Knighton is a small border town in Powys, pressed into the hills where Wales and England have argued, traded, and walked past each other for centuries. Its Welsh name, Tref-y-clawdd, means "town on the dyke", and that tells you what matters here.
The town is not grand, but it has a strong identity. Offa's Dyke Path passes through, Glyndwr's Way begins here, and the Offa's Dyke Centre gives useful context before you climb out along the old frontier. For walkers, Knighton is one of the best small bases in the Welsh Marches.
There is also one glorious oddity: the Spaceguard Centre, a working observatory on the hill above town that tracks near-Earth objects. It is the sort of place you do not expect in a border walking town, which is exactly why it belongs here.
Knighton is best for travellers who want a day on foot, a bit of early medieval border history, and a quiet town at the end of it. If you are already in Mid Wales or the Shropshire Hills with one spare day, it earns the detour.