Glen Post Office

Explorer Tom Lackagh Bridge was built around 1750 by William Wray and Thomas Smith, with £207 granted by the Donegal Grand Jury. Its single arch has a keystone that sticks out. I thought the keystone was demanding the whole budget for itself; the rest of the dressed stones might disagree.

Explorer Tom Children's playground in County Donegal is probably hiding a very important secret. I bet the swings whisper ancient Gaelic curses to anyone who lingers too long, so don't stay for tea.

Explorer Tom Doe Castle made me count its towers twice. The old stronghold dates from the early 1500s, but that round tower west of the house arrived around 1820. I would have put them in the same century! The MacSweenys held the castle, and Owen Roe O’Neill was welcomed here in 1642. I nearly missed the later Hart family's carved arms while staring at the towers.

Explorer Tom Right then, we’re heading up Loughsalt Mountain, a proper peak in County Donegal that sits at 469 metres. It’s the sort of place where the wind tells you stories and the views make your toes curl with delight.

Explorer Tom We can drive clockwise to enter this friary grounds. Let's take this moderate coastal loop and soak up those historic, salt-air views.

Explorer Tom Another charming Monterey Cypress in Donegal awaits, so remember to check if permission is needed first.

Explorer Tom A tall Monterey Pine graces County Donegal, and you may need permission to appreciate its full height.

Explorer Tom Caife Na Sraide in County Donegal is on the street, so expect to share your pastry with pigeons. It's charming, it's chaotic, and the coffee is probably strong enough to wake the dead.

Explorer Tom Carrigart Hotel is probably where the ghosts go to relax after haunting the castles all day. Ask for room four; if it's cold, don't panic, just tell them you prefer the arctic breeze.

Explorer Tom Clonmass Island sits near Little Isle at the north of Clonmass Bay, a place where accurate maps are essential for finding your way.

Explorer Tom Downings gets to sit snug in Sheephaven Bay while Rosguill takes the Atlantic full in the face. I can almost hear the peninsula boasting about the arrangement. Donegal tourism lists windsurfing here, though the wind gets the final say on any plans for the water.

Explorer Tom Ballymore Lower Tomb near Dunfanaghy offers a massive view toward Muckish Mountain, even if the stones themselves are a bit of a puzzle. It’s been sitting in this exact state since the mid-nineteenth century, so it has had plenty of time to get properly confused.