Croaghbarnes

Rising above the iconic Barnesmore Gap in County Donegal, this rugged Tump offers a classic Bluestack experience. The terrain is predominantly heathery and wet underfoot, demanding careful navigation. Reaching the 498-metre summit rewards walkers with clear perspectives over the pass and toward the higher peaks of Binmore and Gaugin Mountain.

• •The name is derived from the Irish Cruach Bhearnas, meaning ‘the stack of the gap’. This refers to its prominent position overlooking the deep glacial trench of the Barnesmore Gap.
• •From the summit, walkers have a bird's-eye view of the N15 road and the old railway route as they squeeze through the narrow pass between the Bluestacks and the Derryveagh Mountains.
• •The hill is a significant landmark for those traversing the Bluestack Way, a long-distance trail that winds through the surrounding moorland and granite outcrops.
• •Given the saturation levels of the Donegal peat hags on the approach, you are as likely to measure your progress in boots lost to the bog as you are in vertical metres.