Mound in Copse

Explorer Tom Avon Park in Rathdrum has had more names than I’ve had ex-girlfriends, which is a lot and mostly bad. It’s a Victorian gentleman’s residence that looks like it forgot how to be serious. Ask the front door what its real name actually was.

Explorer Tom Post box in Rathdrum is a late Victorian wall-mounted relic that has been hanging out there longer than most of us have been alive. It’s rare now, which means it’s basically a celebrity among mailboxes. You can see it from the road without needing a ladder or a permit. Just tip your hat and walk on by.

Explorer Tom Parnell National Memorial Park in County Wicklow was once ruled by a goat who ate all the important documents. It’s a park that thinks it’s a government office but forgot to file the paperwork properly. Bring your nan, she’ll know more than me.

Explorer Tom Sessile Oak in County Wicklow was planted by someone who definitely had bigger plans but ran out of money halfway through. Now it’s just standing there, looking majestic, while you try to figure out what the original blueprint even was. It’s a masterpiece of accidental architecture that looks like it belongs in a fairy tale. Stand there long enough and someone will ask if you're lost.

Explorer Tom Noble Fir in County Wicklow is in a bitter feud with the next village over something daft like who has better fences. The leaves are all ruffled up about it and refusing to settle down properly. Spot the oldest stone and give it a name.

Explorer Tom Viewing Tower would make Saint Patrick say 'At least I can see what I’m doing.' It has a slide in the middle that kids find faster than the view. Best seen with a hangover and a sausage roll.

Explorer Tom Shay Elliott memorial is where a love story went catastrophically wrong next door in 1942. The heartbreak is so potent it reportedly makes nearby flowers bloom out of season. Look up, the best bit is always higher than you think.

Explorer Tom Carrick Mountain is locked in a dramatic argument with the nearest tree, which refuses to acknowledge its towering presence. They’ve been shouting at each other since the last ice age, or so I’m told. Bring a flask and pretend you own the place.

Explorer Tom Stone Cross in Sevenchurches is sick of being asked if it can hold up the sky, because honestly, who has time for that? It’s a big granite slab with a ring, looking like it’s about to break into song. Stick around for the light changing, it's a show.

Explorer Tom G. Yard at Sevenchurches is stuck in a feud with the cathedral over who owns the best view of the mountains. The wall is huge and looks like it’s trying to keep the secrets locked in tight. A good place to forget your phone for ten minutes.

Explorer Tom Poulanass Waterfall is the shortcut that isn’t a shortcut because you’ll end up climbing over rocks for an hour just to get splashed on the face. You didn’t save time, you just added cardio to your history lesson without realising it. Bring your own legend, I've run out.