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Travelling along the N15 between Donegal Town and Ballybofey it's hard to miss and just as hard not to be impressed by the towering mountains of Croaghonagh (Eoghan's Mountain) and Croaghconellagh (Connell's Mountain). The area around the mountains is known as Barnesmore and the pass itself as Barnesmore Gap. In Irish Barnesmore Gap is An Bearnas Mór which literally means "The Big Gap".
The Bluestack Mountains form a natural boundary between North/West and South Donegal. Barnesmore was a very important pass through these mountains and was significant for trade links and also in times of war.
The Gap, as it's known locally, once marked the boundary between the territories of Tir Eoghan and Tir Connaill which were ruled over by two sons of the famous king Niall of The Nine Hostages. The two mountains are named after the two rulers.
For several years up to 1800 The Gap was a perilous place to travel in. It was the notorious haunt of brigands, highwaymen and robbers who waylaid, robbed and murdered travellers.
All the way down into the Gap was covered with trees and shrub wood and there was nothing but a bridle-path. This foliage was eventually cut down as the robbers used to pounce out of the undergrowth and have the travellers robbed before they knew what had happened to them. It became so dangerous that from the mid 1700's a garrison of Red Coats was stationed at the Ballybofey end of the Gap to ensure the safety of travellers.
At the end of the 19th Century travel through The Gap was a bit more sedate and secure. The West Donegal Railway, a narrow gauage railway, ran from Stranorlar to Donegal Town with a stop at Barnesmore. It was opened in 1889 and in 1892 it was combined with the Finn Valley Railway to form the County Donegal Railway. With the increased popularity of road transport support for the CDR faded and it was finally closed on 31st December 1959. The remains of the old line can still be seen on the lower slopes of Croaghonagh.
Getting There
Barnesmore Gap is on the main N15 between Ballybofey and Donegal Town. The start of the walk is at the Ballybofey side of The Gap and there is a good parking layby with picnic facilities. The car park is also the parking spot for another cache GC112ZG.
It's worth bearing in mind that this is mountain terrain and that the weather is prone to change quite rapidly. It's advisable to come prepared for all eventualities with approriate walking and safety gear. Mobile phone reception in the area is quite poor in sections so make sure someone knows where you will be and what time you expect to return.
There are a number of ways to and from the cache but the route I walked when placing the cache is here in Garmin Database Format (.gdb) and here in GPS Exchange format (.gpx)
The Cache
The cache is a 3-stage multi. The first two stages contain clues to the final location. Both Stage 1 and Stage 2 are necessary to find the final. The coordinates given are for the start of the walk.
Stage 1 and 2 are large vitamin bottles containing a laminated sheet. Please be careful when removing the containers and especially the sheet as the areas are very exposed and it would be easy to lose the contents in the strong wind.
The final cache is a small 450ml tab-lock box with a geocaching label on the outside.
When placed it contained the usual logbook, pencil, and assortment of trade items. Contrary to what it says in the logbook there is no FTF prize as I forgot it and by the time I realised it was too late to turn back!
Finding The Final Cache
Stage 1 and Stage 2 contain a 3 digit code.
The final cache is at N54 43.ABC W007 57.DEF
A= Stage 1 Digit 2
B= Stage 2 Digit 3
C= Stage 2 Digit 2 - Stage 1 Digit 1
D= Stage 2 Digit 2
E= Stage 1 Digit 2
F= Stage 2 Digit 1 + Digit 3 - Stage 1 Digit 3
PLEASE ONLY TRADE UP OR EVEN.
TBs MOVE BETWEEN CACHES AND REMAIN THE PROPERTY OF THE PERSON THAT RELEASED THEM. I DO NOT COUNT THEM AS TRADE ITEMS.
IF YOU WISH TO TAKE SOMETHING FROM THIS CACHE PLEASE DON'T LEAVE A TB IN IT'S PLACE. THANK YOU.
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