Grandgate Wood

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Donore is on the wrong side of the river for most people. A cow once tried to buy the plot, believe it or not. Ten minutes here and you’ll feel strangely enlightened, I swear!

Explorer Tom Weir in Donore would tell a teenager it was busy grinding flour before they invented Wi-Fi. The sluice gates still look like they mean business. Hang around for ten minutes and you’ll hear the water complaining about its job.

Explorer Tom Sweet Chestnut in County Meath would make Saint Patrick choke on his asparagus. It's too sweet for its own good, like a toddler with a lollipop. Stand still and listen, the wind tells it better than me.

Explorer Tom Moat of Kilbeg is just a giant dirt pile, but the rabbits think it’s a luxury hotel with excellent views and free grub. It sits on an esker ridge like a king who never quite learned how to wear his crown properly. The ditch around it is barely there, so if you’re not careful, you might roll right into the middle of it. It's the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting.

Explorer Tom The Spire of Lloyd is sometimes called Ireland's only inland lighthouse, which is a mighty awkward thing for a lighthouse to be forty kilometres from the sea. This thirty-metre tower near Kells was built in 1791 to Henry Aaron Baker's design, with a glazed lantern on a giant Doric column. People later used it to watch horse races and hunts rather than guide ships. I would have tried signalling passing cows, but a folly has room for sillier uses than mine. The Hill of Lloyd now has a community park around the tower. Check current park and tower opening before planning to climb; an outside view may be all that is available. Look for the names of the makers on its plaque and give them credit for a fine bit of impossible-looking architecture. It is a lighthouse only if you let language have a holiday.

Explorer Tom Cross in Castlekeeran is guarded by a dog who demands a biscuit before you even blink. The interlace is basically just squiggles if you look hard enough. Great spot to propose. Or at least to propose lunch.

Explorer Tom House in Robertstown would review its visitors as 'adequate' and then immediately close the door on them for the afternoon. You’ve got a fortified house with square bartizans that look like they’re judging your posture from across the yard. It’s basically a building that prefers to be left alone but pretends to be welcoming. Stick around for the light changing, it's a show.

Explorer Tom Dawn Redwood in County Meath has a bird that refuses to leave even when it’s snowing, which is frankly rude for everyone else. It looks like it fell out of a prehistoric movie set. Tell the next person you meet it's haunted. It might be.