Croagh Patrick
764 m
Ireland
Also known as Κρο Πάτρικ, Cruach Phádraig, +1Also known as
Κρο Πάτρικ · Cruach Phádraig · Кро-Патрик
- Elevation
- 764 m
- Prominence
- 640 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- May–Jun
- Routes
- 1
AdvisoryReported 29 Apr 2024
Hand-built restoration of the pilgrim path from the St Patrick statue to the summit chapel (about 4 km) was completed in April 2024. Steps now cover the formerly loose scree on the summit cone. Maintenance continues under annual funding (€90,000 for 2026).
irishcentral.com
Routes
1The pilgrim path from the visitor centre at Murrisk, almost at sea level, climbs past the statue of St Patrick to the shoulder east of the summit. It then crosses the shoulder and climbs the steep quartzite cone to the chapel. About 7 km return with roughly 740 m of ascent; 2 hours up and 1½ down.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 3.5 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +740 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 764 m
- Time Up
- 2h 55m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 1h 55m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Start at the car park and visitor centre (Teach na Miasa) in Murrisk, on the R335 8 km west of Westport. The path climbs south past the white statue of St Patrick and steepens along the east side of a stream, rising to the obvious shoulder on the eastern ridge, which Camptocamp puts at roughly 400 m. Between 2021 and April 2024 a four-kilometre stretch of this path, from the statue to the summit chapel, was rebuilt by hand with stone from the mountain. It is now about two metres wide, with pitched steps on the steep sections. At the shoulder, turn right (west-south-west) and follow the near-level ridge path for about 15 minutes to the foot of the cone, where the first pilgrim station (Leacht Mionnáin, a cairn) stands. The final 200 m is the crux: a steep climb up the quartzite cone. New stone steps now take you up it, but loose scree remains on either side. Near the top the path swings back to the Clew Bay side and reaches the summit plateau, with St Patrick's Oratory (the 1905 chapel), Leaba Phádraig ('Patrick's bed') and the trig point. Descend the same way and take care on the cone, where most slips happen; trekking poles help. Cloud often covers the summit, but the path is unmistakable. On Reek Sunday (the last Sunday in July) many thousands of pilgrims climb, some barefoot, and the path is very crowded. A quieter alternative is the full east–west ridge over the cone and Ben Goram towards Lecanvey or Lough Nacorra, but it needs a second car or a bus, and navigation skills in mist.
Start
Croagh Patrick Visitor Centre20 m
- Bus Éireann route 450 (Westport–Louisburgh) from Mill Street, Westport, to the visitor centre entrance in Murrisk: about six a day, 20 minutes. Westport has trains from Dublin Heuston.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Croagh Patrick Visitor Centre → Croagh Patrick | 3.5 | 740 | 0 | 2h 55m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Croagh Patrick Visitor Centre20 m
Car park, visitor centre with toilets, café and lockers; Bus Éireann 450 stops on the R335 outside
- Feature: St. Patrick50 m
Statue of St Patrick at the start of the restored pilgrim path
- Col: Croagh Patrick shoulder448 m
Shoulder of the eastern ridge, roughly 400 m per Camptocamp; position from the Camptocamp route track
- Feature: Leacht Mionnáin505 m
First pilgrim station at the foot of the summit cone
- Summit: Croagh Patrick764 m
Key Passages
- Steep climb along the stream to the shoulder
- Summit cone: steep stepped path with loose scree on either side
Equipment
0/5 packedDownloads
Route confidence 85%Overview
Ireland's holy mountain: a 764 m quartzite cone above Clew Bay in County Mayo, with a chapel on the summit. It has been a pilgrimage site since at least the early Middle Ages. A rebuilt stone pilgrim path leads up from Murrisk, almost at sea level, in about two hours.
Croagh Patrick (Cruach Phádraig, 'the Reek' locally) is the pyramidal high point of an east–west quartzite ridge on the south shore of Clew Bay, 8 km west of Westport. Because the climb starts almost at sea level, you gain nearly the full 764 m. The summit looks out over the drowned-drumlin islands of Clew Bay to the north, and to Mweelrea and the Connemara hills to the south.
The mountain is above all a pilgrimage site. St Patrick is said to have fasted here for forty days in 441, a small chapel has stood on the summit since 1905, and pilgrims make 'rounds' at stations along the way. More than 50,000 people a year use the path; on Reek Sunday, the last Sunday in July, many thousands climb in a single day, some barefoot, for masses at the summit.
As a walk it is short but steep. A gentle lower path leads to the shoulder, a level ridge follows, and then comes the steep summit cone, long notorious for its loose scree. Between 2021 and 2024 a hand-built stone path replaced the eroded scar, and the cone is now much easier underfoot, although it is still steep and tiring on the descent. Cloud and strong Atlantic wind are common, so plan for the weather rather than the view.
Climbing Notes
This needs no technical skill, but it is a proper mountain walk: about 740 m of ascent in 3.5 km each way, ending with a steep, stony cone. Average walkers take 3–4 hours return. Wear boots, carry waterproofs and warm layers even in summer, and consider trekking poles for the descent, where most slips happen. The path is unmistakable even in cloud, but the summit is exposed to wind and rain off the Atlantic. Carry a map and compass if you plan to continue along the ridge to Ben Goram or descend another way.
Start early in summer to avoid crowds. Avoid Reek Sunday (the last Sunday in July) unless you want to join the pilgrimage, when the path is packed and Murrisk is busy with traffic. In winter, ice and snow can make the cone treacherous; the climb remains popular all year, but turn back in high wind. Allow time for the visitor centre, the National Famine Memorial and Murrisk Abbey at the foot of the mountain.
History
The mountain was a ritual landscape long before Christianity. Bronze Age hut enclosures and cairns have been found on and near the summit, and from the Boheh Stone the setting sun appears to roll down its slope in late April and late August. Medieval sources call it Cruachán Aigle. Tírechán (7th century) records St Patrick's forty-day stay, and a church on the summit is mentioned in a jurisdictional dispute of 824. The present chapel was dedicated on 20 July 1905. Until 1970 the Reek Sunday climb was traditionally made by night. Gold was found in the mountain in the 1980s, but Mayo County Council refused mining after a local campaign. From 2015 the Croagh Patrick Stakeholders Group led the 'Towards the Healing of Croagh Patrick' project, and a team trained by an upland-path specialist rebuilt the eroded pilgrim path by hand. It was completed in April 2024 at a cost of about €600,000.
Season
Best May–Jun- January: Possible
- February: Possible
- March: Good
- April: Good
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Good
- August: Best
- September: Best
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Possible
- Jan
- Short days, gales and possible ice on the cone
- Feb
- Short days, wet and windy; possible ice
- Mar
- St Patrick's Day (17 March) draws climbers; changeable weather
- May
- Long days, often the driest month
- Jul
- Very busy on Reek Sunday, the last Sunday of the month
- Oct
- Increasingly wet and windy
- Nov
- Short days, frequent storms
- Dec
- Short days, gales and possible ice
Access & Permits
- Fees
- The car park at Murrisk is reported to be paid (amount not verified)
- No charge to climb; guided tours from the visitor centre are booked in advance
- Rules
- On Reek Sunday (last Sunday in July) traffic management is in place around Murrisk and the path is extremely crowded
- Stay on the restored path to protect the habitat it was built to restore
- Getting There
Westport (8 km)
Ireland West Airport Knock (NOC); Shannon (SNN) and Dublin (DUB) further away
- Bus: Bus Éireann route 450 from Mill Street, Westport, to the visitor centre entrance in Murrisk, about six a day, 20 minutes
- Train: Iarnród Éireann services from Dublin Heuston to Westport
- Car: R335 from Westport towards Louisburgh to Murrisk; car park beside the visitor centre, which fills early on summer weekends
Hazards
- Weather