Just past the fake village of Macreddin heading north, there is room to park for a couple of cars on the right.

Go south about 300m on the road until you come to Macreddin Bridge Follow the track on the eastern side of the river, which become just a grassy edge to a golf course. (The day I did it the golfers present didn't seem to mind and I even helped one of them find his lost ball!) Go south around 1km on this coming to a junction at T12928 81178 A . There is a sign there for a walk for Sean Linehan (a former Garda in nearby Aughrim). Turn sharp left (north) onto this track. Follow this track which zigzags a little to T133 819 B and turn left. This very straight track rises gently all the way to the unmarked summit. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/840/comment/5599/

Having seen comments such as "exasperating afternoon", "challenge in navigating territory", "forestry far more extensive than depicted" etc. I was concerned to find an easier way. Here it is:

Park in the fake village of Macreddin at T12395 82350 C or nearby.

Go south about 200m on the road until you come to Macreddin Bridge (not fake and shown on the map). There is a track on the eastern side of the river there with what looks like a Coillte sign inviting you to walk. (The only drawback to this is the risk of being hit by a golf ball.) Go south around 1km on this coming to a junction at T12928 81178 A. There is a sign there for a walk for Sean Linehan (a former Garda in nearby Aughrim). Turn left (north) onto this track which has a narrow gate and is intended for walkers as opposed to a nearly parallel forest road.

Navigation to the summit is then easy. Just follow tracks heading NE and gaining height until you reach the summit.

Getting back is possible by simply reversing your steps or you can use a series of tracks to emerge from the forest at T128852 D, a route I may describe in more detail as a MV walk.

Note 1. Macreddin: Although comfortable as a place to stop it is fake because there is a pretend bar, shops etc with no locals and highish prices all managed by a golf hotel built somewhere around 2005-2006. I wonder will the recession of 2009 kill it off. [Update, later in 2009, the golf course appears to have had serious problems]

Note 2. The OS 1:50k map and OSI Trailmaster to hand in 2009 didn't show any of this golfing development which means that map derived routes to Cushbawn from its SW will be wrong. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/840/comment/3686/

From Preban Hill there is this view of Cushbawn from the SE showing the ragged forest on that side. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/840/comment/4283/

I decided to approach Cushbawn from the E and therefore parked at the forestry entrance at T154 841 E. There is another forestry track just W of this point which would appear to lead directly to the saddle below Cushbawn, but I chose the first track. Soon after starting out I took the right hand path when the track split. I followed the track for another 15 minutes until I reached a t-junction where I turned right. Following the track brought me to a mobile phone mast fully built and protected by security fencing-there was also a sign explaining that Retention Planning Permission was being sought for this. It is interesting how they built it first and are seeking permission later. Just after the mast the track ends so I turned right into the trees along a rough grassy track at T153 832 F. This brought me through the trees to a clear felled area. I headed W across this area to a fence that separates the forestry from grassy farmland. By heading right (N) along the sturdy fence I found a place where a large branch had fallen on it making it possible to cross the fence. I then headed NW downhill across the large meadow to a corner where two fences meet the forest at T149 833 G. A rough forest ride extends W from here, and I followed it for about 700 metres, passing a lookout platform similar to one I had seen on Tinoran Hill last year. The going is tough at times here but eventually I reached a forest track at T142 834 H. This track headed S steeply uphill to the summit area of Cushbawn at T141 830 I. The views were lovely and the good weather made the Blackstairs shimmer in the haze to the south. I decided to find an alternative route down and so I headed directly E from the summit across heather and downhill towards forestry. By following an old line of fence posts I reached the trees and followed a firebreak down to a forest track at T143 829 J. I turned left and followed it until I came to a point where the track bends and there is a curious little pond/puddle teeming with frogspawn. (T147 831 K). I walked directly into the trees here and using my compass I headed E for about 250 metres. This section was the usual bending, crawling and branches whipping my face. However I eventually reached the grassy farmland at T149 831 L, emerging from the forest at a rusted cylindrical tank. This was the same meadow reached earlier on the way up so I just retraced my route back to the car from here. The walk was about 2 hours in total. While not the most straightforward route, it provided plenty of challenge in negotiating terrain, navigating through forest and exploring new territory. Be careful using map 62 as it does not depict the forestry on this hill accurately. Linkback: https://mountainviews.ie/summit/840/comment/3645/