Ballycoos

Ballycoos is a proper hill walk rather than a destination you'd spend hours at, but on a clear day the views from the top are genuinely worth the trudge up. You're looking out across Mid and East Antrim from here, which sounds grand until you realise the walk itself is steep enough to make you question your fitness level halfway through. The peak itself is fairly bare - no café, no visitor centre, just exposed moorland and the satisfaction of having made it. Most people manage the whole thing in an hour or so, depending on their pace and how often they stop to catch their breath.

This works best for proper walkers rather than families wanting a casual afternoon out. If you've got kids, they need to be the sort who don't complain about inclines and muddy ground. The nearest town is Ballymena, about a short drive away, which gives you somewhere to grab coffee before or after. If you're staying at Ocean View Pods nearby, Ballycoos makes a solid morning activity to burn off some energy before heading back for lunch. The weather matters here - mist rolls in quickly and the views disappear entirely, so check the forecast before committing. On a decent day though, it's the kind of walk that reminds you why you came to Northern Ireland in the first place.