bluestacks Circuit

Always good to be the first to visit and comment on an MV summit. Reached fairly painlessly from Croaghanirwore, passing to the north of pt441. There is several small rises within the summit contour, all can be visited in a matter of minutes. Great views down to Donegal Town, the coast and round the Bluestacks. Interestingly, there is a line of posts just north of Croaghagranagh, an old trail perhaps?

A full description of this circuit will be posted in the walks sections at a later date. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/654/comment/4714/

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An unexpected delight, thanks to Mountain Views.

Although I had passed near to this hill previously on a descent off Croaghanirwore I had never actually been to it's top. On 23 Oct. 2013 therefore I drove along the road skirting the E side of L Eske to A (G984 843) where I turned to go NE steeply up a narrow but surfaced minor road. At Benson (G99240 84975) where the tarred surface ended there was ample off road parking. From there the road became a gated, rough and muddy farm track leading up to L Fad B (H00038 86117), a picturesque long narrow strip of water backed by the prominent profile of Croaghnageer. Branching left around the left side of the Lough I continued along the track, passing L Doo on my left side, until the path started to peeter out, at which point I turned left and headed down NW to the Barnes River crossing it at C (H00300 86811). Once across I headed up N for 1km through un-tracked long tussocky grass and hummocky ground towards the E to W ridge up ahead. At D (H00088 87826) I re-crossed the river, by now a small stream, to go WNW. A short way along I passed to the S of L Nagrockgranagh N and then 400m further climbed up to the rocky cap that marks the high point of the hill E (G99591 88107). Although I only sought out this hill as one of a few outstanding on my Bluestacks list I was delighted that I did. Had it not been listed I doubt if I would have given it a second glance. Thank you Mountain Views. It provides a fine vantage point from which to appreciate the main high points. These range from Croaghconnellagh in the SE around past Croaghnageer, Croaghanirwore and Croaghbarnes to L Belshade, which is then backed by the long ridge from Croaghbane to Croaghgorm (Bluestack). To complete an already splendid panorama I had a fine view SW out over L Eske to Donegal Bay and the distant Dartry's. The walk out and back was 8.25km. When I was there the narrow but deep Barnes River was in spate and required some searching around for to find a suitable crossing point. Should this river prove to be impassible It would be possible to follow it up by it's left bank to around F (H001 878) before going out WNW to the top. Linkback: mountainviews.ie/summit/654/comment/15246/

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