Croagh Patrick

centuries. Although not all of it many purposes goes back Eòrabhat), but its usage for name ‘Coffin Road’ (Bealach given this track the sombre cemeteries are what has to the windswept western dead. The fabled journeys offered few places to bury the coast, where the rock and peat the sheltered bays on the east place for many inhabitants of machair) were the final resting that surround them (known as visitor’s list. The sandy soils should rank way up any west coast of South Harris pristine white beaches on the these islands have to offer, the metres km 20 0 40 0 60 0 0 0 Of the many sights ford-sagers theo chosen by… 25 u Distance: 8½ miles/13.7km u miles/13.7km 8½ Distance: 2

4 south harris highland

6 bridge, take firm track on with their ponderous cargo. as those hardy pall bearers road in the same direction You’ll also travel the coffin dramatic scenery for later on. clockwise to save the most west side and take this circuit path is still there. Start on the features on OS maps, the old 2 1 the road to bridge. at the road, continue along track on L. When it re-emerges 600m. At road junction, take walk east along the road for so take care. From the layby, Tarmac, single-track in places GR ADIENT PROFILE The first section is mostly Start Views across Luskentyre Immediately before the km ¾ miles/1.25

8 Time: 4 hours u 4 hours Time: S ands to 10 T ar

ansay.

Grade: Moderate Grade:

theo ford-sagers theo Photo: immediately before the the river on your L. Enter gate R to Lacasdail Cottage, keeping 14 L Maps 01851 705050 H ( from P (if you’re a customer) T P com, 01859 550333 Kitchen, hotel-hebrides. R Nearest town PL S boggy in winter some patches will become ground in summer, but aren’t very punishing. Firm simple and gradients I parking Free grid ref parking at the roadside, S R pl s it for me? M andranger 14 he tiles tart/ ublic tr ublic t efr ebridean oute on-Sat). A a eshments M T

NN O n achair Kitchen achair Kitchen O arbert t 16 S Explor oilets NG ne your wa your Bus W10 ansport Bus W10 A I N T 090971 O r B N ansport, ansport, perator: G

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scotland ✁ a shore side road, ‘The Wild the mountain before following routes across the flanks of down to follow waymarked scenic detour on the way the summit and makes a route to reach the chapel on follows the traditional Pilgrims’ scree and stones. This route as 30,000 pilgrims brave the main pilgrimage day), as many last Sunday in July and the climb it. On ‘Reek Sunday’ (the over 100,000 people a year nicknamed ‘The Reek’ and bare feet! Croagh Patrick is – many of them doing it in tough walk to the summit below the top to make the flock to the village of Murrisk summit in 441AD and pilgrims spent 40 days fasting on the a National Shrine. St Patrick Ireland’s Holy Mountain and Ocean, Croagh Patrick is above the Atlantic Rising 2507 feet steve goodier chosen by… 26 u Distance: 6 croagh patrick county mayo ½

miles/10.45km

col at the valley head. Continue path steeply as it heads for a very loose stones. Follow the path passing over rock and up on the increasingly rough a shallow stream and continue path opens out beyond, cross shallow gully and when the Follow the burn through a path picking up a burn R. continue ahead on the wide 2 1 path to a gate in a fence. continue on a rough wide rising this the tarmac ends and you to the statue. Shortly beyond Patrick sign and climb steps to ‘Sruthin’) pass The Croagh of the tarmac (at the entrance statue of St. Patrick. At the end surfaced track towards the the visitor centre taking the the start. Atlantic Way’, back to Exit car park going L of Start Pass through the gate and ½ mile/0.8km

u Time: 4 Time: C roagh Patrick from Murrisk.

½ hours u hours

Grade: Challenging

steve goodier steve Photo: R M majority of route. M Maps (transportforireland.ie) P (not always open) P C Seasonal shop high on Visitor cafes at various shops and smaller T Patrick Visitor R Nearest P S C D walk back to the start. interest. Patrick’ for points of start at the foot of up a ‘ over easy moorland – pick T and fairly eroded in places. Very steep, tough going wide but rough paths. I Westport, grid ref parking park at Patrick Visitor S pl s it for me? a he alt tiles tart/ ublic tr ublic t efr roagh Patrick sells drinks roagh Patrick. ogs are not allowed on ap 37 for whole massif aps 30 and 31 cover the l oute vern Bar and Restaurant; a a eshments M

nn O n N ernative return is C urrisk’ leaflet at the urrisk’ leaflet at the M S oilets one your wa your C entr town T Bus 450 ansport Bus 450 urrisk, 8km W of urrisk, 8km W of I her roagh Patrick i reland n e car park; e car park; Easy to follow, g e is a road e is a road Westport A C C C C t summit roagh roagh entr entr roagh roagh D A L iscovery C dd 919823 919823 e; e; e car roagh roagh

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ireland D ate walked time taken your rating

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n 3 7¾ miles/12.5km the at long descent, After I association with lfto.com/cwroutes OS VIEW About 400m after the ruin, About 400m after zigs-zags path The gate. enter and loses here from upwards but it’s on the map, its identity the highest At follow. to easy out. straightens the track point 6 junction, enter gate, turn R and gate, enter junction, road. at stile to the track follow point the starting here, From L. on your is 60m away 5

4 miles/6.4km the old path Follow 5 miles/8.2km bridge, after Immediately 2 downhill. Cross the footbridge, the footbridge, Cross downhill. junction. at straight continue You’ll Seilebost. sign to Follow then path another bridge, cross the line of a climbs and follows and descend gate Enter fence. Mhige Aird houses between to gateway Enter and Liceasto. footbridge. to and proceed 4 5 after 270m). As the road As the road 270m). after of a the shore approaches on R. track small loch, take turn R, walk on grassy path on grassy turn R, walk the buildings and past around ruined blackhouse on L. You’re road’. on the old ‘coffin now

Buy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop

1 highland south harris 6 t S art 3 miles/4.8km and walk the road R at Turn OS Explorer map 455 u

quarry to the road. quarry to cottage, then another as you then another as you cottage, behind you. the cottage leave 1.8km (1.1m) Approximately reach you’ll the cottage after notify if in operation, a quarry; crossing, before the foreman the beyond track Follow 3 100m, then take track on L. track 100m, then take it re-emerges until Continue turn L and follow the road, at 60m turn R onto After Tarmac. the it meets When short track. again, turn R. If you’re road good boots, turn L wearing grass hairpin onto the first at marshy avoid to Or, path. (the on the road stay ground, the road meets path marshy u

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8.04km) or for a variation a variation or for 8.04km) a to the gate go R before take here From post. marker ahead passing path the faint posts marker the regular the moor and leading over Murrisk either ‘The following or ‘The arrows) (Red Loop’ (purple Loop’ Mountain the to descend to arrows) Go L using road. R335 on both sides footpaths return to of the road the car park. to 1 2 3

t S art Buy maps at: store.osi.ie u 4 past St. Patrick’s statue to to statue Patrick’s St. past the cairn of Leacht Benain and the cairn of Leacht Continue post. the wooden outbound following beyond the building base L past route buildings R stone and the two and large the shop site reach to path the rough cairn. Descend pick up the burn to beyond the shallow through again, pass in the the gate gully and reach can simply pass You fence. this and descend through miles/ the car park (5.0

amine entr F C county mayo county patrick croagh isiting ’t miss... ’t or the Memorial and V n isit V do bbey – a trail visits – a trail bbey 2½ miles/4km steps your Re-trace 1½ miles/2.4km ahead on the Keep the ruins of Murrisk A facing both and starts the car park. OS Ireland Discovery maps 30, 31 & 37 carefully back downhill passing back downhill carefully u to near the col to reach a large a large reach to near the col to and cairn near a scaffold which houses structure canvas (it’s shop in Ireland the highest only seasonal and generally open in summer months). 3 4 wide path passing the shop passing wide path as on path Continue structure. the angle eases soon passing L and a further stone toilets of upper cone L. The structure ahead is in view Patrick Croagh you takes and a short descent the base of anotherpast with artificial turf. structure a wooden Rise again passing pilgrimage and the large post Benain. Beyond cairn of Leacht steep very gets this, the path is a lot of and there and rough so care and loose scree, erosion to Climb the path is required. the chapel on summit of are there where Patrick Croagh also some other buildings and open). (not always a toilet 26

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