Climbing Croagh Patrick: A Practical Guide to the Reek

The Reek

Croagh Patrick stands 764 metres above the village of Murrisk, a few kilometres west of Westport on the shore of Clew Bay. Locals call it the Reek, and its quartzite cone is the defining shape of the Mayo coast, visible from the town, the Quay and most of the Greenway. It has been a place of pilgrimage for well over a thousand years, longer than Christianity has been in Ireland, and Saint Patrick is said to have fasted forty days on its summit.

It is climbed every day of the year by people of every level of fitness, but do not let that fool you into thinking it is a stroll. The climb is short but steep, exposed to the weather, and the final stretch is genuinely demanding. Treat it with respect and it is one of the great walks in Ireland.

Where it starts

The climb begins at Murrisk, where there is a car park and the visitor centre, Teach na Miasa, with a café, craft shop, toilets and lockers. Pay-and-display parking is around €2.50 for four hours. The path heads straight uphill from the statue of Saint Patrick, which was put up in 1928, and there is no mistaking the route: it is the obvious worn track climbing the mountain in front of you.

One small piece of kit makes a real difference. You can hire a walking stick at the base for around €4, and on the descent in particular it earns its keep. The loose ground going down is where people come unstuck, and a stick gives you a third point of contact.

The climb itself

The full route is roughly 7km and takes most people three to four hours return. It comes in stages. The first section climbs steadily up the lower flank. Then you reach the shoulder, a flatter respite where the path levels out and you get your breath and your first big views over Clew Bay. After that comes the hard part.

The final cone is loose scree and broken quartzite, steep and slippery both up and down. There is no easy way around it; you pick your line, take your time, and watch your footing. At the top is a small oratory, a stone church built in 1905, and on a clear day a panorama over the bay's islands that makes the effort worthwhile. Excavations on the summit in the 1990s found the foundations of a much older oratory, a reminder of how long people have been making this climb.

What to bring

Wear proper walking boots that you have broken in, not trainers. Bring layers, because the summit is several degrees colder and far windier than the car park, and pack a windproof and waterproof jacket whatever the forecast. Carry water and some food. The weather can change fast on an Atlantic mountain, and mist on the cone is the real hazard, so if the cloud is down and you are not experienced, save it for another day.

Reek Sunday and when to go

The last Sunday in July is Reek Sunday, the biggest day on the mountain, when up to twenty-five thousand people climb it in honour of Saint Patrick, some of them barefoot. It is an extraordinary thing to witness, but if you want the mountain to yourself, this is the one day to avoid. For everyone else, aim for a dry, clear day in spring, summer or early autumn, when the Clew Bay views are at their best.

Start reasonably early to give yourself time and to beat the crowds on busy summer weekends. Tell someone your plans, check the forecast, and turn back if conditions close in. The Reek will still be there next time, and the view from the top is only worth having if you get up and down safely to enjoy the memory of it.