Big Dan's Chair Viewpoint

You'll find Big Dan's Chair perched above Ballycastle, offering one of those rare viewpoints where you actually understand why someone bothered to haul a massive wooden seat up here. The chair itself - a oversized creation - sits facing out towards Rathlin Island and the sweep of the Causeway Coast. On a clear day you can see right across to Scotland. It's the kind of spot that makes sense on Instagram but also makes sense in person, which is rarer than you'd think.

The walk up is straightforward enough, though it's not exactly a stroll. You're looking at twenty minutes or so from the town, mostly steady gradient through decent paths. Worth it for the views alone, but the chair gives you a proper focal point - somewhere to actually sit and take things in rather than just stand around squinting at the horizon.

Families with older kids will manage fine. Younger ones might find the walk a bit of a slog, and the novelty of the chair itself wears off in about ten minutes. Walkers and landscape photographers genuinely rate it though. The light changes dramatically through the day, so afternoon visits often yield better conditions than midday glare.

It's completely free and there's no set opening hours - you're out in the elements, so weather dictates when you can actually get up there properly. Pair it with time at Watertop Farm, which sits just down the road. The farm park's excellent for working off energy before or after the walk, and staying there gives you easy access to this and the rest of the coastline without faffing about with parking.