Nellie Top

The walk up Nellie Top takes you through proper moorland - the kind where you're genuinely alone with gorse and heather. It's not a dramatic summit by any means, but the views across Mid Antrim are worth the effort, especially on a clear day when you can pick out Ballymena below and the rolling farmland stretching toward the coast.

What makes this worthwhile is the walk itself rather than any facilities at the top. There's no tearoom or visitor centre, just a quiet hilltop where you can actually think. The path winds through moorland and rough grassland - easy enough underfoot but you'll need decent boots if the ground's been wet. Allow a solid hour round trip from the car park.

Histories buffs might find interest in the area's agricultural past, but this is genuinely a spot for people who want to move their legs and breathe properly rather than absorb interpretive panels. Families with younger kids could manage it on a good day, though there's no playground nonsense to break up the walk.

If you're staying at Ocean View Pods just down the road near Ballymena, Nellie Top makes a decent morning outing before lunch. It's the kind of place where you realise how much space Northern Ireland actually contains - no crowds, no Instagram selfie crowd, just moorland and views. Free, obviously. Go early if possible.