Little Trosk

Little Trosk doesn't announce itself. You're walking the moorland between Ballymena and the higher ground when suddenly there's a proper summit tucked into the rolling terrain. It's not a dramatic peak - more of a confident bump in the landscape - but it gives you sight lines you won't get elsewhere around here.

This is walker's terrain, no question. The approach takes you through proper wild country, the kind where you feel like you're actually moving through landscape rather than following a marked trail. On clear days the views stretch across Mid and East Antrim. On grey ones, which is most of them, you get that brooding northern Irish moorland feel that some people find bleak and others find genuinely moving.

Allow a couple of hours if you're coming from Ballymena town itself. You'll want proper boots and waterproof trousers - the ground gets boggy. It's not the sort of place that works for families with young kids unless they're the enthusiastic type. Older walkers and people after a bit of solitude rather than spectacle will get the most from it.

Ocean View Pods is only 3.6 miles away, which makes it a solid pairing for a walking base in the area. You could do Little Trosk as a morning ramble before settling back for the afternoon. Free to access, obviously - there's nothing to pay out here.