazing.

This is a walker's spot rather than a linger-about destination. Families with young kids might find the open moorland a bit sparse and the lack of facilities limiting - there's nothing here, no café, no car park facilities, nothing. Serious hikers and photography types will get far more from it. It's also worth the effort if you're based at one of the nearby glamping spots like Erwain Escapes or Head For The Hills, as it offers a proper hills experience without needing to drive into Snowdonia.

Go in late afternoon when the light hits the valley sideways. The morning mist tends to linger longer than you'd want. Allow two to three hours including the walk and time to just sit and absorb it.