Llangammarch Wells

Three Victorian wells once made this modest Powys village a destination for spa seekers. Today, Llangammarch Wells feels properly off the beaten track - a sleepy place where the River Irfon winds through green valleys and sheep graze on hillsides that stretch to the horizon.

The spa days are long gone, but what remains is infinitely better. This is proper Welsh countryside at its most unspoiled. Mynydd Epynt rises to the south, a vast moorland plateau that feels like the edge of the world on a misty morning. The peaks of Drum Ddû and Pennau offer cracking walks with views across mid-Wales that go on for miles.

Coed Clunmelyn provides gentler forest walks, while the mysterious Murder Grave and St Afan's Grave hint at older, darker stories. The numbered forest areas scattered across the landscape - 154, 192, 156 among them - create a patchwork of woodland perfect for losing yourself in.

Getting here takes a bit of effort. Garth station is your nearest rail link, though most visitors drive the winding roads through Brecon Beacons country. Builth Wells, about eight miles northeast, has proper shops and services.

This is why staying at one of the local parks makes perfect sense. Places like Irfon River Caravan & Camping Park put you right in the heart of it all, while options like Celtic Woodland Holidays and Welsh Glamping offer something more luxurious. You're perfectly positioned for exploring the Elan Valley reservoirs to the west or the broader Brecon Beacons to the south. After a day tramping across Mynydd Epynt's windswept slopes, there's nothing quite like returning to your pitch by the river.