Ballynoe Stone Circle

There's something properly atmospheric about standing inside a 5,000-year-old stone circle on the County Down hills. Ballynoe isn't flashy - just 30-odd stones arranged in a ring, some taller than you'd expect, others worn down to stubby reminders of what they once were. You get here via a short walk from the road near Downpatrick, and the circle sits in open moorland with views that stretch for miles.

This is one of those places where archaeology types will spend a good hour reading the subtle details - the different stone sizes, the way they're positioned, the Bronze Age burial cairn at the centre. Kids will do the circuit in ten minutes and then want to clamber on things, which frankly is part of the appeal. The walk itself is easy enough, though it can get boggy after rain.

It's free and there are no visitor facilities whatsoever, so bring what you need and don't expect interpretive boards spelling everything out. That's actually the charm of it - you're left alone with the stones and your own theories about what went on here three millennia ago.

If you're based at Edgewater Holiday Park or Coneyisland just down the road, this works well as a quick morning expedition before heading elsewhere in the Mourne area. It's not a full day activity, but it's worth the detour if you're already in County Down. The windswept, slightly lonely feel is exactly what ancient monument tourism should be.