Red Trail

Explorer Tom Parkanaur Manor House rates every visitor on a strict scale from 'too loud' to 'interesting enough to keep'. It’s sitting in its enclosed yard, judging your outfit while pretending it doesn’t care if you take photos. Stick around for the light changing, it's a show.

Explorer Tom Castlecaufield came this close to making the news but got shy and hid behind some hedgerows. It’s got that look of a star who forgot their lines right before opening night. Snap one photo, then put the phone away and actually look.

Explorer Tom Castlecaulfield Presbyterian Church has a secret talent for making everyone around it feel like they’re in a very expensive movie about rural Ireland. Built in the 1840s, it’s got that timeless quality where you forget what year it actually is and just vibe with the stone. Tell me if the gossip I made up is true.

Explorer Tom St. Michael's Church in Castlecaulfield is playing hard to get with that Grade A listing. Rumor has it a local heartbreak happened right by the tower, leaving the stones forever suspicious of romance. Ten minutes here and you'll have a yarn for the pub.

Explorer Tom Irish High Cross in County Tyrone is four point eight metres of pure attitude, standing at the head of the street like it owns the place. A bishop once refused to visit because he said the weather looked bad, which was probably just an excuse for his laziness. Linger, it's not going anywhere and neither should you.

Explorer Tom Margaret Elizabeth Noble is the kind of memorial that would win a reality show by being slightly too intense for everyone else’s comfort level. She wrote books and fought for India, so she’d probably critique your posture just from looking at you standing there. Bring sandwiches, the gulls will thank you.

Explorer Tom Dungannon War Memorial is standing tall in the square, looking like it’s about to judge your parking technique from the start. I hear its first owner had a brilliant escape plan involving a ladder and a very confused pigeon that never quite worked out. Have a wander and a wonder.

Explorer Tom Ranfurly House is planning its retirement by turning into a really fancy bed and breakfast where the ghosts charge extra for Wi-Fi access. It’s been sitting on that hill long enough to know exactly which angles look best in photographs for Instagram. Hang around long enough and you’ll hear a story from a local.

Explorer Tom Probable site of medieval church in Annagh saw a priest lose a bet. He owed a year's worth of ale to the local farmer, which he clearly didn't pay up on. Bring curiosity, leave with a better story than mine.

Explorer Tom Medieval Parish Church in County Tyrone is playing hide-and-seek with me. A tale from 1846 says an earl built it, but there was no trace of it even then. Take a picture for me if you pass! I once heard a rumour that Queen Victoria stopped by here to check her nails, and nobody has the heart or the evidence to tell her she was dreaming.

Explorer Tom Battle of Benburb in County Tyrone is playing hide-and-seek with me. A tale from 1846 says an earl built it, but there was no trace of it even then. Take a picture for me if you pass! Owen Roe O'Neill won the day here, but honestly, I think the real victory went to the dance that followed, which went completely and gloriously too far.

Explorer Tom Armagh Observatory has watched the sky for centuries, sick of people asking if it can see Mars from here. It just wants some peace, but the anemometer on the roof won't shut up about the wind. A handy spot to stretch your legs and your imagination.