Fodor's Expert Review Glenariff Forest Park

The best-known and most accessible of Antrim's glens opens on to Red Bay at the village of Glenariff (also known as Waterfoot). Inside the park are picnic facilities and some easy hikes. Bisecting the park are two lovely rivers, the Inver and the Glenariff, which help sculpt the rocky gorges here and culminate in the famous 5½-km (3½-mile) Waterfall Trail, marked with red arrows, which passes outstanding views of the Glenariff and its three small waterfalls. Its higher expanses are a less charming mix of bare moorland, scarred by the remnants of commercial conifer forestry. There's an abrupt transition back to a patchwork of trim fields as you head back toward the coast.

Escape from the summer crowds by taking one of the longest trails, such as the Scenic Hike (9 km [5½ miles]) or the shorter Viewpoint Trail and the Rainbow Trail, both half a mile. Pick up a detailed trail map at the park visitor center, which also has a small cafeteria.