There are loads of great experiences to try in Mid & East Antrim during your Northern Ireland staycation. From learning a new skill to discovering some of the area’s impressive history, you’re guaranteed to find plenty to keep you occupied!
Here, we share five of our favourite experiences to try in Mid & East Antrim to help you to choose the ones you’d like to try during your staycation in Northern Ireland.
Carnlough Bay Boat Tours
Enjoy the Causeway Coast from a different perspective with Carnlough Bay Boat Tours. Set sail from Carnlough Harbour (which you may recognise from Game of Thrones) with skipper Davy Smith aboard Curiosity – a converted ship’s lifeboat – and travel to the Black Rock which offers fantastic views towards Glencloy and Glenarm. During your excursion, keep an eye out for seabirds, seals, and even dolphins, all of which have been spotted from the boat. These trips take place regularly and take around 30 minutes, giving you the chance to enjoy the scenery and take some photos.
In addition to this popular excursion, Carnlough Bay Boat Tours offer a number of other options – including bespoke tours and charter trips. This experience is suitable for children and groups, plus you can even take your dog with you if this is arranged in advance! Excursions take place every day of the week between March and September and you can simply turn up and take the next boat. Between October and February you’ll need to make a booking with Carnlough Bay Boat Tours to ensure you can sail.
Visit the Hillstown Brewery Économusée
A visit to the Hillstown Brewery Économusée offers one of the best experiences in Mid & East Antrim for foodies and will teach you all you need to know about how the farm produces its own craft beer, plus you’ll get to try some for yourself too! The term ‘Économusée’ refers to a working museum which keeps traditional crafts and methods alive whilst benefiting economically. The Hillstone Brewery was named as the UK’s fifth Économusée and the farm itself has been run by the same family for generations. In addition to making craft beers, the farm also produces wagyu-style beef and is home to hens, cattle, and llamas which you might spot in the fields.
During your brewery tour, you’ll learn all about the history of brewing beer and the processes behind it, plus you’ll be able to see the artisans at work and will find out why Hillstown Brewery is so successful. Meet the brewers and ask any burning questions you have and then take some time to explore the farm and discover where the idea to produce craft beer here came from. Complete your experience with a visit to the farm shop and café where you can buy refreshments and sample some of the Hillstown produce.
Fishing with Trout Tours NI
Fishing enthusiasts will love the friendly and knowledgeable experience provided by Trout Tours NI. A family-run business, Trout Tours NI offer fishing day trips and longer breaks during which you can fish for wild trout in some of Northern Ireland’s top fishing locations. Different options include rivers, lakes, and loughs, and the best places for you to visit will be decided by your expert guide depending on the day’s conditions. You’ll be introduced to a number of excellent fishing spots from morning to late evening and will be given the freedom to explore with your helpful guide nearby.
Trout Tours NI offer all inclusive holiday packages for those looking for an enjoyable and hassle-free fishing break which include everything from transfers to and from the port to excellent accommodation options. Remember, you can bring as much fishing gear as you can fit into your car when you travel to Northern Ireland with us, but if you do happen to forget something you’ll be able to borrow it from Trout Tours NI. A fantastic opportunity for those new to fishing and people who have been fishing for years, a Trout Tours NI experience is a must for your Northern Ireland staycation.
Take a Lead the Way WW2 Tour
Join Adrian on one of his public or private Lead the Way Tours and find out all about the role of his hometown, Carrickfergus, in WW2. Combining a tour of the town with stories of people associated with WW2, photographs, and artifacts, Adrian will explain how the people of Carrickfergus were integral in both manufacturing items required for the war and heading off to the frontline themselves. From seeing the town’s last remaining air raid shelter to understanding why it was an important part of the war’s infrastructure, this tour covers it all.
The public Lead the Way Tour is just over a mile long and takes place on even ground which is accessible to all. You’ll start by Carrickfergus Castle and Adrian will take you on the 90-minute tour with a number of stops to tell stories and share photographs and other items with your group. Alternatively, you might like to book your own private Lead the Way Tour which can be tailored to suit your interests. These tours can even include other places just outside of the town, such as the site of the world’s largest parachute factory.
Blacksmithing at Hot Milk Forge
A UK staycation can offer the perfect excuse to learn a new skill or find a unique hobby, both of which are possible with a visit to Hot Milk Forge. Specialising in blacksmithing and bladesmithing, Hot Milk Forge offer day, evening, and weekend classes with options suitable for those new to these activities and people who are a bit more advanced. Through teaching people these traditional skills, Hot Milk Forge hope to both keep the art of wrought iron work alive and provide knowledge about just how much you can do with it.
Called Hot Milk Forge due to the fact that the workshop was originally a milking parlour, you can expect a truly authentic experience when you book a class here, and artist blacksmith Eammon has the years of knowledge required to teach you all you need to know. Learn how to weld over a fire and prepare to be amazed by what you can create with options such as simple Viking knives or fancy candleholders! You’ll be taught as an individual so won’t need to worry about the pace of those around you, and, although it is a physical task, people of all strengths and sizes can take part.
The five experiences to try in Mid & East Antrim are just a small sample of everything that the area has to offer, and all options are very easily accessible from Larne Port. For more information, visit the Shaped by Sea and Stone website, and take a look at our itinerary for five days in Mid & East Antrim.
