the gobbins path

The clifftop walk at the Gobbins Path near Larne is genuinely thrilling - a proper coastal adventure that clings to the rock face above crashing waves. You're walking on metal platforms and bridges bolted into the basalt cliffs, with the Irish Sea churning away beneath you and nowhere to hide from the weather. It's roughly two miles of pathway that takes you past sea arches, blowholes, and if you're lucky, nesting seabirds on the ledges above. The whole thing takes about an hour and a half, depending on how often you stop to catch your breath - which you will, because the views are spectacular and slightly vertiginous in equal measure. This is for people who actually enjoy walking, not for those after a gentle stroll. Kids above ten would manage fine if they're reasonably confident on heights, but younger ones might find it intimidating. It's free to access and open most of the year, though rough weather will close it and frankly, you might not fancy it in a howling gale anyway. The path reopened after renovation a few years back, so the infrastructure is solid. Down to Earth Wild Camping sits reasonably close by if you're basing yourself in the area, and the route fits well with exploring the Larne coastline. Go early on a clear day if you can. The light hitting those cliffs in the morning makes it worth the drive alone.