Muckish is an incredibly distinct mountain and one I have longed to climb for a number of years - cue last Sunday and a 2 hour drive from Antrim. Access is via N56 from Letterkenny and a turn left after Creeslough onto a road which heads direct for the mountain. When taramc ends there is room for several cars to park at the side of the road. Continue along the now gravel track as winds uphill through turf cuttings and moorland in varying shades of brown. The impressive northern buttresses of Muckish loom overhead as the track peters out at the head of the old quarry workings, where concrete platforms and rusting plant are the less visible scars of the quarrying operation. Follow path across stream and uphill into the ampitheatre of crags and buttresses. There is a set of wooden steps which lead to more difficult walking as skirt and negoiate rockfaces (hands will be needed). Unfortunately we lost the track here and continued uphill by way of a narrow gulley which entailed scrambling up rocks passing wooden remains of quarrying operation, heading for the winches above. A word of caution - there is quite alot of loose rock and one of my companions had a lucky escape when a substancial rockface gave way in front of him. He was pulled to one side or he would have been bouncing down the gulley along with football sized rocks. When reach winches are at the quarry itself (see pic looking down). This is a marvel at this height, just below the summit, with an extensive level area which has been quarried backed by high walls. There is an excavator with rubber tyres and an old bogey among the traces of white sand that was so precious at the time. Return to and follow the path left as rises above the quarry onto the rocky summit plateau, passing small cairns on way to trig pillar at 666m on NE of mountain. There is a large tethered cross on a cairn further NE which was erected in 2000 according to the plaque. Great views N and E over headlands and beaches towards Inishowen. To the west the Sperrins can be seen clearly and as track south over summit plateau Dooish and Slieve Snaght are backed by the Bluestack Mountains. Head SW to reach massive burial cairn in centre of plateau and continue further for views of Aglas and Errigal. There are a number of small cairns here and a perfect igloo shaped stone shelter with doorway. Headed NW here to descend the western shoulder of the mountain. This is quite an easy descent over rocky ground which becomes more heather as descend. At foot of mountain track east to rejoin the gravel road which will return to the car - all the while being drawn to look up at the imposing rock faces. Took around 4 hours in all and was more of a challenge on way up than i would have thought. There were a few other people about at the bottom but no one else up top when we were there.Visited the excellent beach at Dunfanaghy which is nearby before returning home and Muckish is a true monster dominating the skyline from here. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/163/comment/1239/