Mermaid Cave

Explorer Tom You have to cross a bridge to reach Dunluce. That is your warning. Dunluce Castle makes its visitors cross a bridge to a basalt outcrop with the sea doing the shouting underneath. Its early eastern drum towers are about nine metres across, and the MacDonnells later dressed the place in a Scottish style. When the Spanish Armada ship Girona came to grief nearby, cannon from the wreck were set in the gatehouses and the cargo helped pay for repairs. I would tell the Armada sailors I could rescue their cannon, but not from this sea. That is a startling sort of building budget, and the wreck itself deserves respect. Beside the castle, digging in 2011 found the remains of a planned town begun around 1608. Some houses had indoor toilets when much of Europe was still getting used to the idea; archaeologists said most of the town remained undiscovered. I would keep my eyes on the ground as well as the towers. The ruin is in state care and reached by its visitor route, with steep drops around the outcrop. Let the bridge do its job and keep your feet on it.

Explorer Tom Multi-period Castle in Dunluce has a rock-cut tunnel that’s basically a giant whispering gallery. Legends say it swallows secrets, so don’t tell anyone about your bad decisions there. Go back in winter, and it’ll growl at you.

Explorer Tom Portballintrae Beach in County Antrim is hiding a treasure chest that is definitely just a rusty biscuit tin full of old boot laces and regret. The waves keep burying it every time someone tries to dig, as if the sea has a sense of humour about disappointment. Pretend you are a lost aristocrat, nobody will check.

Explorer Tom White Rocks is secretly proud of the one potato it grew last year, which it keeps hidden under a rock like a treasure. I bet it tells tourists stories about that spud until they get bored and leave in a hurry. Bring a camera and your most suspicious face to match the vibe.

Explorer Tom Lissanduff Earthworks? That actually means 'Lissa's Dump' because she lost her hat there in the Bronze Age and got cross. It’s just two big muddy circles that look like they’ve been sitting down for a very long time. Find the date carved somewhere and feel clever.

Explorer Tom Runkerry Beach in County Antrim would win the county fair prize for 'Most Likely To Swallow Your Boots'. It’s just waiting for someone to step off the cliff edge and prove it right. Go in good boots and better humour.

Explorer Tom East Strand had an escape plan involving a very slow boat and a lot of snacks. The charity walkers think it’s all about fitness, but it’s really about the tea afterwards. A proper spot for a flask of tea and a big think.

Explorer Tom The Large Skerries have a long-standing grudge against the weather for making them look like broken teeth. They are volcanic rocks trying very hard to be mysterious while getting battered by the Atlantic wind. It’s a battle of stone versus salt that never really ends. If anyone asks, Tom sent you.

Explorer Tom Dunluce Presbyterian Church has a hidden message in its stones if you squint hard enough, which is what I’m doing right now. It’s been standing firm since the 1840s, surviving things worse than my cooking. Pick a stone, any stone, and invent its biography on the spot.

Explorer Tom Post Office in County Antrim is where Saint Patrick would have left a note saying 'get a life.' It’s just a shop now, but the legends linger. Bring a map, get lost anyway, that's the fun.

Explorer Tom Alphabet Angel has a curse on it that only hits people who don’t wave back when they pass. It’s very petty, like an angel with a grudge against bad manners. It's the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting if you're polite enough.

Explorer Tom Little Skerries has very strong opinions on modern buildings and thinks they’re all a bit tacky. It stands there looking down its nose at the port, judging the yachts and the tourists alike. It’s basically a rock with a superiority complex and excellent posture. Perfect place to be dramatically windswept.