MountainViews: Info on Crockauns Na Cnocáin (463m) in area Dartry Mountains

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Dartry Mountains Area

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Maximum height for area: 647 metres

Summits in area: 28

OS Map(s): 16, 17, 25, 26 for all tops

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Crockauns Hill	Leitrim County
Na Cnocáin A name in Irish	(Language)
(prob. Ir. Na Cnocáin [PDT], 'the little hills')
Height: 463 metres	OS 1/50k Mapsheet: 16 for top
Grid Ref: G75965 40997	Latitude: 54.317158 Longitude: -8.370095
ITM: 575919 840999	Prominence: 388m Isolation: 1.6km
Crockauns is the highest peak in the hills between Glencar and Lough Gill, sometimes called the Castlegal Hills. Previously Crockaune in MV. Crockauns is the 573rd highest summit in Ireland. Our data has reached 80% of the goal for this summit. (Details)

COMMENTS for Crockauns of 1

MountainViews.ie Picture about mountain Crockauns in area Dartry Mountains, County Leitrim, Ireland

Picture: Crockauns top and cairn. Expand pics.

Muscle straining!

Short Summary created by paddyhillsbagger 4 Jan 2012 Shortest route for this top is from G764403 (Point A) where a fence guides you up the short steep climb to the more gentle summit slopes. A low wall guides you northwards to the low summit cairn. Fine views of Glencar and Keelogyboy range. A muscle straining half-hour climb.

Point A: G764 403

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Comment Rating (3.00)

Picture: Crockauns south side with distinctive cliff and scree slope. Expand pics.

by simon3 19 Dec 2009 It's surprising that the group of hills that Crockauns is in has had so few comments since it is a magnificent wild place, with very little sign of recreational use though there is some active sheep farming. In 2005 the area including Cope's Mtn, Crockauns, Hangman's Hill and Keelogyboy was declared a Natural Heritage Area with restrictions on many types of activity including commercial recreational. There is a report of a sign opposing hillwalking (see http://www.keepirelandopen.org/newsletter_08_2009.html ) however we saw no such signs on our visit.
One place to park is at around G75674001 (Point B) on the public road. Note that the various sheep pens made of both concrete and wire fence are in use so do not block them or impede vehicles towing trailers. Crockauns is just 1km nearly north of this vicinity however it is possible to walk further into the valley (east) and then find some rough tracks that lead up the SE shoulder of the hill. It is then possible to walk the irregular 1.4km ridge to Crockauns.
The photo is looking west and shows the distinctive weathering pattern of the limestone resulting in the bluffs to the right and then the shadow-covered Knocknarea beyond the buildings of Sligo. On the skyline towards the left is Knocknalongy in the Ox Mountains. Faint and on the central skyline is Slieve Car in the Nephin Begs, an amazing 89km away.

Point B: G7567 4001

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(Comment Rating 4.33) Your Score: Very useful << >>Average

Picture: grotto high on southern slopes Expand pics.

Blessed Views of Sligo

by gerrym 27 Apr 2010 For a more challenging approach to Crockauns, also taking in 8 other neighbouring tops, a starting point is Doon Lough (794363 (Point C)). This allows a traverse of the range of hills framing Glencar to the south, from Leean Mountain in the east to Copes Mountain in the west. Smaller than the big lads to the north but every bit as beautiful, dramatic and exciting.

Having camped on the summit of Keelogyboy SW Top I had a birds eye view across to the escarpment line that makes up Crockauns and Copes Mountains as early mist rose and dissapated under an April sun. An easy enough drop brought me down past the very shapely flanks of the Keelogyboys, contouring to the north below crags and patches of scree. A busy stream appeared out of nowhere and headed off on its merry way as i looked over Sligo Bay.

Cross a sizeable area of level ground which looked like it would be pretty wet but was easy enough. This reaches an old track which peters out before an abandoned farm building and the road alluded to in other comments. The steep slopes and crags stand high above this lonely road and made a beautiful canvas. Crossed the fence at side of the road and climbed up steep cropped grass amongst sheep, lambs and wind sculpted trees. This was just to the right of prominent point 374m (768403 (Point D)) below a prominent crag line. At this cragline came upon a little grotto with an alter, statue and plaque with a roof of rock overhanging providing shelter. A wild place and i am sure a memorable experience if present when mass celebrated.

Continue to end of cragline and then uphill along a fenceline. Ravens were soaring above and landing on high points of rock as i passed remenants of the deep snow fall before Easter - some in the numerous sinkholes. Old stone walls and enclosures were being reclaimed by the land as i found the small cairn at the summit. Views were impressive to the high hills to the N, including Truskmore and Slievemore and down into the lough in Glencar. To the S & W views stretched into Atlantic and out along the coast to the Nephin Beg mountains, over Lough Gill and the other hills that i had walked over to get here. I continued on to Copes Mountain before the trek back to the car at Doon Lough.

An area of hills which feel and look wild and remote yet are never far from major centres of population. Easy to lose yourself amongst for a couple of days with all sorts of rewards and challenges within easy reach.

Point C: G794 363

Point D: G768 403

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(Comment Rating 4.22) Your Score: Very useful << >>Average

Picture: Crockauns from the west. Expand pics.

by simon3 19 Dec 2009 Crockauns is mentioned in Mountaineering in Ireland [Claude Wall] so: "The Castlegal Mountains, south of Glencar, are somewhat neglected owing to the proximity of the Dartry range, but they provide a good ridge walk with many rock outcrops on a moderate scale. ... This range rejoices in the Gaelic name of Slieve gan Baiste or 'the mountains without rain'." Like Claude we had a rain free day there!

While near the summit we suddenly saw a large predatory bird flying beneath us, which appeared to have artificially bright colours. Judging by other GPS sightings as recorded here http://www.goldeneagle.ie/portal.php?z=226 we were seeing Conall, a male Golden Eagle chick originally released in Glenveagh National Park in 2009.

The photo shows Crockauns from the west. Surprisingly the ground underfoot on Crockauns is shortish grass, while most of the ridge from where the photo is taken is covered in heather on bog which is 1 to 2 m deep. There is an abrupt transition between the two forms of landcover which seems to be natural.

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Picture: View across Glencar to Truskmore from Crockauns summit Expand pics.

A fine view point.

by Harry Goodman 28 May 2012 I climbed Crockauns on 5 May 2012 as part of a round of other tops in the Castlegal group of hills. (For previous part of the route see my comments on Hangman's Hill.) Having descended N from Hangman's Hill, to the broad grassy valley below, we headed W making for a distinctive gap between two twin eastern outliers of Crockauns (Pt.374 and an unmarked top of 380m) where we picked up a narrow intermittent rough track which led us up to G7697640481 (Point E) where we crossed a fence and followed an old raised stone ditch WNW (keeping it on our right side.). At G765407 (Point F) we had the option of following a wall/ditch which branched off NW and could have been followed to another junction at G764410 (Point G) before turning left and walking WSW to the top. This may have an advantage that it may present views across Glencar as it follows the line of the N escarpment of the hill. However we opted to continue W along the ditch, keeping it to our right, and up to G762407 (Point H) before heading NW up the heathery hillside to the top, the cairn for which we could soon see ahead G7596540997 (Point I), and which at 483m was the highest point on our round. From the top here was a fine view across N to the high Dartry escarpment capped by Truskmore, while to the S we could see Lough Gill and nearer to hand the three Keelogyboy Tops and Hangman's Hill. NW we could see Cope's Mt., our next and final hill of the round, beckoning to us some 1.6k further on. Had we wished to finish at this point we could have returned to our start point for the day G7626940300 (Point J) by retracing our steps back to the valley floor and then by going W around Pt.374 or we could have followed madfrankies shorter but steep route down along a fence to the start.

Point E: G76976 40481	Point F: G765 407	Point G: G764 410
Point H: G762 407	Point I: G75965 40997	Point J: G76269 40300
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Picture: Crockauns - follow the fence. Expand pics.

by madfrankie 8 Feb 2010 A slight alternative to Simon's approach would be to continue along the road for a short distance to a passing place at about 764 403 (Point A) where there's room for one car. A fence points the way uphill and a steep half hour was endured, but lovely views SE to Hangman's Hill and the Keelogyboy tops were enjoyed as legs screamed in protest.
Once we were up onto the plateau, a low stone wall was followed almost to the summit. From the summit cairn (into which someone has jammed a walking pole) there are good perspectives towards the higher Dartrys.

Point A: G764 403

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