madfrankie on Carnaween

Last Sunday I saw Elvis on Carnaween. Read on, unbelievers...
As Carnaween is a bit of a western outlier, doing it on it’s own is not a bad idea, especially if time, weather or laziness is a factor.
From the south, drive through the village of Letterbarrow and continue for a mile or two till you come to the local soccer pitch. Turn left (signposted Disert Graveyard) and then right where there’s room to park on a grassy verge (A (G882 869)).
At the top of the track pass an abandoned farmhouse and continue over a ditch into open hillside. As we climbed the dry slopes we became aware of many people of all ages doing likewise, apparently an annual walk for the locals and part of The Frosses Summer Festival. A sheep fence provided a handrail ascending into a cleft between the cliff-bound summit and a minor knoll. Once at the top it was a brief ascent to the crowded summit where, bizarrely, were were met by dozens of Elvis impersonators and a man playing a fiddle.
Besides the cairn and it’s illuminating cross, there is another steel cross and also a newly installed steel sculpture of a Fimnn McCool character. As we munched our sandwiches, we were witness to more Elvis’s in varying authenticity of garb sweatily emerging onto the smallish summit area. It would seem that it was all part of a fund-raising attempt for local cancer-treatment facilities.
Eventually the midges (it was a very crowded summit) forced us down by our ascent route, but as Simon3 suggests, it could easily be start of a longer walk across the lower western tops to Binbane (though be aware of steep ground on Carnaween’s western and southern slopes). Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/409/comment/3147/

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eflanaga on Carnaween

From Silver Hill's second and smaller cairn IB (G90694 91376) I took a bearing of 256 degrees to take me to Cullaghacro Top (476m) a little short of 2k to the southwest. The descent of Silver Hill, as for it's ascent, posed little difficulty. I then made for the clear green swathe which climbs Cullaghacro's eastern slope and found once I had negotiated a few peat hags and the fence at it's base that this was the easiest route of ascent. From Cullaghacro IC (G89582 90902) I veered off my initial route and took a bearing of 243 degrees over a spot height ID (G89494 90761), crossing over to, and contouring around the northern slopes of Meenacloghspar (climbed on outward leg), in order to avoid loosing unnecessary height. Passing the windfarm I crossed another fence and made my way laboriously through another wet peat hag strewn area. Eventually, as height was gained the ground firmed up and having passed Miley's Lough IE (G88477 89755) & a large crag I began to swing around to the northern spur leading up to Carnaween. A couple of relatively new, and well made, styles facilitated crossing of the now, seemingly compulsory fences. Carnaween's rugged outline can be best appreciated on this approach. Having gained the ridge I slipped around the heights and approached the summit cairn with its small Celtic style metal cross from the north. From the summit IF (G87597 89158) more spectacular views such those described so eloquently by GerryM below awaited. The descent of Carnaween's southern/southeastern aspect is hindered by some pretty precipitous cliffs although I did find a relatively easy route with a little scrambling to the east side of these. There follows on last fence to negotiate then a steep drop on a bearing of 119 to a and a lane (not shown on map). A small bridge and gate and short climb up on to the main track brought me quickly back to my starting point and the car. A very enjoyable walk which took 3.5 hours with only one very short stop. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/409/comment/2624/

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gerrym on Carnaween

(See Silver Hill for first part of walk) From Silver Hill it is a walk of some 4 km and 1.5 hours to the top of Carnaween to the SW. Drop down past a couple of small pools on the left, with the large loughs of Maghrath Beg and More below in the valley to the right. Cross a fairly recently constructed fence on ground which is a mixture of rock and wet grass. Walking in the direction of the wind turbines and their access roads - it is only when are right beside that can fully appreciate thier scale and hear the blades slicing through the air generating electricity. There is no doubt that they are an interesting diversion but cannot help thinking of the intrusion on the wilderness of the turbines themselves and the acccess roads crudely carved out of the landscape. Continue downhill from the turbines over pretty wet ground before the climb up Carnaween, where the going is on firmer grass with rock outcrops. Pick up marker posts with yellow tops and there are even stiles over a couple of fence lines on the way to the top. The reasoning becomes apparent at the rocky summit where there is a cairn with a metal cross - a place of pilgramage I presume. The views continue to be stunning and as is the most westerly summit in the Bluestacks gives a good view into the range, with an inkling of the deep gap of Struell, and further to the east the Barnesmore hills with thier masts and extensive wind farms. Good views out to sea from the sands at Maghera to Donegal Bay and the surrounding mounatainscape. The full extent of the hydro scheme is also laid out, from the lough created by the dammed river to where piped water renters the river at a hydro building. Despite being lower than most of the other hills in the Bluestacks this is a very interesting area and the hill is distinctive and has character in itself - first time I have have seen wind turbines up close and had to pull myself away from gazing up at and admiring them. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/409/comment/1732/

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simon3 on Carnaween

Approaching Carnaween from the west, Cloghmeen Hill side you will encounter a stretch of the Bluestacks Way. It leaves the valley road to the north at a ruined house around G (G8517 8880), goes along the crest of the ridge to a stile at around H (G8681 8833) where it then takes off East. As of 2007 there is only a bare trace of a path following the route of the waymarked way.

One way to access the summit and Cloghmeen Hill is to start at the house mentioned.
South of the summit there is the peaceful reed filled water of Carn Lough where this picture was taken. It is surprisingly steep from the Lough to the summit. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/409/comment/2853/

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Bad Weather Adding Drama To Great Views

I used the commonly taken route from Disert Graveyard (worth a visit in its own right) over ground that was alternatively boggy or pretty steep. It was freezing cold in these parts, with a strong wind and heavy showers, sometimes turning to hail. I was trying a new poncho type thing as a waterproof cover that I hoped would be a quick way of protecting my camera and bag etc as well as myself, and it worked well until I got to the summit where the wind was so strong it completely tore it to shreds! On the face of it, it should have been a miserable enough experience,, but it was actually a brilliant walk. Carnaween presents a shapely profile from nearby summits, and despite the boggy ground, the rocky nature of the top is impressive. There are magnificent views into the rest of the Bluestacks and towards the coast, and the stormy weather and passing showers only added drama to the views. I was well rewarded for venturing out in bad conditions. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/409/comment/18796/

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