The Glenn

The Glenn sits just outside Larne as a proper woodland walk through mixed forest - the kind of place that feels like it belongs to the locals rather than the tour buses. You're threading through mature trees along a stream that cuts through a steep-sided glen, with the sort of dappled light and earthy smell that makes you remember why you wanted to get out in the first place.

It's not a headline attraction. There's no visitor centre, no café, no car park with a gift shop. What you get instead is about an hour's walk if you take your time, moving between the water and the tree cover, spotting nothing more exotic than Irish woodland birds but feeling properly away from it all. Families with kids who don't mind getting their trainers muddy will find enough here - the stream's low enough in summer to paddle about, and the glen walls create a sense of drama without genuine danger.

The best time is autumn when the light's better and the midges aren't quite so insistent. Spring's lovely too, though you'll need to watch for mud after rain. Walkers heading this direction should pair it with Down to Earth Wild Camping nearby - they offer a proper back-to-nature base that suits this kind of low-key exploring. The Glenn works as a morning walk before heading into Larne itself, or a gentle afternoon if you've had enough of the bigger attractions elsewhere in Mid and East Antrim.