Otter Cave

The cave entrance sits tucked into the cliffs near Larne, accessible via a coastal walk that's worth doing even if you don't venture inside. It's a modest affair - you're not looking at cathedral-scale chambers here - but the setting makes it special. Local legend has it otters sheltered in here, hence the name, though nowadays you're more likely to find seabirds and the sound of waves echoing off stone.

Walkers and geology types will get the most from it. The approach itself is the real draw - rugged coastline, proper Irish weather, that particular kind of dramatic nothing that the north coast does so well. You can poke about inside for twenty minutes or so without needing any gear, though wear decent shoes and check tide times first; the cave floods at high water and you don't want to be stranded.

It's free and there's no faffing about with opening hours - you just go. Allow an hour round trip from Larne town centre if you're not dawdling. Families with young kids will get bored quickly unless they're the type who like scrambling over rocks and pretending to be explorers.

If you're staying at Down to Earth Wild Camping just up the road, it's a cracking excuse for a morning walk before breakfast. Combine it with a proper coastal ramble and you've got yourself a proper half-day. The cave alone isn't worth planning a trip around, but as part of the Larne coastal circuit it absolutely earns its keep.