Castle Carra

You'll spot Castle Carra perched above Ballycastle as more of a romantic ruin than an actual fortress - what remains are the crumbling walls of a 16th-century stronghold that once belonged to the MacDonnell clan. It's not a place where you'll spend hours poking about; twenty minutes will cover it. But the walk up is pleasant enough, and the views back across Ballycastle and towards the coast justify the trip.

The castle itself is quite modest - don't arrive expecting Dunluce or anything grand. You're looking at fragmentary stone walls, a few arches, and enough historical bones to satisfy anyone interested in Plantation-era fortifications. The real appeal is the positioning: standing here, you get a proper sense of how this place would have controlled the town below. Kids might find it a bit sparse after the initial scramble up, though the walk itself is manageable.

If you're based at Watertop Farm, the site makes for a decent morning detour before heading further along the Causeway Coast towards Carrick-a-Rede or the Giant's Causeway. The climb is short and not steep - allow a good hour including the walk and a poke around the ruins. There's no visitor centre or facilities, so go prepared. Free to visit, which at least takes the sting out if you're not blown away by what you find.