Croagh Patrick
Ireland'S Holy Mountain (764 M) Above Clew Bay, Where St Patrick Is Said To Have Fasted In 441; Climbed By Pilgrims On Reek Sunday, The Last Sunday Of July · Murrisk, Mayo
Croagh Patrick (Cruach Phadraig), known locally as the Reek, is a steep cone-shaped mountain of 764 m rising straight out of Clew Bay about 8 km west of Westport in County Mayo. It is Ireland's holy mountain: St Patrick is said to have fasted on the summit for forty days in 441, and people have climbed it in pilgrimage for well over a thousand years, with signs of prehistoric ritual on the summit that are older still. On Reek Sunday, the last Sunday of July, thousands climb it, some of them barefoot, and Mass is said in the small stone chapel on the top. On other days it is a demanding hill walk with one of the finest views in Ireland, over the drumlin islands of Clew Bay to Achill and the Connemara mountains. The honest caveat: this is a real mountain, not a stroll. The top third is a cone of loose, rolling scree, the summit is often in cloud, and the descent is where most people fall; Mayo Mountain Rescue is called out here more than almost anywhere else in the country, often for ankle and knee injuries.
Croagh Patrick Visitor Centre and car park, Murrisk, on the R335 about 8 km west of Westport, County Mayo, Murrisk, Mayo, Ireland
The mountain is open all year, at all hours, with no ticket or gate; climb only in daylight and check the forecast first. The Croagh Patrick Visitor Centre at the foot in Murrisk, with a cafe, toilets and a shop, keeps seasonal hours - roughly daily from spring to autumn and reduced or weekends-only in winter - confirm. The summit chapel opens only for Mass on pilgrimage days. Murrisk is on the R335 about 8 km (10-15 minutes) west of Westport; a local bus or taxi from Westport is possible - confirm times - and there is a pay car park at the trailhead. Nothing needs booking, but guided climbs must be arranged ahead with a local guide.