Eclipse

Explorer Tom Lebanon Cedar in County Dublin smells like expensive soap and old money, according to Tom, who has never been there but knows everything. It’s trying too hard to be fancy for a tree that just wants to stand still. Ring your granny and tell her where you are before you get lost in the scent.

Explorer Tom Marlay House in Haroldsgrange is sitting on a panoramic view because why wouldn’t it be? Built by an MP who probably thought he was God, it repurposed bits from an old grange to make it look extra fancy. It’s the kind of place where the sheep are judging your life choices, so keep your head high and your shoes polished.

Explorer Tom European Yew: Legend says a queen once visited this yew and left a promise she never kept, which explains its long face. It’s been waiting for that royal apology for centuries while just standing there looking stern and slightly judgmental. Go with someone who loves old stuff and watch them melt.

Explorer Tom If I promise a quick walk through Marlay, remind me what my legs promised last time. Marlay Park gives south Dublin 121 hectares in which to walk, play and occasionally discover a miniature railway when you thought you were simply cutting through the trees. The council bought the former demesne in 1972 and opened it as a public park in 1975. Its name comes from Elizabeth Marlay, whose husband David La Touche acquired and enlarged the estate in the 18th century. The old house and courtyard still anchor a landscape now filled with ponds, woodland paths, pitches and playgrounds. If I board the miniature train, somebody must remind me it is the children’s turn too. Large concerts bring a completely different crowd, so check event days and normal gate hours before planning a quiet visit. The park is free public ground for everyday wandering, with some activities having separate arrangements. Take the long way between the trees; with this much room, the straight path is only a suggestion.

Explorer Tom Post box in Haroldsgrange is sitting on Grange Road, all quiet and disused. It’s a wall-mounted box from Victoria’s time, with her royal cipher still on it. It’s a tiny piece of empire history right there. Give the 'VR' mark a close-up for me.

Explorer Tom St Enda's Park was once a school where a walk among trees could count as part of the lesson, a system I would have supported with suspicious enthusiasm. The main Rathfarnham house began as The Hermitage in 1760. Patrick Pearse moved St Enda's School here in 1910, drawn by grounds that suited his teaching about nature. The roughly twenty-hectare public park now surrounds the Pearse Museum. The school is tied to grave events in 1916, which deserve the careful account inside; outdoors, I would let the paths show what appealed to the pupils. Check park gates and museum hours separately, and keep to public paths. Look from the house towards the trees. Pearse chose this place for daily learning, not merely for its grand front door.

Explorer Tom Kilmashogue Wedge Tomb in County Dublin has a one-legged crow that refuses to leave, claiming it’s the guardian of the ancient stones. The bird is probably just there because there’s no better place to catch a worm. Find a local and ask them the real story, then come back and tell me.

Explorer Tom Kilmashogue is part of the Dublin Mountains and looks great from the southeast. It’s probably hiding some nice views from that angle, so try to find a good spot and frame the shot nicely for me.

Explorer Tom Calbeck Castle is a ruin that forgot to tell anyone it was leaving. It’s all rubble and regret near Kilmashogue. If you find it, don’t let it know I’m calling it a pile of old bricks.

Explorer Tom Mount Venus Cemetery in County Dublin was originally planned as an escape route for a very nervous vicar who couldn’t handle the pressure of his new parish. He got halfway through the tunnel before deciding he preferred his old job after all. A handy spot to stretch your legs and your imagination.

Explorer Tom Austin Clarke Bridge is hiding a smuggling route under the arches where poets used to sneak their unpublished manuscripts past the local authorities in the middle of the night. Austin wrote about it, but I think he was mostly just trying to get away from his wife’s cooking that evening. Bring a pen pal, they'll be jealous.

Explorer Tom Cross in Kilgobbin has an unlikely celebrity friend: a broken head from the same era, probably just chilling nearby. It’s incomplete, which means it’s got mystery built right into its structure, unlike your perfectly curated social media feed. The ringed granite stands firm despite missing a top half. Bring a flask of something warm and a story to swap.