csd on Binnasruell

I'd have to agree with murphysw's uncle: it's a very boggy place. Even with the benefit of frozen ground it's still possible to lose your boot in a bog! The best way down (without retracing your steps) is by following the stream immediately west of the Grey Mare's Tail waterfall. Careful descent down into Shruell Gap is possible here. The attached picture shows the vista on the way down, taken just after a snow shower on 04.03.2006. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/445/comment/2221/

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csd on Binnasruell

It's also possible to approach Binnasruell from the southwest. At Frosses, turn right off the R262 and head north along the side road as far as the gate at the right-hand bend at B (G893 884). It should be possible to park here without obstructing the gate. Head NNE up the slope and you can then follow the ridge ENE towards the summit of Binnasruell, taking in the minor peaks at 403, 479, and 474 metres along the way. The highest point is not the 505 metre spot height, but a 509 metre point SE of this at C (G9184 8972). Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/445/comment/2220/

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eflanaga on Binnasruell

Climbed June 7th – (See Lavagh Beg for previous stage of walk). This section of my nine peak circuit was my least favoured. Despite the fact that the lochs & locheens doted along the valley in front of ‘sruell looked absolutely gorgeous in the midday sunlight. The terrain was a pain in the butt! The descent from Lavagh Beg summit ID (G92623 91538) was fine, a mixture of grass and a few boulders here and there. A ram appeared to take umbrage at my presence in his domain judging by the angry noises it was making, bleating it was not! I could have sworn he was thinking about charging me just for a moment. Anyway, he probably felt in the heat of the day I wasn’t worth it so went after his harem, which had skipped off over a height and disappeared from view at the first sign of me. When I reached the floor of the valley the terrain became more arduous, long tussock grass, marsh, peat hags, rushes – the lot. I noticed a few of the ‘marsh’ areas cordoned off by wire fences, presumably one might sink deeper than the knees in these, so a sensible precaution I’d guess. Having laboured across the valley floor I started the ascent to the summit, which was a minor improvement in terms of terrain. Reached top of plateau and was faced with three areas of high ground vying for summit honours. To my untrained naked eye the middle of the three which slants upwards and tapers to a point, appeared to me to be the highest, however the one to my left (east) appears to be the actual summit, although in terms of height there’s no more than a metre in it. From Binnasruell I turned my attention to my final summit, and the highest in the range, Croaghgorm. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/445/comment/2391/

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gerrym on Binnasruell

From Carnaween (see Carnaween and Silver Hill for previous parts of route) it is a matter of retracing steps back past the wind turbines to thier access road and following it uphill. The road fords the Eany Beg Water but there was no mission with the volume and speed of water - I had to follow along the bank over very wet and disturbed ground from recent earthworks until I reached the point where the river is dammed. There is a pretty large resevoir impressively flanked by surrounding hills. Skirt around to the eastern side of the resevoir and then I'm afraid it is a bit of a slog heading for the high ground and ultimately Binnasruell. Not very impressive given the much higher and more interesting hills all around (but the views of these hills make the walk more than worthwhile) - the summit is like a crown surrounding Lough Anabrack. It is only when you drop down a little to the SE that can appreciate the steep flanks of the hill dropping down into the deep gap of Struell below. I then headed back towards the head of the Eany Beg Water and a climb back up Silver Hill where I had left my pack with camping gear. A drop down to the col with Lavagh Beg and further down into the Reelan valley to pick up and follow the track which brought me in. Not a soul did I see in these two days in the Bluestacks and walking through the expanse of the Reelan valley with music playing in my ears and the sun beating down is a memory that will stay with me for a good many years. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/445/comment/1797/

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murphysw on Binnasruell

I took this picture of the top of Binnasruell while walking the col between Lavagh More and Lavgh Beg. I gave Binnasruell a miss as my Uncle, who lives locally, said the ground over to it is very boggy. In truth I was getting tired and need to stop eating so many curries! Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/445/comment/1807/

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