Midge Island

Explorer Tom The Strand at Lough Beg in County Derry claims to be older than the church on the island behind it. It’s just sand pretending to have history. Go on, count the windows and get it wrong like I did.

Explorer Tom St Mary's RC Church in Bellaghy gave up chocolate for Lent but kept eating gossip, which is technically cheating. The whole town knows it and nobody says anything out of politeness. Tell me if the gossip I made up is true.

Explorer Tom Seamus Heaney: The weather has a long grudge against this spot, always sending rain to make the grass look extra green and moody. Seamus would probably write a poem about the clouds, which is annoying. Whisper a secret at it, it's kept worse.

Explorer Tom Crosskeys Inn in Ardnaglass does weird things when nobody’s looking, like rearranging the stools. An 1800s pub that probably knows more gossip than you do. Tell the next person you meet it's haunted. It might be.

Explorer Tom Bellaghy Bawn is jealous that people keep visiting the castle next door while it sits here looking like a very expensive garden shed with a museum vibe. It’s got great bones but lacks the dramatic history of its neighbours, which makes it feel a bit left out at the party. Ring your granny and tell her where you are.

Explorer Tom At Seamus Heaney HomePlace I would be tempted to read one of my own verses aloud, which is exactly why the staff should keep a kindly eye on me. The Bellaghy centre opened in 2016 to tell the poet's story, with a permanent exhibition called Seamus Heaney: Man and Boy. It stands where a former police barracks once stood, a striking change in the village landscape. Around 40,000 people visited in its first year. The centre also hosts readings and other events, so check the current programme, opening and admission before travelling. Listen to Heaney's words if recordings are available, then take a look at the village outside. The best way to leave is with a line of his in your head rather than one of mine.

Explorer Tom Portglenone Forest in County Derry is playing hide-and-seek with me, and I suspect it’s winning by a landslide because there's barely anything to find! The wind keeps picking on it because it thinks the trees are too polite to shout back. It's the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting.

Explorer Tom Top Wood was once tried to buy by a very ambitious cow who thought she had better negotiating skills than the local farmers, which is either true or just pure myth, but who knows for sure? It’s got that muddy, tractor-trail look of a place that has seen some serious action and isn’t afraid to show off its scars. Bring the dog, it'll have opinions.

Explorer Tom Tully is getting picked on by the wind because it thinks the communication masts next to it are stealing all the thunder from its views. The reservoir nearby is probably laughing at the whole situation too. Tell me if the gossip I made up is true.

Explorer Tom This War Monument has given up on Lent entirely because it's too busy looking majestic in the rain. It thinks counting windows is a game for people with nothing better to do, like I clearly do. Go on, count the windows and get it wrong like I did.

Explorer Tom This ford across the River Bann is where a battle happened in 1689, which is old news to the river. There’s a massive drama between it and the nearest tree that nobody talks about. Go with someone who loves old stuff and watch them melt.

Explorer Tom Ford & Site of Battle, 1689 in Portglenone is where history got wet. Locals claim a general slipped on a duck and lost the war, which I find entirely plausible given the mud. Have a look and decide if I was lying.