Having reached the summit of Croaghnageer, I wasn’t leaving without taking plenty of time to appreciate the views.

Looking West from the frozen top, over Lough Eske, Donegal Bay and Benbulbin

Time for a few last shots from the summit of Croaghnageer, and to start back down.  I decided to go via a minor top on Croaghnageer, to the Northeast.

The lower top had its own small cairn.

At this point, the sun broke through again, and lit up the ground around me and the mountains to the North, as I made my way back to Brown’s Hill.

Back on Brown’s Hill.

What I thought was a final shot from Brown’s Hill.  Croaghonagh catches the last rays of the sun.  It was time to put the camera away and get back to the road while I could still see.

I had almost reached the forestry road again, and knowing I could follow that back to the N15 and the car, even if darkness fell, I paused for once last shot, across the bog to a pastel sunset over Croaghonagh and Croaghconnellagh.

The Forestry road seemed to have mysteriously lengthened since I walked up it earlier that day, but at last, in complete darkness I reached the main road.  My feet were sore and my toes had taken a hammering due to wearing wellies.  My knees were complaining loudly, and my arms ached from carrying the tripod all day.  My shoulders were also in pain from a rubbish backpack.  But it was still worth it.  I had a deep sense of contentment and sastisfaction, and there was nothing like experiencing the mountains in the Wintery conditions.