Bay of the Cow

The name's a bit daft, but the landscape is deadly serious. Bay of the Cow sits on the Causeway Coast near Bushmills, where the basalt cliffs rear up black and dramatic against the sea. It's not a massive destination - you're looking at a small sheltered bay with dark sand and those distinctive hexagonal rock formations that make this stretch of Northern Ireland's coast world-famous.

Most people drive past on their way to the Giant's Causeway itself, which is fair enough, but this spot rewards the detour. The walk down is straightforward enough, and once you're at water level, you get a proper sense of scale - these aren't postcard cliffs, they're genuinely imposing. Rock formations jut out at odd angles, and the geology nerds will spend a happy hour spotting the columnar basalt patterns.

Walkers and photographers will get the most from it. Kids might manage thirty minutes before the novelty wears off, unless they're into scrambling about on rocks. There's nothing commercial here - no cafe, no visitor centre - which is either brilliant or a pain depending on your mood.

It's free, naturally. Allow an hour if you're stopping properly, less if you're just having a look from the top. The tidal range matters here, so check before you go - low tide opens up more beach to explore.

If you're staying at Causeway Country Pods nearby, this makes a solid morning walk before heading to the busier attractions along the coast. The whole area deserves more than a flying visit.