Scawt Hill

The walk up Scawt Hill rewards you with one of the best views across Mid Antrim you'll find without a serious mountaineer's effort. It's not dramatic - 1,205 feet hardly qualifies as alpine - but on a clear day the sprawl of green farmland and distant ridges makes the climb feel worthwhile.

You'll find yourself walking moorland paths that get muddy after rain, which is to say they get properly boggy. Proper boots essential. The summit itself is a modest affair - no dramatic cairn or trig point, just the satisfaction of standing higher than everything around you. On grey days it feels a bit underwhelming, truth be told. But catch it right and the light across the Braid Valley is something special.

Walkers will get the most out of this one. It's straightforward without being boring, and you can be up and down in under two hours from Ballymena if you're not faffing about taking photographs. Families with younger kids might find it a bit of a slog for limited payoff - the views are grand but not Instagram-famous enough to sustain a five-year-old's enthusiasm.

It's free, naturally. The nearby Ocean View Pods makes a decent base if you're planning a walking holiday in the area - close enough to Ballymena for supplies and further exploration, but far enough out that you're actually among the hills. Combine it with other walks in Mid Antrim and you've got a solid few days of rambling.