Ballyknock Hill

The walk up Ballyknock Hill rewards you with views that stretch right across the Causeway Coast - on a clear day you can pick out the basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway and the sweep of the Antrim plateau. It's not a brutal climb, more of a steady ramble that takes the best part of an hour from Ballymoney, but the payoff is proper worth it.

You're essentially doing a moorland walk across open ground with enough gorse and heather to keep things interesting. The summit itself isn't dramatic - there's no sudden peak, just a gentle plateau where the landscape opens up around you. Families with decent walkers (ages 8+) will manage it fine, though younger kids might find the exposed sections a bit exposed. Serious hikers will be underwhelmed by the distance, but it's the views that make the trip, not the technical challenge.

There's no visitor infrastructure to speak of - bring water, decent shoes, and weather-appropriate kit. The area's fairly quiet compared to the busier honey pots further north, which is rather the point. If you're based at North Coast 9 Glamping or Thornfield Farm just down the road, this is an ideal half-day outing that doesn't eat into your whole schedule. Go early to dodge any afternoon cloud, and allow yourself time to just sit at the top with a flask. The walk's free, obviously - just turn up and get going.