Straid Dam

The water at Straid Dam sits eerily still most days, reflecting the moorland hills that rise around it. It's a straightforward reservoir - built for water supply rather than spectacle - but that's precisely why locals and walkers rate it. The dam itself is modest, nothing like the grand Victorian engineering you might find elsewhere, but the setting has a raw appeal that appeals to those who actually walk here rather than visit for the view alone.

You get decent walking around the perimeter if you're after a gentle circuit, and the water attracts the odd angler and bird-watcher. Kids won't find activities in the traditional sense - no visitor centre, no playground, no café - so this isn't a destination visit. What it is, though, is a proper asset if you're staying at Down to Earth Wild Camping nearby or wandering the Mid and East Antrim landscape around Larne. The walk takes the best part of an hour if you loop it, longer if you mooch about. Admission is free, which is the only way it should be.

Come here on a clear afternoon and there's something quietly satisfying about the place - water, hills, the occasional walker. Come when it's grey and wet, which is often enough, and you'll wonder why you've bothered. Honest assessment: it's worth a detour if you're in the area and fancy moving about, but don't rearrange your holiday around it. The wild camping spot nearby is the real draw.