Tal y Fan

Standing as the northernmost outlier of the Carneddau, Tal y Fan barely scrapes into the 2,000ft club. It offers spectacular views of the Conwy estuary, provided the low clouds haven't decided to stage a sit-in. It's the perfect peak for hikers who enjoy altitude without the usual Snowdonian crowds.

• •It is the northernmost peak in Wales to exceed the 2,000-foot mark, serving as the final, lonely sentinel of the Carneddau range before the land drops away toward the Irish Sea.
• •The summit area is steeped in ancient history, featuring several Bronze Age burial cairns and proximity to the Neolithic Maen y Bardd cromlech, suggesting the commute was just as steep 4,000 years ago.
• •The mountain overlooks the historic Bwlch-y-Ddeufaen pass, an ancient Roman road route where two massive standing stones still guard the way, though they rarely offer directions to lost tourists.
• •At exactly 610 meters, it qualifies as a 'Hewitt' by the skin of its teeth; if it were a single meter shorter, it would lose its status and likely suffer a serious identity crisis.
• •Navigating the summit ridge in a thick mist is a masterclass in humility; you will inevitably spend twenty minutes arguing with a stone wall while a local sheep watches with visible judgment.