I had hoped to make this a 3-bagged-tops outing but unfortunately I couldn’t find a way up Croaghacullin that didn’t involve waist-high heather or chest-high reeds on very uneven ground, so I abandoned that part of the plan, with the future intention of making an approach from a track to the SW. So ignore the part of the track where I swung to the SW for 1km.
There is parking for about 3 cars at the start point, which is a gate to a windfarm/forest road. Cross this and turn right at the T-junction, simply following the (rather boring) gravel road as it rises to the north for about 3km. As you climb the views improve greatly to the south, with Croaghanard rising above a broad valley and the ocean beyond Killybegs.
When the road swings sharply east, next to a wind turbine, you have the choice of bagging Mulnanaff or continuing on and ascending Crocknapeast to the NE.I chose the latter, following the road until it swung south (the second last windmill) where I veered NE across the open hillside, passing a few boggy areas and small pools.The summit from the road is just 800m and there’s a climb of just 60m, but the ground is rough and boggy in parts, but generally not too bad. The top is marked by a sizeable cairn with good views all round. I returned along the road to the bend, then dropped down about 10m on to the NW side of Mulnanaff. From there the highpoint is just 700m away with a climb of a mere 40m.You will see a fence curving up onto the hillside. Basically if you follow this it will take you all the way to the top, which is a heathery/grassy mound on the western side of the fence, with a couple of stones on the top.A long walk, over 12km, but two more Carns in the bag.