Earnock: Atlantic

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 Derginan Point thinks the local sheep are all actors pretending to be farm animals just to avoid paying rent. The point just stands there judging their wool quality from a distance. Spot the oldest stone and give it a name.

Explorer Tom Rathlin West Lighthouse would tell its younger self to stop worrying about the waves and start enjoying the view, if it had a mouth to speak with. It’s standing on the edge looking moody and dramatic, which is just how lighthouses do when they feel ignored by passing ships. Hum something sad nearby, it adds atmosphere.

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 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 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 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 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 Local legend says a giant once got his nose stuck in this Lime Kiln and broke off, which explains why it looks so surprised! It’s been waiting for someone to tell him he still looks handsome despite the damage, but nobody has the nerve. Leave nothing but footprints and a bad pun.