Two outdoor destinations in Northern Ireland are drawing attention as quieter alternatives for summer visits. Silent Valley Mountain Park in Co Down and Murlough Bay on the north Antrim coast provide access to walking routes and coastal scenery, with infrastructure that supports day trips.

Silent Valley Mountain Park was created around the infrastructure built for two large reservoirs that supply water to Belfast from the Mourne Mountains. The site is entered via a car park about 6.5 km north of Kilkeel, Co Down. Admission is £5 per vehicle. A 5 km service road, accessible to buggies and wheelchairs, leads from the car park to Ben Crom Dam. Visitors can climb steps to the top of the dam to view the reservoir and the peaks of Bearnagh and Meelmore. The route then returns to the car park along the same path.

On the north Antrim coast, Murlough Bay sits below towering cliffs that separate it from the Antrim plateau. The area is a mix of pasture and ancient oak woodland, with views across the sea to Rathlin Island and Scotland. A 4 km walking trail runs from the car park down to the coastline. Following the path to the right leads to a beach, after which walkers retrace their steps to the starting point.

Murlough Bay was used as a filming location for Game of Thrones, standing in for the Iron Islands and Storm’s End.