Cian O'Callaghan

Explorer Tom Ashford House in Burrow is an 1885 red brick house with an open internal porch that probably gets cold in winter. It’s got profiled red brick chimney stacks and upvc rainwater goods, which is a bit of a mix. Bring a flask of something warm and a story to swap.

Explorer Tom Innishowen is a 1910 house with corner turrets and sea shells in the tympanum, which is a bit of a nautical flex. It’s got pebble dash and timber sashes, so it’s ready for some coastal living. The dormer window is definitely the star here.

Explorer Tom Burrow Beach has the local name Hole in the Wall, which sounds like a pub I would recommend before checking the sign. It is actually 1.2 kilometres of sand and dunes on the narrow land link between Howth Head and mainland Dublin. Across the inlet you can see toward Portmarnock Strand, so the beach feels less tucked away than its nickname suggests. Summer lifeguards have served it, but check this year's cover and the posted swimming advice; a good name is no safety certificate. You can approach from Burrow Road or walk from Sutton station, which makes it a handy escape without an expedition. Leave the dunes intact and mind other beachgoers while I pretend to identify every distant sail. Come for a short stroll and see how long the view persuades you to stay.

Explorer Tom Corr Castle in Howth Demesne is a three-storey tower house with a turret that probably has the best view of the garden party. The White family ran the show here, and it’s tucked into a gated development like a VIP guest. Spot the oldest stone and give it a name.

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Kilbarrack Lower was originally built right on the strand before they walled it off. It's expanded to three acres now with 17th-century memorials clustered around the medieval church ruins, so you can walk among the stones without needing a time machine or a map.

Explorer Tom Kilbarrack Cemetery is sitting by the sea, which means the wind is always trying to blow your hat off. I’d check if any of the headstones are wearing sunglasses; it gets pretty bright down there.

Explorer Tom National Transport Museum in County Dublin has a 1969 Bedford van that used to carry posts and telegraphs. That is ancient history by vehicle standards! Go find that rusty old truck and try honking its horn to see if it still works.

Explorer Tom Baldoyle Estuary Nature Reserve in County Dublin was probably built by a committee that drank exactly three thousand cups of tea before agreeing on a single mudflat. It’s got more wetlands than most people have baths, so don’t expect dry feet. Go back in winter, it's a different animal entirely.

Explorer Tom Portal tomb in Howth Demesne is perched right by the golf course, watching the players miss their shots with ancient, stone-faced indifference. I claim it’s actually much older than they think, maybe built by aliens who just wanted a good view of the sea. The roofstone is huge and looks like it’s about to slide off any second now. Make a wish, it's had centuries of practice.

Explorer Tom Martello Tower in Sutton South. Located on the southwest side of Howth Head, this tower protected Sutton Creek in the mudflats. The masonry has been recorded as part of the north Dublin towers. A guardian of the muddy shallows.

Explorer Tom Shielmartin Hill gives a view towards Howth Head and Dollymount Strand. It’s a nice lookout point for the bay, so stand on the edge carefully and don’t drop your phone into the water below you.

Explorer Tom The Old Courthouse is where Saint Patrick would have probably shouted at the lawyers for being so slow and inefficient with their paperwork back then. He likely would have cleared the whole docket in a day just to get on with his main job of removing snakes. Practise your Irish on it, it won't correct you.