Ballyronan Marina

You'll find Ballyronan Marina on the eastern shore of Lough Neagh, a proper working waterfront that feels more lived-in than polished. It's the sort of place where you actually see people messing about with boats rather than just admiring them from a distance. The marina itself is straightforward - moorings, a slipway, the usual facilities you'd expect - but what makes it worth a visit is the water itself. Lough Neagh is vast, and standing here you get a real sense of that scale. On a decent day the light across the water is cracking.

Walkers and water enthusiasts will get the most from it. There's a pleasant enough towpath for a stroll, and if you've got kids who are even mildly interested in boats and water, they'll find it engaging enough for thirty minutes or so. Serious anglers come here regularly - the lough is well known for pike and perch - so if that's your thing, you've found your spot. It's also genuinely useful if you're staying at Sett on The Lough, just three miles down the road, as somewhere to stretch your legs and get a proper look at the water rather than just seeing it from the holiday park itself.

The nearest town is Antrim, which gives you context for other nearby attractions if the weather turns. It's free to wander about, and there's no particular time constraint - you'll know when you've seen what you came for. Go when the light's good; grey days can make it feel a bit industrial.