Garry Bog National Nature Reserve

The boardwalk at Garry Bog cuts through one of those landscapes that stops you mid-stride. It's a proper wetland - spongy ground, rare plants, the whole northern Irish bog ecosystem on display without you having to wade through muck in your trainers. The reserve near Bushmills protects something genuinely special: blanket bog that's been here for thousands of years, home to sundews, sphagnum moss, and birds you won't see anywhere else.

You're looking at maybe 45 minutes to an hour here, depending on how keen you are on spotting lesser spotted woodpeckers or just breathing in the slightly eerie silence. The boardwalk does the heavy lifting - it keeps you on solid ground while letting you see into the bog's interior without damaging it. Families with older kids will manage fine, though younger ones might find it a bit quiet. Serious naturalists and photographers will lose track of time.

It's free to visit, which is brilliant. Spring and early summer are best - the bog's more visually interesting, the birds are active, and you won't sink. Winter's muddy and grey.

If you're staying at one of the glamping spots nearby - Thornfield Farm or Causeway Country Pods - this fits perfectly into a morning wander before heading to the Giant's Causeway. It's the kind of place that reminds you why the Causeway Coast is worth more than one day. The bog doesn't shout for attention, but it rewards anyone paying it.