Dingles Glamping

Castles are thick on the ground round here, a testament to how prized the land was and still is: Gaer Fawr (10 minutes' drive) dates back to the Iron Age, Powis Castle (15 minutes) combines medieval fortifications with the treasures Robert Clive (aka Clive of India) brought back to his family seat from the East in the 18th century, and the ruins of 13th-century Dolforwyn are chiefly worth the climb for the views. For more views, with walks attached, there's gentle, waterside ambles on the Montgomery Canal Trail starting in Welshpool, bigger hikes up the once-volcanic Breidden Hills half an hour away and views across Shropshire from Heath Mynd and Stiperstones, both around 40 minutes away. It's a similar distance to the longest (and possibly loudest) waterfall in England and Wales, Pistyll Rhaeadr. If you prefer to see the delights of Powys from a comfy padded seat then bag a berth on the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway, puffing a mere eight miles from Welshpool to Llanfair Caereinion (15 minutes) but taking in some fab views enroute. If you want an even more glamorous mode of transport, book helicopter tours from Welshpool airport.