Antrim Coast & Glens National Landscape

The stretch of coastline and glens running through Mid and East Antrim is one of those places that genuinely justifies the drive. You get dramatic sea cliffs that actually make your stomach drop a bit, deep valleys carved through the landscape, and villages like Cushendall tucked away as if the modern world hasn't quite found them yet. Ballymena sits inland, but it's your jumping-off point for getting out here properly.

What makes it work is the variety. One minute you're walking clifftop paths with the Irish Sea spreading out below you, the next you're in a proper wooded glen with water running through it and not another soul about. The geology is outstanding if you care about that sort of thing - you can see the basalt columns and understand why this corner of Northern Ireland shaped up the way it did. Walkers will spend days here without running out of decent routes. Families with younger kids might find the glens more rewarding than the coastal sections, which can be a bit exposed and wind-battered.

There's no single entrance fee or visitor centre - it's more about picking your spots and exploring under your own steam. Allow a full day minimum if you're coming from Ballymena. Summer's obviously nicer, but the glens are actually pretty special in autumn when the light gets low and moody.

If you're staying at Ocean View Pods nearby, this is exactly what you're there for. Don't treat it as a quick detour - it's the main event.