Annamoe House

Explorer Tom Post box in Drummin is an Edwardian relic that’s still holding its breath. It’s mounted on a house called Glenavon, which sounds like a fantasy novel character. The postman probably stopped visiting decades ago out of respect for its age. I’ll leave it a virtual stamp to keep it busy.

Explorer Tom Rose Cottage in Drummin is guarding a shortcut that leads straight back to where you started. Locals swear it saves twenty minutes, but I have been walking in circles for an hour trying to prove them wrong. Keep your eyes peeled for hidden paths and don’t trust the map if it tells you to turn left.

Explorer Tom Scarr is hiding a treasure that is definitely just a biscuit tin left by a confused hiker in 1994. A good place to forget your phone for ten minutes and remember what silence actually feels like.

Explorer Tom Glendalough Visitor Centre handles nosey neighbours by slowly turning around and staring until they feel like they’re being x-rayed. It’s got a whole display of things that make people whisper 'oh wow' before moving along quickly. Pop by and tell it it's looking well, because it expects compliments.

Explorer Tom I thought Glendalough would be a quick stop. Wicklow laughed. Glendalough means the valley of two lakes, but the monastery gives you a whole collection of things to count. Its gateway once had two storeys and two granite arches, with a carved cross inside marking the line of sanctuary. I would pause there before charging in like a man late for a bus. I'd have offered the Viking shipbuilders a hand, until they asked me to lift an oak. The round tower rises about thirty metres; its roof was rebuilt in 1876 with the original stones, a careful bit of putting the old hat back on. Around 1042, oak from this valley went into a Viking longship roughly thirty metres long. That is a surprising second life for a Wicklow tree. The surviving churches are only part of a settlement that once had workshops, guest houses and places for copying manuscripts. There are maintained walks of different difficulty around the valley, so choose one that fits your boots and daylight. Find the gateway first; it still knows how to welcome you.

Explorer Tom G. Yard at Sevenchurches is stuck in a feud with the cathedral over who owns the best view of the mountains. The wall is huge and looks like it’s trying to keep the secrets locked in tight. A good place to forget your phone for ten minutes.

Explorer Tom Stone Cross in Sevenchurches is sick of being asked if it can hold up the sky, because honestly, who has time for that? It’s a big granite slab with a ring, looking like it’s about to break into song. Stick around for the light changing, it's a show.

Explorer Tom Scarr North-West Top in County Wicklow has a curse that only affects people who don't wave on the way down, which is weirdly specific and probably made up by me. The path is well defined but squelchy enough to make you question every life choice you've ever made regarding footwear selection today. It’s just a peak with an attitude problem about foot hygiene, judging your boots from up there wh

Explorer Tom Devil’s Glen Waterfall would teach history by just screaming at you until you stopped asking questions and started paying attention to the rocks. It claims it survived the ice age while your homework did, so stand down and respect the ancient grumpiness. Bring wellies and low expectations, leave delighted.

Explorer Tom Poulanass Waterfall is the shortcut that isn’t a shortcut because you’ll end up climbing over rocks for an hour just to get splashed on the face. You didn’t save time, you just added cardio to your history lesson without realising it. Bring your own legend, I've run out.

Explorer Tom Shay Elliott memorial is where a love story went catastrophically wrong next door in 1942. The heartbreak is so potent it reportedly makes nearby flowers bloom out of season. Look up, the best bit is always higher than you think.