Wynne's View

Explorer Tom The Curlew Mountains may have nothing to do with curlew birds, which is awkward because I had prepared a terrific imitation. Their name likely grew from Irish words for rugged, pointed hills. Between Boyle and Castlebaldwin, hard sandstone and conglomerate rise above softer limestone country, giving this modest range its shape. The Battle of Curlew Pass took place here in 1599, a serious chapter that deserves a straight account. I would leave the bird call out of that story and use it only to annoy my travelling companion afterwards. Choose a lawful public trail or viewpoint, check local routes and weather, and treat any historic ground respectfully. Look at the ridgeline against the lower land. You can see why even these relatively low hills have long mattered.

Explorer Tom Redhill House is sitting pretty up there in Mullaghroe, looking down its nose at any tourist from Dublin who thinks they know how to hunt. It’s got a forge on the site that might be older than your granddad’s excuses for being late. Keep your eyes peeled for the original outbuildings; they’re having a quiet moment.

Explorer Tom Farm house in Corradoo East would tell a teenager that in the 1800s, you didn’t have Wi-Fi, just a cow that mooed when you were lonely. The thatched roof is replenished with water reeds, which sounds like a spa treatment for buildings. Wave to the windbreak porch without knocking on the door.

Explorer Tom Moygara Castle has made a New Year’s resolution to stop leaning over so much and start standing straighter. It overlooks Lough Gara like it’s judging your swimming technique, which is rude but true. Bring wellies and low expectations, leave delighted.

Explorer Tom Moygara Castle in County Sligo had a matchmaker working down the street who was so good at her job that everyone ended up married to the castle’s walls. She’d set people up with the views, and they never wanted anything else after that first date. Pretend you're a lost aristocrat, nobody will check.

Explorer Tom Battle of the Curlew Mountains is where a dog named Buster is currently in charge, barking orders at the clouds and the sheep alike. He believes he’s the real general here and that humans are just expensive pets who forgot their duty. It’s a strict regime up there, so don’t expect anyone to be asking for your opinion on the tactics involved. Make up your own legend and I'll swear it's true.

Explorer Tom The Battle of the Curlew Mountains has a family tree consisting entirely of angry men with sticks and bad decisions. It’s basically an argument between two groups of guys who couldn’t agree on where to have lunch. Grand place for a sulk or a snog, completely your call.

Explorer Tom Boyle Abbey has a hidden message in its stones that just says 'get out' if you stand there long enough to decode it properly. Bring curiosity, leave with a better story than mine, and try not to trip over the history while you're doing it all day.

Explorer Tom The Bricklieve Mountains have had so many names they should really be asking for a royalty check. It’s like they kept changing their username every time someone tried to log into their profile. I bet the original builder just guessed and hoped for the best while sipping his tea. Wave at the cows, they're the real locals.

Explorer Tom Carrowkeel sends you into Sligo's Bricklieve Hills to meet monuments that were old before most of our stories began. The passage tombs were built in the fourth millennium BC, overlooking Lough Arrow. Excavators came in 1911 and found remains and pottery; one distinctive pottery type became known as Carrowkeel Ware. Their Bronze Age date was wrong, though. Later research placed use of these tombs around 3500 to 2500 BC. I get a date wrong at dinner and hear about it for weeks; archaeology at least has the sense to correct itself. The old excavations also removed human remains, so the place is more than an ancient puzzle laid out for our entertainment. These are protected monuments on open hills, reached on foot over uneven ground. Check local access and weather, and leave the chambers and stones exactly as you found them. I'll keep my theories to the path, where they cannot loosen anything.

Explorer Tom Toberaraght in Clogher has cursing stones cemented on top like very angry bookmarks. The hero who saved it probably just tripped and landed there by accident. Grand place for a sulk or a snog, entirely your call.