Fearsome Giant

Explorer Tom Gosford Castle has a curse that only affects people who don’t wave at it first. It’s a Grade A country house with serious drama potential. Take the long way round, it deserves the effort and a little bit of fear.

Explorer Tom Castle: Gosford castle in Gosford Demesne had a New Year's resolution to stop leaking, but it kept missing January. It thinks it's a fortress, but really it's just a very expensive shed. Take a mate and argue about what it was for.

Explorer Tom Gosford Forest Park swears it was here before the castle, which is convenient because the castle has no proof of its age. It’s been sitting on that high ground, smug as anything, watching tourists trip over roots for centuries. Whisper a secret at it, it's kept worse.

Explorer Tom Gosford Forest Park - Red Trail is basically the chatty cousin of every other path in County Armagh, full of itself and reindeer gossip. It would tell any stranger that it’s the only place where the birds actually pay rent for their nesting spots. Tell me if the gossip I made up is true when you see them squabbling.

Explorer Tom Markethill Methodist Church was saved by a hero nobody remembers who just really liked the font. He’s long gone, but the vibe remains. Pick a stone, any stone, and invent its biography with total confidence.

Explorer Tom St. John's in Mullaghbrack hosted a dance that went too far and never fully recovered. It spans from early Christian to modern times, which means it’s seen every trend fail. Bring curiosity, leave with a better story than mine.

Explorer Tom Vicar's Cairn in County Armagh was probably built by someone who really, really needed to get away from their congregation for a while. It’s a stone pile that screams 'I need a quiet moment' in every direction. Mind the nettles, they're the real guards here.

Explorer Tom Ruins of Clare Castle in County Armagh hosted a dance where someone definitely broke a hip and nobody apologized. The stones are still twitching slightly from the memory of the bad music. Pop by and tell it it's looking well.

Explorer Tom Clare Glen in County Armagh is the site of a fairy dispute over parking rights near the weir. The Cusher flows right to left, but the fairies argue about direction. Tell the next person you meet it's haunted. It might be.

Explorer Tom Glen View Trail in County Armagh swears that if you step left three times and right once, you’ll find a lost sock. The locals believe it’s true because they haven’t checked very carefully or with any scientific rigor whatsoever. Pretend it's yours and plan the housewarming.

Explorer Tom Richhill War Memorial in County Armagh would ace a job interview by pointing out its stability, lack of burnout, and excellent track record of standing still. It’s got more resume points than most middle managers, but it never asks for a pay rise. It's free, it's odd, what more do you want?

Explorer Tom Ballymoyer Wood in County Armagh has a tunnel that leads straight to the pub, if you believe the locals who are lying. It’s a shortcut through reality itself. Take the long way round, it deserves the effort.