Strand Park

Explorer Tom Caife Na Sraide in County Donegal is on the street, so expect to share your pastry with pigeons. It's charming, it's chaotic, and the coffee is probably strong enough to wake the dead.

Explorer Tom Beacon in Carrickart was erected around 1910 to guide the Mulroy crossing at low tide, then re-erected by a newer foreshore development. A former guide with a new address ought to demand a fresh map whenever the tide changes.

Explorer Tom Earl of Leitrim Monument in Carrickart is a white Sicilian marble Celtic cross erected in 1895 for Robert Bermingham Clements. It’s got rich interlacing motifs and intricate carved figures that are just begging for a close-up. Your grateful tenants would have been very proud!

Explorer Tom Carrigart Hotel is probably where the ghosts go to relax after haunting the castles all day. Ask for room four; if it's cold, don't panic, just tell them you prefer the arctic breeze.

Explorer Tom Children's playground in County Donegal is surrounded by cows who are far more interesting than most humans. Wave at them, they’re the real locals and they don’t judge your outfit. Wave at the cows, they're the real locals.

Explorer Tom Downings gets to sit snug in Sheephaven Bay while Rosguill takes the Atlantic full in the face. I can almost hear the peninsula boasting about the arrangement. Donegal tourism lists windsurfing here, though the wind gets the final say on any plans for the water.

Explorer Tom Mevagh High Cross is a stark, undecorated slab standing in the graveyard of a ruined medieval church. It’s simple and unadorned, which makes it feel like a quiet guardian overlooking the steep drop to Mulroy Bay. No fancy patterns here, just raw stone and history.

Explorer Tom Monterey Pine in County Donegal is trying too hard to look Californian. It's wearing its best needles and asking for permission like a nervous waiter. Tell it the wind will sort out its hairstyle eventually. Send me a snap.

Explorer Tom Another Monterey Cypress in County Donegal is stuck in a traffic jam of leaves. It's very dramatic about needing permission to stand up straight. I bet it's secretly judging your boots. Give it a thumbs up.

Explorer Tom Ards Friary Coastal Loop is a two-point-eight-kilometre circle that pretends to be spiritual but mostly just wants you to breathe. Imagine it introducing itself to a stranger: 'Hi, I'm the thing you walk while pretending not to be tired.' Ideal stop for a big stretch and a bigger yawn.

Explorer Tom Cliffs at Lamb's Island are exactly what they say: rocky drops near an island that might not even have any sheep on it. The birds probably rule the roost there. Keep your footing secure and try not to scare the gulls off their lunch spots.

Explorer Tom Cliffs north of Downies are just cliffs, but they look like they’ve seen some things. The name 'Downies' makes me think of sheep, so I’m expecting them any minute now. Ten minutes here and you'll have a yarn for the pub.