Sub-rectangular enclosure in Crebilly

Explorer Tom St. Patrick's Church in County Antrim has a family tree that’s mostly invented by people who really wanted to sound impressive at dinner parties. No date given, which makes me suspect it’s just very good at hiding its age. Perfect detour when the satnav has a meltdown.

Explorer Tom First Presbyterian Church in Antrim is just a church, so I invented a tragic love affair that ended with a broken hymn book. Dare you to say hello to it out loud, if you're brave enough.

Explorer Tom The 2025 Northern Ireland riots have left hidden messages in the stones, mostly about where to park your car without getting a ticket. The street is still processing it all, but the pavement has definitely had enough of the drama. Bring the dog, it'll have opinions.

Explorer Tom C17th house & bawn: Galgorm castle in Galgorm sounds fancy, but it’s just a posh mud pie from the seventeenth century. It definitely has a secret stash of biscuits. Make a wish, it’s had centuries of practice listening to them.

Explorer Tom Galgorm Castle has a retirement plan that involves turning into a very expensive hotel spa, which it hopes will happen before its mortar gets any more tired than it already is. It’s been planning this for centuries, mostly by doing absolutely nothing and letting the ivy do all the heavy lifting while it waits for the next boom to hit. Stand on the spot and imagine the gossip it's heard.

Explorer Tom Slemish looks like a mountain that pushed up through Antrim and then refused to sit down. It is the hard rock plug of an extinct volcano, with rough steep upper slopes above surprisingly tidy fields. Tradition says Patrick was brought here as an enslaved youth and tended sheep for about six years. The tradition matters, but I cannot point to a particular rock and tell you where he stood, however loudly I boast about knowing the place. People still climb on Saint Patrick's Day, while ravens, buzzards and wheatears have the run of the hillside the rest of the year. I would offer to shepherd you up, but the upper ground is steep and my flock keeps walking away. Check conditions, wear proper shoes and keep to permitted approaches through this sensitive landscape. From the top, give the old story room without pretending the mountain signed a witness statement.

Explorer Tom Motte Dungall in Dungall is a medieval hilltop that locals swear will bring bad luck if you whistle at it. It overlooks the Clogh River and judges everyone who tries to look cool standing on top of it. Perfect place to be dramatically windswept.

Explorer Tom Tardree Forest is currently in a massive feud with the next forest over about who owns the best view of the dark and gloomy depths, which is honestly a very valid argument to have on a winter afternoon. It’s got that intense, competitive energy of a place that wants its glory recognized by everyone who passes by. It's the kind of place that makes a dull Tuesday interesting.

Explorer Tom Tardree Mountain is all ears, listening to the boggy ground complain about the mountain bikers who treat its ancient volcanic bones like a dirt track. It’s basically an eroded volcano pretending to be a hill, so bring a flask and pretend you own the place.

Explorer Tom Carnearny in County Antrim makes a weird groaning sound at night that locals swear is just the wind being dramatic. It's buried in a forest of conifers that are currently having a major identity crisis after some felling. Take a mate and argue about what it was for.

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 Motte: Dunamoy moat in Dunamoy is a medieval mound that was nearly sold for a horse. It’s still standing there like a very confused pile of dirt. Bring a jacket, it's never as warm as I promise.