MountainViews: Info on Aghla Mountain An Eachla (593m) in area Bluestack Mountains

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Bluestack Mountains Area

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Maximum height for area: 674 metres

Summits in area: 35

OS Map(s): 1, 11, 12, 6 for all tops

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Aghla Mountain Mountain	Donegal County
An Eachla A name in Irish	(Language)
(Ir. An Eachla [DUPN], poss. 'look-out point/prospect')
Height: 593 metres	OS 1/50k Mapsheet: 11 for top
Grid Ref: G89692 98895	Latitude: 54.837721 Longitude: -8.161208
ITM: 589643 898884	Prominence: 388m Isolation: 4.5km
Aghla Mountain is the 290th highest summit in Ireland. Our data has reached 75% of the goal for this summit. (Details)

COMMENTS for Aghla Mountain

MountainViews.ie Picture about mountain Aghla Mountain in area Bluestack Mountains, County Donegal, Ireland

Picture: looking across Lough Finn Expand pics.

by gerrym 2 Jun 2005 PART 1. Climbed 29.5.05, basing walk on that described in Walk Guide West of Ireland. Take road on left at SW end of Lough Finn where there is ample parking in layby (891006 (Point A)). Follow road past house and through metal gate along shore of Lough. Reach an abandoned stone house and can head off for the hillside to climb past the terraces of cropped grass. Reach a level area and cross a fence before climbing again. Contour towards conifer plantation and will pick up a steep gulley which slashes through the mountain. Drop into and follow uphill beside very noisey stream after recent rainfall. Views are narrowed but still far reaching to the Derryveagh Mountains of Slieve Snaght and Dooish, with Errigal just peeking its head up behind. Gulley steepens considerably near the top - can climb out to left at various points for easy walking - and divides around large rock outcrop. I took the drier right side and liberal use of hands were called for over plenty of loose scree. At the head of the gulley the ground levels just below some rocky scree strewn tops. Stunning views on a day with excellent visibility - Muckish now also visible with the extra height gained and a long stretch of the W coastline. When reach the tops can see that the summit trig point is actually a distance away SSE. Pass along a couple of rocky rises, passing loughs, to reach the summit in 1.5 hours.

Point A: B891 006

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(Comment Rating 4.17) Your Score: Very useful << >>Average

Picture: Looking into the main Bluestacks from Aghla summit Expand pics.

by eflanaga 5 Apr 2007 Decided to climb Aghla via alternative route from those described by gerrym, csw & murphysw so started at IG 92851 99182 (Point B), having taken the narrow road on the left just before the Fintown 'town sign' on the approach from Ballybofey. This narrow road takes you around the northern end of Lough Finn and up and around the southwestern edge of Scraigs, dropping south and passing a serene Lough Muck below & to your right. Follow road on, ignoring left fork dropping down incline to cross narrow bridge and a little further on you will come upon a 'crossroads' of sorts with forest tracks running to the left & right of the road. This is the starting point. There is only room for one car, carefully parked, at each entrance so as not to block either track or road, particularly important to your right (your route) as there is a dwelling a short distance up the track. The map (OSI Sheet 11) suggests that the track wends it's way upwards through the forest, veering left after 400m before forking after about another 400m. The former is correct, the latter however did not materialise. The track comes to a fairly abrupt end with mature forest to the right (N) and relatively newly planted area immediately west. I decided to try and follow the 'track' as shown on the map due west. While there is a narrow trace of a track (sheep or human?) along the side of a fence which appears to separate the older from the younger sections of the forest it is not particularly well defined and there is a degree of bending and scraping through trees and the usual boggy ground to negotiate. However, I did make it through eventually crossing a fence and breaking into open ground with the mature forest area continuing behind for another few hundred metres to my right. I followed along and crossed the fence at the corner of the forest IG91306 98261 (Point C) and started to make my way up Aghla's eastern flank. The going from here is relatively easy across fairly good ground. Slipping between ta gap in the ridge I passed the western end of Castle Lough IG90027 98952 (Point D) before crossing another fence & making the final short ascent to the summit. The trig does not become visible from this side of the mountain until you are almost upon it. gerrym has already waxed lyrical about the views - they were magnificent in the afternoon sunshine. Return was a case of retracing my steps to the corner of the forest but then heading straight downhill form there to the road (clearly visible on descent) and a walk a little short of 2k back to the car.

Point B: G92851 99182	Point C: G91306 98261	Point D: G90027 98952
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(Comment Rating 4.00) Your Score: Very useful << >>Average

Picture: Trig pillar and view east, Aghla. Expand pics.

by csd 2 Aug 2005 Though not marked on the OS map, the highest point on Aghla is crowned by a trig pillar It lies at the northern end of a long ridge. Approached from the south, Aghla is as straightforward as they come, with no difficulties in the clear. In poor visibility, a bearing taken from the cairn at the 589m will take you to the summit.

(Comment Rating 3.75) Your Score: Very useful << >>Average

Picture: lough at base of summit ridge Expand pics.

by gerrym 2 Jun 2005 PART 2. There are some monster views from the summit of Aghla. To the S have the heart of the Bluestacks laid out and beyond the rugged penninsula containing Slievetooey and Slieve League, further still the steep and sharply defined Dartry Mtns dropping down into the expanse of Donegal Bay. I could also clearly make out the distinctive shape of Nephin and the Nephin Begs further to the W. The summit ridge heads of to the S for nearly 1 km, like a mini version of the main Bluestack ridge. Pass a small cairn on a rise and come to another before the ridge drops down. I descended to W over some scree to reach the lough at 893983 (Point E). It is then a matter of tracking back along the base of the ridge passing along the shores of the numerous loughs. Judging by the ample ripples on the water surface there are plenty of fish trying to reduce the midge population. Climb back to rocky tops at the head of the river gulley and descend to the left of the gulley, heading roughly for the football pitch far below. Cross fence again and can pick up a fence going downhill which brings back down to abandoned stone house at shores of Lough - the ground is wet and slippery in places here though in general the ground underfoot along the walk was not too bad. Walk took 3.5 hours in all with a good lunch stop taking in the views which were stunning in the excellent visibility. Varied walking with the gulley, rocky tops, scree slopes and series of loughs to explore. No one else on the hill which just about sums up the Bluestacks - WHY ?

Point E: G893 983

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(Comment Rating 3.67) Your Score: Very useful << >>Average

Picture: The view south from the 589m spot height shown on the OS map. Expand pics.

by csd 2 Aug 2005 I approached Aghla from the south -- the opposite side taken by gerrym. I parked at G886 964 (Point F) at the forest track barred by a wooden gate. I then followed the track up the south of Aghla. It ends short of what' suggested in Sheet 11 (2nd Edition), but it's easy enough to follow a course up the eastern side of the (now cleared) forest. Nearing the top, you ascend the long NE-SW ridge that forms the summit area. Lots of great views.

Point F: G886 964

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(Comment Rating 3.50) Your Score: Very useful << >>Average

Picture: Aghla Mountain with Lough Finn in the foreground Expand pics.

by murphysw 17 Jul 2005 Here is the inverse of gerrym's first picture, looking at Aghla Mountain across Lough Finn from the R250, as opposed to the other way around. It looked well in the eveing light so I snapped it. It was taken not far from Fintown.

(Comment Rating 3.20) Your Score: Very useful << >>Average

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