Donegal Bluestack Mountains Forest Drive

The Coillte forestry road network threading through the Bluestacks offers some of Ireland’s most remote mountain driving, connecting Lough Eske to the high corries below Lavagh More. The main arterial follows old turf-cutting roads that served scattered mountain settlements until the 1950s — you’ll still find stone foundations and field walls reclaimed by heather and bog cotton. The route climbs through commercial forestry before breaking into open moorland at Crockauns, where the track becomes a technical challenge of ruts, rocks, and bog holes.

Plan on moderate difficulty with some expert sections where the track degrades to twin ruts through deep peat. High-clearance essential, and momentum matters on the bog crossings. Coillte permits aren’t required for recreational access, but respect forest operations and locked gates. Weather changes fast up here — carry warm gear and extra fuel. Best between May and September when the worst bog sections firm up. The payoff is absolute solitude in landscapes that look unchanged since the last ice age.