Shaftesbury Park

The walk into Shaftesbury Park from Larne takes you through proper woodland - the kind where you actually feel removed from the town, even though it's barely five minutes away. It's a nature reserve rather than a manicured park, so expect rough paths, stream crossings, and the genuine smell of damp earth and leaf litter.

What you get here are woodland trails that wind through mixed forest and alongside water, with occasional clearings where you can actually see the surrounding countryside. It's not a destination for sitting on benches with an ice cream - this is active territory. Birdwatchers and walkers will appreciate it far more than families with small children, though older kids who enjoy exploring won't get bored.

There's something refreshing about its lack of infrastructure. No visitor centre, no café, no pressure to spend money. You just turn up and walk. The trails are free and open to the public, though opening hours aren't formally published - just arrive during daylight and use common sense.

Give yourself an hour minimum, two if you want to properly explore the network of paths. It pairs nicely with a stay at Down to Earth Wild Camping just five miles away - the proximity means you could do a morning walk here, then head back to your site for lunch. It won't blow your mind on Instagram, but it's exactly the sort of place that justifies a proper country escape: quiet, accessible, and genuinely green.