National Trust - Gleno

The ruins of Gleno stand on a hillside near Larne like a ghost of Victorian ambition gone wrong. This was meant to be a grand castle, built in the 1830s by a merchant with more money than sense - except it never quite got finished, and what did get built fell apart spectacularly. Today the National Trust looks after what's left: crumbling stone walls, empty windows, and the bones of what might have been impressive if anyone had bothered to maintain it properly.

Walking up to the site takes about ten minutes from the car park, and the views across the surrounding countryside are genuinely good - that's partly why the original owner chose the spot. The ruin itself is more for history enthusiasts and photographers than casual visitors. Kids will get the gist in twenty minutes, then want to move on. There's not much interpretation on site, so you'll get more out of it if you've read up beforehand or grabbed a leaflet.

Free to visit, which is the only reason to make the detour if you're honest. It's the kind of place that works better as an add-on to a broader walk in the area rather than a destination in itself. If you're camping at Down to Earth Wild Camping nearby, it's an easy morning ramble before breaking camp. On a clear day the walk up is pleasant enough, but don't expect dramatic ruins - this is understated and a bit melancholy, which actually suits it.