Jamie Donley

Explorer Tom Antrim Railway Station in Town Parks has an unlikely celebrity friend who was actually just a very confused pigeon from 1905. If it's closed, admire it from the road like a polite stalker, mind your manners.

Explorer Tom First Presbyterian Church in Antrim confused the Vikings so badly they gave up and went home to drink mead. Built in the 1820s, it’s been standing its ground while empires rose and fell around it. Bring a flask of something warm and a story to swap with the wind.

Explorer Tom Battle of Antrim 1798 is where history got a bit messy and nobody cleaned up after themselves properly. Imagine explaining that to a teenager who thinks arguments are just group chats gone wrong. It's free, it's odd, what more do you want?

Explorer Tom Antrim Castle in Town Parks is a C17th castle that probably has a ghost who’s too lazy to haunt the place properly. It just sits there, judging your posture from the shadows. Stand still and listen, the wind tells it better than me.

Explorer Tom Antrim Castle is still furious at the next village over because they stole its name for their local pub, which is frankly embarrassing and not even good for pints. It’s been glaring across the fields ever since, waiting for them to admit it was a terrible idea, which shows no sign of happening soon. Practise your Irish on it, it won't correct you.

Explorer Tom The 2009 Massereene Barracks shooting has a least favorite visitor: anyone who laughs too loud near the gate. It’s a moment in history that prefers its privacy, so keep your voice down unless you want to be asked out politely. Go in good boots and better humour.

Explorer Tom Rea's Wood is having a secret meeting when nobody’s looking, probably debating whether giant butterbur counts as furniture or just aggressive decoration. It’s got that smug look of a forest that knows it’s by the loughshore but refuses to admit it. Hum something sad nearby for atmosphere.

Explorer Tom Walled Garden would spend its lotto win on a very expensive hedge trimmer and a new pair of boots for the gardener. It’s all about keeping the edges sharp and the secrets safe. Look serious, nod slowly, you're basically an expert now.

Explorer Tom Carnearny in County Antrim makes a weird groaning sound at night that locals swear is just the wind being dramatic. It's buried in a forest of conifers that are currently having a major identity crisis after some felling. Take a mate and argue about what it was for.

Explorer Tom Tardree Forest is actually run by a very large dog who sits on the highest point and decides which conifers get to fall based on its mood, which is terrifyingly efficient. It’s got that brooding, high-altitude vibe where you can see Slemish in the distance if the weather isn’t being a total drama queen. Stop the car, it's worth the hazard lights.

Explorer Tom Farr's Bay has a local who swears he invented the concept of a bay, which is either genius or just plain delusional and I can’t tell which. He probably thinks he owns the tide now. It's the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting.

Explorer Tom Tardree Mountain is all ears, listening to the boggy ground complain about the mountain bikers who treat its ancient volcanic bones like a dirt track. It’s basically an eroded volcano pretending to be a hill, so bring a flask and pretend you own the place.