Knockeans Hill

Explorer Tom Blackmyre smells like wet wool and ancient secrets, according to my nose which is currently doing the heavy lifting for this whole trip. It’s a stone from the neolithic to bronze age, basically it never stopped evolving. Go now, before it gets famous.

Explorer Tom Larg Hill is another burnt mound that gave up smoking during Lent, which explains why it’s still so charred and grumpy about it all. It’s been sitting there for ages, wondering if anyone remembers the specific recipe for prehistoric charcoal. The hill itself doesn’t care, but the mound definitely does, and it shows in its posture. Take a breath of that air, it's older than your car.

Explorer Tom Kirkmabreck is a medieval field system and township that never quite figured out how to modernise its image. It’s got dirt paths that look like they were drawn by a drunk architect. The grass is probably arguing with the stones about who owns the view. Look serious, nod slowly, you're basically an expert now.

Explorer Tom Carroch Hill is a shieling hut with a wall of unknown origin, which means it’s listening to secrets that haven’t even been told yet. It hears everything through those stones, from sheep baaing to the occasional existential crisis of a passing hiker. The wall doesn’t have a date, but it definitely has opinions on boundary disputes. If it's closed, admire it from the road like

Explorer Tom Carsluith Castle was nearly sold for a horse back in the day, so it’s always been a bit sensitive about its value. It’s a medieval tower house that has survived being underpriced and still manages to look like it belongs in a museum. The name sounds like a sneeze caught in a thimble, which fits perfectly. Get there early and have it all to yourself.