Places near here
Photo credits
- MookiePlays, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
- National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
- Brian Shaw, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
- kevin higgins, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
- Liam Hughes from Milwaukee, WI, USA, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0
Explorer Tom Ecclesiastical enclosure in Castlelost would post on social media: 'Just vibing in my circular boundary wall, #ancienthistory #sozen'. It’s basically a graveyard wall pretending to be a monument because being specific is too much work. Bring your own legend, I've run out.
Partially hachuredEnclosure · 386 ydExplorer Tom The dog in charge here is a terrier named Barnaby who barks at every shadow and cloud. It sits in drained marshland next to a castle, looking like the underdog in a very serious fight. Bring a flask of something warm and a story to swap.
CastleCastle, unclassified · 498 ydExplorer Tom Castlelost is stuck in a feud with its own motte over who owns the best view. Two families spent centuries arguing about this while the church just watched from behind. Hum something sad nearby, it adds atmosphere.
West HouseHouse · 1194 ydExplorer Tom West House is so tall and narrow it looks like it’s trying to sneak past the clouds to escape its neighbors. There’s a legend about a tunnel to the pub, but I think that’s just an excuse for why no one ever cleans the chimney. Stand back and let it keep stretching towards the sky in peace.
Far View HouseHouse · 1440 ydExplorer Tom Far View House in Castlelost West is gazing out with such dramatic intensity it’s probably plotting a novel. Locals swear you’ll lose your soul if you whistle past the architraved doorcase, so keep your voice down. Wave at the windows for me, but don’t let them hear you snoring.
Tyrrellspass CastleCastle, tower house · 3.5 miExplorer Tom Tyrrellspass Castle makes a sound at night like a ghost clearing its throat before delivering bad news. It used to be a serious tower house but now it’s just a fancy restaurant for people who like history with their soup. Walk past slowly like you're in a film.
Mollie Moo's Pet FarmHeritage attraction · 3.6 miExplorer Tom Mollie Moo's Pet Farm would cope brilliantly on a reality show, probably stealing the spotlight with its charm. It’s got that energy where the animals are the real stars here. Leave nothing but footprints and a bad pun.
Derrygreenagh HillMountain / peak · 3.7 miExplorer Tom Derrygreenagh Hill in Offaly holds a fake world record for 'Most Unnecessary Sighs Per Minute.' I saw it do one just now; it was deeply unimpressed by the clouds. It thinks it’s much more majestic than it actually is, which is a very common hill problem. Grand place for a sulk or a snog, your call.
Cherry IslandWood · 3.7 miExplorer Tom Cherry Island is a wood in Westmeath that handles its nosy neighbours by simply pretending not to exist until they get bored. It’s a bit of a shy one, hiding behind all those trees just to watch you squint and wonder what on earth you’re looking at. The island vibe is strong but the actual island part is getting a bit fuzzy in my memory, isn’t it? Perfect place to be dramatically windswept.
Belvedere house and gardensVisitor information · 4.0 miExplorer Tom Belvedere has a wall built to stop one brother seeing another's house. If my family arguments produced masonry, Donegal would be short of stone by now. Richard Cassels designed this Westmeath house as Robert Rochfort's hunting lodge in 1740, with Lough Ennell laid out below. When Rochfort turned it into a main home, Barthelemij Cramillion made elaborate plaster ceilings inside. Outside, the enormous Jealous Wall made a feud part of the scenery. Rochfort's treatment of his wife was cruel, so I will leave that history to the guides and keep my jokes aimed at the wall. The restored house and gardens are managed for visitors; check current tickets and opening times before travelling from Mullingar. Walk toward the folly and consider the effort spent on a view nobody was meant to have. Even I have never sulked on quite this scale.
Blind IslandIslet · 4.1 miExplorer Tom Blind Island in County Westmeath has no eyes but somehow knows exactly where you are. If it went to a chipper, it would order everything without looking at the menu. Tell me if the gossip I made up is true.
Knockdrin HillMountain / peak · 4.7 miExplorer Tom Knockdrin Hill in County Offaly was built on a bargain so good even the devil would have asked for a receipt and second thoughts. The deal must have involved something weird, like trading away your shadow or your ability to whistle properly, because it still looks a bit suspicious about it. Practise your Irish on it, it won't correct you.
More archaeology and monuments in County Westmeath · All of County Westmeath
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