Croaghgorm [Blue Stack]

As the highest point of Donegal’s Bluestack Mountains, this rugged peak offers a sense of true Irish wilderness. The terrain transitions from sprawling peat bog to quartzite outcrops, leading to a summit with expansive views over Lough Belshade and out toward the Atlantic coastline and the distinctive cone of Errigal.

• •The name derives from the Irish Cruach Gorm, which translates as ‘Blue Stack’. This refers to the characteristic blueish hue the mountains often take on when viewed from a distance across the Donegal landscape.
• •In January 1944, a Royal Air Force Sunderland flying boat crashed on the northern slopes near the summit. Significant sections of the wreckage remain on the mountain today, including engine parts and structural debris, serving as a remote memorial to the crew.
• •Most walkers approach via the dramatic glacial corrie of Lough Belshade to the south. The ascent from the water’s edge is steep and pathless, requiring careful navigation through the notoriously broken and boggy terrain that defines the Bluestacks range.
• •The summit provides a commanding panorama that stretches from the quartzite peak of Errigal in the north to the massive sea cliffs of Slieve League in the west, while the Dartry Mountains of Sligo are visible across the waters of Donegal Bay.
• •Navigating the saturated peat hags of the summit plateau provides an excellent test of waterproof footwear, though the local sheep usually manage the crossing with considerably more dignity than the average hiker.