Mountain Pursuit Challenge

Bluestack mountains, Donegal

October 2006

Important!

Bring a litre of water each on Friday night as the nearest stream is 250 metres away from the Friday night camp and is not guaranteed to be clean water.

Each team is to bring a spare bivvy bag & each member is to pack their rucksack so that tents, cooking equipment and dinner/breakfast can be quickly dropped off at high camp on route.

Geology & plane crashes

You will notice a definite change of rock type on the high ground and also ridges and troughs as you hike over to the high point caused by fault lines between rock types and resulting variable erosion. Around Lough Belshade you will find plenty of exposed granite which is quite resistant to erosion. Further west the rock is carboniferous limestone etc.

Much of the rock was originally deposited as sediment over 500 million years ago and has been transformed by pressure and heat (to become metamorphic rock) and subsequently by millions of years of erosion and climate change. It is thought that the rock would at some point have been forced up thousands of metres higher, similar to the Alps!

During World War II the Atlantic was regularly patrolled for submarines by the Royal Air Force. A Sunderland Mark III Flying Boat no. DW-110, Squadron 228, set out on patrol from Pembroke Dock, Wales, at 10.46pm on the 31st of January, 1944. At the end of the patrol DW-110 was instructed to divert to a base at Castle Archdale due to poor weather conditions. The normal course of events for such a diversion was for the pilot to fly south over Donegal and then divert east along the river Erne. At 11.45pm the plane crashed into the Bluestack Mountains. Seven of the twelve crew members were killed. Pieces of the craft can still be found on the high ground.

Getting to the Start

Public Car Park Greenan G965 857

Once on the road to Lifford from Donegal Town (which is bypassed via two roundabouts if approaching from the south on the N15) look out for the SUZUKI dealership on the left hand side which is less than 1Km after the roundabout.

Turn at the Suzuki dealership onto a narrow road.

Drive straight on along this narrow road, through a crossroads and a junction.

Pass the first car park - on the west side of Lough Eske - and look out for the second car park on the right hand side of the road.

Park as tightly as possible in the car park. Avoid blocking other cars if at all possible.

Friday Night (1.5km)

Public Car Park Greenan G965 857 to Greenan road junction G969 861

> Once you have been fully checked by staff at the car park follow the road carefully, staying in on the verge, until you get to a switchback/junction.

Greenan road junction G969 861 to Edergole Track start/campsite G973 871

> Carry straight on northward along the access road, crossing Greenan Bridge, until you get to a yard and a gate at a set of farm buildings. You will pass some homes so be considerate and keep the noise down.

20 metres after the gate on the Edergole track you can turn to the left up onto rough grassy ground.

Find as dry a spot as possible on the high rough hummocks.

Space for camping is tight so you will be pitching tents close together. There is some limited space in a field across a fence which will be available to early arrivals.

Saturday

Campsite G973 871to Doonan Waterfall G978 879

> Have breakfast and strike camp by 8.45am sharp, leaving no rubbish. Water is available from a stream 250 metres up the track if you’ve run out, be sure to boil it. Check out with the designated member of staff as instructed. Follow the Edergole track trending northward, cross the stream and zigzag up to reach the waterfall.

Doonan Waterfall G978 879 to Corraber river dam, Lough Belshade G981 895

> Continue along the west bank of the river to reach Lough Belshade.

Corraber river dam, Lough Belshade G981 895 to Campsite, Lough Belshade north east side G978 898

> Continue anticlockwise around the lake until you get to the high camp location.

With as little delay as possible drop your tent, cooking gear and dinner/breakfast into a bivvy bag at the checkpoint and continue on.

Ensure you have at least 1 litre of drinking water for the rest of the route as there will probably be no drinkable water available higher up.

Campsite, Lough Belshade North East side G978 898 to Loughinisland col G983 902

> Climb north eastward up to the col.

Loughinisland col G983 902 to Lough Aduff & spot height 641m G979 911

> Climb north westward to the highpoint just beyond a pool. There is some steep slippery ground on the ascent so take care.

Spot height 641m G979 911 to Spot height 642m G970 909

> Drop down in an easterly direction to pass by Spot height 576m and continue on to climb up to Spot height 642.

Spot height 642m G970 909 to Spot height 626m G964 905

> Follow the high ground to reach Spot height 626m. If it’s wet take care on slippery rock slabs and boulders.

Spot height 626m G964 905 to Spot height 589m G961 898

> Drop down and swing south to reach Spot height 589m. You will notice a change in terrain in this area as there is a dramatic boundary here between different rock types.

Spot height 589m G961 898 to Bluestack Mountain 674m G948 896 & back to Spot height 589m G961 898

> You will be traversing westward across a series of ridges and troughs caused by the varied erosion of vertical layers of rock that trend north/south. If you keep your eyes peeled you may spot rusty aircraft parts from a crash that occurred here during World War II. The cairn marked on the map is difficult to see and is a trig point at the base of a small ring of stones. There are excellent views here on a good day. You can see Ben Bulben in Sligo and Errigal further north in Donegal. You may also notice a series of windmills off in the distance. Retrace your steps eastward to Spot height 589m.

Spot height 589m G961 898 to Spot height 558m G966 892 (via Spot height 594m G963 895)

> Descend in a south easterly direction taking care as you go. If it’s wet take care on slippery rock slabs & steps.

Spot height 558m G966 892 to Lough Belshade south corner G974 894

> Descend carefully in an easterly direction to bring you to the southwest corner of Lough Belshade where two streams enter the lake. Be careful of going off route onto steep ground as you descend, especially just to the south.

Lough Belshade south west corner G976 894 to High camp, Lough Belshade north east side G978 898

> Follow the lakeshore around anticlockwise until you reach High camp. Be sure to check in with the High camp staff & retrieve your patrol gear. Regardless of the weather make sure your tent is very securely pitched. Cook some dinner and relax. Do not leave gear lying around outside unless it is well secured in a bivvy bag.

Sunday

There will be a Scout’s Own on Sunday morning followed by striking camp.

Campsite G978 898 to Corraber river dam G981 895

> After breakfast and the Scout’s Own strike camp and ensure all rubbish is packed away in your rucksacks. Once checked out walk clockwise back around the lake to the Corraber river dam.

Dam G981 895 to Doonan Waterfall G978 879

> Return southward along the west bank of the river to the track starting at Doonan Waterfall.

Doonan Waterfall G978 879 to Edergole track /road G973 871

> Follow the track back down to the gate at the farm buildings.

Edergole track /road junction G973 871 to Public Car park Greenan G965 857

> Follow the access road down until you reach the main road. Continue on to the public car park and be sure to check in with staff before departing.

Hope you enjoyed the weekend!