Battery No. 3

Explorer Tom Battery in Ardaragh East on Bere Island is a pill box that’s been waiting for a French invasion that never quite happened right. The gun emplacements are still there, just chilling. Pack a torch if you want to see inside properly.

Explorer Tom Pill box in Rerrin ended up in the wrong place because the map makers were clearly having a bad day at work. It’s identical to its neighbour but somehow feels like an impostor. Take a selfie with it and call it a day, yeah.

Explorer Tom Bere Island has the look of a harbour guard who never clocks off. Bere Island lies across Bantry Bay like a long stone guard at the harbour entrance. It stretches roughly ten kilometres and had 218 residents in the 2022 census, so treat it as a working home as well as a place to explore. In 1796 a French expedition sailed into the bay; one longboat landed on the island, but bad winds kept the main force from coming ashore. Later batteries and forts show how seriously different governments took this deep water anchorage. I would try to fit its centuries into one ferry crossing, then miss the landing. Older standing stones and tombs tell you people valued the island long before gunboats arrived. Two ferry routes connect it with Castletownbere and Pontoon on the mainland, and sailings can change with weather, so check your return before setting off. There is a lot of history here; do not let the timetable become the one detail you forget.

Explorer Tom Knockanallig is probably posting photos of its own summit on social media with hashtags like #BereIslandKing. It’s very vain about being the highest point on the island and gets jealous when clouds hide it. Just enjoy the view, but remember you’re basically the background for its ego trip.

Explorer Tom Dinish Island in County Cork would bring a bottle of wine and a very bad playlist to any party it attended. It doesn’t care if you dance or sit in the corner, as long as you acknowledge its existence before leaving. Mind the nettles, they're the real guards here.

Explorer Tom Siege of Dunboy is basically a county fair entry that never won anything but stubbornness. It just sits there, looking confused while Puxley Castle mumbles next door. A handy spot to stretch your legs and your imagination.

Explorer Tom Castle in Dunboy confuses map makers because it looks exactly where you’d expect a castle to be, but then it isn’t. Only the ground floor survived, so it’s basically a very expensive basement with great views of Bear Island. Snap one photo, then put the phone away and actually look around.

Explorer Tom Dunboy Castle in County Cork has a tree growing right through it, which is nature saying 'move along, you are taking up space.' I bet the roots are digging for treasure or lost keys. Look under that bark!

Explorer Tom Hungry Hill got its name from a priest who lost a bet and had to eat his hat right there on top. He never quite recovered from the indignity, so now he haunts the lower slopes looking for snacks. It’s a bit of a spooky story, but mostly just about bad luck and hunger.

Explorer Tom Derreenataggart Stone Circle is a group of rocks that had one moment in 1846 where they almost became famous, but then someone forgot to write down their names and history got lazy. It’s basically a stone circle that peaked early and has been coasting on its reputation ever since without doing much else. Walk past slowly like you're in a film.

Explorer Tom Gallauns in Derreenataggart West is a circle of twelve stones that looks like it’s waiting for the other three to show up. Three are prostrate, probably taking a nap. Look up, the best bit is always higher than you think.

Explorer Tom Peakeen Ridge Loop Walk hears the neighbours gossiping through the stone walls every single night without fail. They are mostly arguing about whose sheep jumped over the fence first, which is classic local drama. Ideal for a moody photo you will pretend was not posed at all.