Top Hidden Gems Day Trips from Derry/Londonderry
Written by UK Hidden Gems Editorial
Updated 5 August 2026
The top Hidden Gems Day Trips from Derry/Londonderry include Altnaheglish Reservoir, Mussenden Temple, Garvagh Pyramid, Portstewart Strand, Craigs Lower Passage Tomb, Dooey's Cairn, Shepherd's Steps and Carrick-a-Rede.
Derry makes a fine launch pad for exploring the wider north-west, with the Sperrin hills to the south and a sweeping run of coast stretching east. Head south first, toward Dungiven, and the still waters of Altnaheglish Reservoir sit at the head of a wooded glen.
Swing out along the coast and you reach the clifftop Mussenden Temple above Downhill Strand and the great dune-backed sweep of Portstewart Strand. Further east, in County Antrim, quieter corners await: a hidden pyramid folly in the woods near Garvagh, and two ancient tombs in the fields around Ballymoney and Dunloy.
Keep going and the drama builds toward the Causeway coast, where a steep stone stairway drops to the basalt columns and a swaying rope bridge crosses to the island of Carrick-a-Rede. These lie well out from the city, so each is a proper day-trip, but the scenery more than repays the miles.
Here are eight hidden gems for a day trip from Derry.
Altnaheglish Reservoir
Photo: Phil Champion via Geograph.org.uk
Altnaheglish Reservoir A drive south toward Dungiven leads into the Sperrins and the deep wooded ravine of Banagher Glen, where Altnaheglish Reservoir lies at the head of the valley. Long and usually still, it is held back by a stone dam that comes into view suddenly as you climb through the trees.
Below it the glen is cut by the Owenrigh river and filled with old oak woodland, part of why the area is a national nature reserve, with mossy paths, small waterfalls and bluebells in spring. A forest track reaches the dam in about a mile and a half, while a longer loop of around eight miles takes in the full circuit.
Mussenden Temple
Photo: Gerald McKenna via Geograph.org.uk
Mussenden Temple Out along the coast near Castlerock, Mussenden Temple is a small round, domed building perched right on the edge of a cliff high above Downhill Strand. It stands within the Downhill Demesne, once the estate of the eighteenth-century Earl Bishop of Derry, alongside the ruins of his great house, and is now in the care of the National Trust.
Modelled on a classical Roman temple, it was built in the mid-1780s as a library and named for the bishop's cousin Frideswide Mussenden. The demesne is open through the year for clifftop walks and sweeping views along the coast toward Donegal, making it a memorable stop on a coastal day out.
Garvagh Pyramid
Photo: Richard Webb via Geograph.org.uk
Garvagh Pyramid Hidden in forest near Garvagh, this curious stone folly takes the shape of a pyramid. It was built in the 1800s by the local Lord Garvagh, said to have been inspired by a tour of Egypt, and intended as his burial vault, though he was never actually laid to rest inside.
Sealed shut, it stands empty on a raised platform, known to local people simply as the Vault. A short waymarked forest trail from the car park leads you to it, making an easy and quietly offbeat detour on a day trip east from the city into County Londonderry.
Portstewart Strand
Photo: Kenneth Allen via Geograph.org.uk
Portstewart Strand Just south-west of the town of Portstewart, this two-mile beach of golden sand is backed by a great system of dunes on the County Londonderry coast, and looked after by the National Trust. It is one of the beaches where you can drive and park right on the firm sand, and behind it the dunes, some six thousand years old and protected for their wildlife, are threaded with waymarked trails toward the mouth of the River Bann.
There are toilets, a surf school and, more recently, a sauna by the shore. Popular for walking, bathing and bodyboarding, it makes a breezy highlight of a coastal day out.
Craigs Lower Passage Tomb
Photo: Kenneth Allen via Geograph.org.uk
Craigs Lower Passage Tomb Deeper into County Antrim, near Finvoy and just south of Ballymoney, Craigs Lower is a Neolithic passage tomb standing quietly in a field. Seven tall stones set close together still carry a flat capstone, though the mound that once covered them has long since gone.
It is part of a scatter of ancient monuments hereabouts, close to the larger Craigs dolmen. A stile off the road gives access to it, with wide views over open country all around.
Well worth the drive for anyone drawn to prehistoric sites, it rewards the journey out from the city into rural Antrim.
Dooey's Cairn
Photo: Paul O'Brien via Geograph.org.uk
Dooey's Cairn Near Dunloy in County Antrim, Dooey's Cairn is a Neolithic tomb and one of the better-preserved court tombs in the area. A U-shaped forecourt of standing stones opens into a small roofless burial chamber, with a stone-lined cremation passage behind it that is unusual for its kind in Ireland.
Excavations here turned up the burnt remains of several people, along with stone axes and pottery. The site sits open in the fields, cared for by the state, and makes a rewarding stop for anyone piecing together the ancient landscape on a day out east of the city.
Shepherd's Steps
Photo: David Robinson via Geograph.org.uk
Shepherd's Steps On the Giant's Causeway coast in County Antrim, Shepherd's Steps is a steep stone stairway climbing the cliffs, linking the clifftop path down to the shore near the great basalt columns. Once a rough track used by shepherds, it is now a formal flight of some hundred and sixty steps with a handrail, a strenuous shortcut that lets walkers make a circuit taking in both the high cliff path and the Causeway itself.
The steps are uneven and the descent demanding, but the wide coastal views on the way down are ample reward. It is a fair drive from Derry, though the Causeway coast justifies every mile.
Carrick-a-Rede
Photo: Kenneth Allen via Geograph.org.uk
Carrick-a-Rede The furthest of the group, near Ballintoy on the Antrim coast, Carrick-a-Rede is a small island reached by a rope bridge slung across a deep chasm. The bridge spans about 20 metres and hangs close to 30 metres above the water, swaying underfoot as you edge across to the rock on the far side.
It is run by the National Trust and carries only a small number of people at a time. From the island the ground drops away to open sea, with the cliffs of the coast running off in both directions.
It is a good hour and a half from Derry, but a thrilling finale to a Causeway coast day out.
FAQs
How far are these gems from Derry?
They range from about 28 to 68 kilometres, so each is a proper day trip rather than a quick outing. Altnaheglish Reservoir in the Sperrins is the closest, while Carrick-a-Rede on the Antrim coast is the furthest from Derry, at around an hour and a half's drive.
Which of these are good for families?
Portstewart Strand is a natural choice, with its wide sands, surf school and dune trails, while the short forest walk to the Garvagh Pyramid suits younger legs. Both lie within easy reach of Derry and make relaxed, open-air days out.
Do any of these gems belong to the National Trust?
Yes, several do. Mussenden Temple near Castlerock, Portstewart Strand and the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge are all cared for by the National Trust, and all make rewarding day trips from Derry along the north coast.
Conclusion
The country around Derry opens up in every direction once you are willing to travel a little. To the south, the Sperrins hold the still waters of Altnaheglish Reservoir in their wooded glen, while the coast east of the city serves up Mussenden Temple on its clifftop and the broad sands of Portstewart Strand.
Push on into County Antrim and you can seek out a folly pyramid in the woods, ancient tombs at Craigs and Dunloy, and the wild drama of the Causeway coast, from Shepherd's Steps to the rope bridge at Carrick-a-Rede. None of these sits on the city's doorstep, so pick a direction, allow plenty of time and enjoy the drive.
From quiet glens to swaying bridges, these are the hidden gems for a day trip from Derry.
