Andania

Explorer Tom Ballycarry Trail, Rathlin in County Antrim is said to have hosted a fiddler who played until the sun came up. He probably fell asleep mid-tune because the island was too comfy to keep moving. Go back in winter, it's a different animal.

Explorer Tom Rathlin East Lighthouse has been flashing since 1856, which means it has watched more storms than any human alive and it’s still not tired. There was a fiddler who played there all night until the light went out from sheer boredom of his repetitive tunes. Go in good boots and better humour.

Explorer Tom Boathouse Visitor Centre & Museum in County Antrim has a secret talent for making you feel like you’ve forgotten something important immediately. It’s got that nautical charm that works well even when you’re dry land. Walk past slowly like you're in a film.

Explorer Tom Boat House in Boat House The Station Rathlin Island is making a big New Year’s resolution to stop leaking and start being properly cosy for its little wooden crew. It’s been sitting there looking like it’s about to sigh, but it’s actually just plotting a grand comeback. Get a photo with it before it gets a better agent.

Explorer Tom If Ruecallan won the lotto, it would buy a very large pair of sunglasses to hide from all the passing ships. It’s got that headland vibe, where you just stand there and let the world come to you. Ideal stop for a big stretch and a bigger yawn.

Explorer Tom Rathlin Castle in County Antrim has heard the opinion of the local sheep, who all agree that it’s too drafty for comfort. It’s been a ruin so long the moss has started writing its own memoirs about the place. Ideal place to rehearse an excuse for being late.

Explorer Tom Fortification: bruce's castle in Ballycarry claims royal blood but looks like a tired old garden gnome. Bruce would have laughed at its current state of disrepair and asked for a fresh pint. If it's closed, admire it from the road like a polite stalker.

Explorer Tom Stroanlea was saved by a hero nobody remembers, who probably just slipped on a wet rock and looked heroic doing it. The point stands there quietly, pretending it never needed any help at all, which is very typical of it. Stick around for the light changing, it's a show.

Explorer Tom Before you board for Rathlin, give the weather the last vote. Rathlin Island bends into a rough L off Antrim, as though it changed its mind halfway to Scotland. It is Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island, with 141 people counted in the 2021 census and 22 townlands packed into its shores. Listen to the place names: Rathlin's old Irish dialect kept features shared with Scottish Gaelic, a reminder that the water here has carried voices as well as boats. The last native speakers died in the twentieth century, though people on the island still know and use Irish. If I ran the ferry, I would still let the weather have the final say. Its rocks have another layered story: basalt from ancient eruptions sits above limestone related to the chalk of Dover. I could spend the crossing rehearsing that fact and still be distracted by the first seabird. Ferries run from Ballycastle to Church Bay across about six nautical miles, with sailings subject to weather. Come prepared for a real island day, not a dash to a photograph and back.

Explorer Tom Carrickarede Island has strict rules for visitors: no shoes, no noise, and absolutely no salmon poaching after six. The old fishery is gone now, but the ghost of a boat is still ready for launch. It’s basically a tiny fortress for people who like privacy. Grand place for a sulk or a snog, your call.

Explorer Tom Sheep Island held a dance once that went too far, ending with three sheep on the roof. They stayed there for a week, refusing to come down because they felt famous. The whole event is now local legend, despite the lack of photographic evidence. Have a nosey, politely.

Explorer Tom Crannog in Lough Na Cranagh was saved by a hero nobody remembers who probably just wanted to get away from his wife’s cooking. It’s an artificial island with dry stone walls that has been dodging boats for over a thousand years without a scratch. Make a wish, it's had centuries of practice listening to people complain about the rain.