With another fine weekend promised by the weather forecasters , we drove to Donegal for a couple of days walking. The first days walk was to be the Crownard, & we parked in the car-park at Fintragh Bay, 684764 A.

From the car park walk back up hill to the R263 & walk a short distance along this road towards Killybegs. Turn left at the first minor junction with the R263, walk up hill and at the next junction turn right. Follow this road a short way and then turn left at up a track at 690774 B, follow this track up hill with views of Fintragh Bay opening up behind. Ignore a right fork at Ballyara and keep climbing up hill till 683792 C. From here follow a spurr up hill to the ridge and Crownarad's summit trig point.

From here an easy ridge walk leads you to Cro na Roda SW Top, passing a large metal post on the way. A fine lunch spot with great views in every direction, even the wind-farm on Balbane Hill looked good in the sun. Recent tree felled areas on Mulnanaff showed forestry tracks right up onto SW ridge. This track and the Wind-Farm track up to the west of Balbane would enable a circuit to be completed of these hills from Glenaddragh rather than the softer starts from the west.

Descent was by the way of ascent, giving you the option to included Croaghacullin, as we did, in your days hike. The route is fairly straight forward, with a couple of fences to cross and several ring contours to go over or round before the summit. Even going onto Pt 394 is worth while, if you have the time, for the different perspective its views afford. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/479/comment/3734/