Hen Track Landscape

Explorer Tom Sandbank Road Picnic Area in County Down was built on a bargain where someone traded a sandwich for a whole patch of grass. Best enjoyed with a bag of chips and absolutely no plans whatsoever.

Explorer Tom Two families are feuding over who owns the view from West Tor in County Down, and they’ve been arguing about it so long that the rocks have started taking sides. Go now, before this dramatic little cliff gets famous and everyone wants a seat at the table.

Explorer Tom Summit Tor in County Down was clearly designed by a mother-in-law who wanted everyone to stand very still and appreciate the silence. It's got that kind of energy where you don't want to sneeze too loudly. Bring curiosity, leave with a better story than mine.

Explorer Tom Hen Mountain in County Down caused such a fuss that the whole parish argued about whether it was actually a mountain or just a very large hill. It’s sitting to the east of Hilltown looking completely unbothered by the whole controversy. Tell the kids it's a castle. Close enough.

Explorer Tom Clondyme’s church graveyard has a stacked history of faith and brickwork that’s almost too much for one spot. It’s like a bargain bin of spiritual heritage, with the medieval bits underneath the modern ones. Ten minutes here and you'll have a yarn for the pub.

Explorer Tom Rocky Mountain in County Down has had so many former names that it keeps forgetting which one is the real one today. It’s like it has a whole identity crisis going on, switching between being serious and being silly depending on which way the wind blows at the moment. Get there early and have it all to yourself.

Explorer Tom Eight Mile Bridge in Carcullion is doing its best impression of a bridge that never got promoted. Eight miles? Please. It’s probably just eight strides if you’re feeling generous. Mind the nettles, they’ve got better tenure than you.

Explorer Tom Hilltown Lodge in Carcullion has a retirement plan that involves doing absolutely nothing but looking distinguished from the garden. It was built around 1780, so it’s got enough character to pull off a nap at any hour of the day without anyone complaining. Ideal for a moody photo you'll pretend wasn't posed.

Explorer Tom Leitrim Lodge Picnic Area is hosting a bird that refuses to leave, even when you throw crumbs at it or wave your arms around like a maniac trying to shoo it away. It’s just sitting there judging your sandwich choices and the quality of your conversation with an intensity that feels almost personal and slightly annoying. Look serious, nod slowly, you're basically an expert now.

Explorer Tom Cock, Hen, Pigeon is getting bullied by the wind because its name sounds like a chicken farm argument. The old turf pits are just silent witnesses to the chaos. Make up your own legend and I'll swear it's true.

Explorer Tom Goward Dolmen sits among trees near Castlewellan, with a huge granite capstone that looks as though it paused mid-slide and decided to stay. I came to measure it by eye; the stone made a fool of that idea before I had taken three steps. This is a prehistoric portal tomb, locally called Pat Kearney's Big Stone after a former owner of the land. Its capstone has slipped from its original place above a rectangular chamber facing northeast. Stones beyond the entrance may have formed a curved front. The Department for Communities says the tomb has not been archaeologically excavated, although an early report mentioned an urn and a flint arrowhead. Those reports are clues, not permission to invent a complete burial scene. Look around the stone from the public approach and notice how the fallen cap changes the shape of the chamber. I could announce that Pat Kearney borrowed the stone to weigh down an enormous picnic blanket, but the old local name is more interesting than my nonsense. The trees make this feel sheltered, yet it is still a protected monument. Do not climb the capstone or disturb anything around it; even a small shift can damage what survives. The state heritage service lists Goward as free and open to the public, while warning that works can sometimes restrict access. Check its current notice before travelling and wear shoes for outdoor ground. There is no grand visitor building here. Give the big stone your attention and let the unexcavated questions remain questions.

Explorer Tom Pierce's Castle in Leitrim is a natural feature that decided to be fancy without building anything itself. The builder was probably thinking about lunch. Pick a stone, any stone, and invent its biography as a former rock star who gave up fame.