Portballintrae Beach

The strand at Portballintrae is one of those Northern Irish beaches that rewards you for knowing where to look. Golden sand stretches in both directions, backed by low cliffs and scrubland rather than the usual promenade clutter. On a clear day the light hits the water in that peculiar way that makes you understand why people move to coastal towns.

It's a proper swimmer's beach if the water temperature doesn't put you off - and let's be honest, this far north it won't be balmy. The beach gets busy enough in summer that you won't feel alone, but it's never rammed like Portrush can be. Families do well here because there's enough space to actually spread out, and the slope is gentle enough for younger kids to wade without you having a panic attack.

Walkers will find the coastal path heading east towards the Giant's Causeway is absolutely worth your time - you're looking at a scenic 20 minutes or so to the main attraction. Coming from Bushmills, it's a straightforward drive past the whiskey distillery towards the coast.

The beauty of staying at Causeway Country Pods nearby is you can hit the beach for an hour or two without overthinking it. Portballintrae lacks the dramatic geology of other Causeway Coast spots, but that's partly the point - it's a genuine working beach, not a theatrical backdrop. Go early or late in the day and you'll have it nearly to yourself.