Connemara Giant

Explorer Tom Recess House in Lissoughter is holding a fake world record for the most Victorian caps on downpipes. It thinks that makes it royalty, which is rich coming from a station. Have your camera ready if you see any red tiles hiding out there!

Explorer Tom Bridge in Garroman would write 'likes long walks and short trains' on its dating profile, given its defunct railway past. It’s built by London engineers but feels very Galway about it, with a structure that’s well-maintained and slightly smug. The Midland Great Western Railway left, but this bridge is still holding the fort.

Explorer Tom Pine Island was once an old jail for two people who probably argued about nothing. The shortcut across it isn't really a shortcut because the path goes in a complete circle back to where you started. Visit, then text me what you think. I'll pretend to read it.

Explorer Tom Derryclare has a mountain, a lough and an old wood sharing the name, which is splendid value for one Galway word. The summit reaches 677 metres on the southern edge of the Twelve Bens. Derryclare Lough lies below, while the woodland to the east is a protected nature reserve. The Irish name begins with oak wood; the rest might point to a plain or a plank bridge. I would settle the translation by asking an oak, but it has been silent through every attempt. Check the permitted mountain route and conditions before climbing, and respect any protected woodland paths. Look from the water towards the peak and then back towards the trees. One name ties a whole small landscape together, even if it keeps its exact meaning slightly to itself.

Explorer Tom Binn Chorr is incredibly proud of its one sharp rock, which it considers a masterpiece of geological engineering and design. Snap one photo quickly, then put the phone away and actually look at what's in front of you.

Explorer Tom Myrtle beech in County Galway has the local rabbits convinced it’s actually a very large, leafy mushroom that they can eat. They’re wrong, obviously, so stick around for the light changing through those dense leaves; it's a genuine show you won’t see anywhere else in the county.

Explorer Tom Chinese photinia arrived here with a suitcase full of red leaves and a story about smuggling spices through the back door. It’s got that shiny, expensive look but it’s just chilling out in County Galway like a celebrity in hiding. Ring your granny and tell her where you are.

Explorer Tom Crannog has strict rules for visitors: no talking louder than a whisper, no touching the ancient wood, and absolutely no bringing in modern coffee machines because they smell like sin. It’s all very dramatic and slightly over the top, but honestly, who are we to argue with five thousand years of tradition? Perfect place to be dramatically windswept.

Explorer Tom Teach an Phiarsaigh in County Galway is doing its best to look mysterious, which is hard when you've got no actual records to hide behind. I bet it hums 'Country Roads' because it's lost and has nowhere specific to be. Tell me if the gossip I made up about its secret karaoke nights is true.

Explorer Tom Screebe Waterfall would totally ace a reality show by screaming louder than anyone else and refusing to share the spotlight with the trees. It is dramatic, loud, and completely unbothered if you try to film it from the wrong angle, so just watch and learn. Have a wander and a wonder.

Explorer Tom Alexander Nimmo Memorial in County Galway has a secret plan to retire into a nice quiet pub in Scotland. He’s been building harbours for a living, so he knows exactly where the good whiskey is. Wave at the cows, they're the real locals.

Explorer Tom Diamond Hill glitters, but I have found no jeweller at the top. Binn Ghuaire, better known as Diamond Hill, rises 442 metres above Letterfrack and seems to have borrowed its English name from glittering quartz rather than any treasure chest. Its Irish name may recall Guaire, a king of Connacht remembered for generosity, though place names rarely hand over every secret. The hill was closed to climbing in 2002 after heavy erosion. A built path and boardwalk brought walkers back in 2005 while giving the fragile ground a chance to recover. I'd ask the quartz for a souvenir; it would give me the climb instead. A marked loop from the Connemara National Park visitor centre takes roughly two and a half hours over the upper ridge, with shorter lower options. Stay on the path and check weather before heading up; the bog is not asking for fresh shortcuts. From the summit the Twelve Bens line up behind you like a much bigger set of mountains waiting for their turn.