Croagh Patrick, Ireland

August 20, 2023

AKA ‘The Reek’, this hike is a pilgrimage trek that predates Christianity. It is said Saint Patrick fasted for 40 days at the summit in 441 AD and thus 25, 000 – 30, 000 people make the pilgrimage on Reek Sunday annually in his honour, with many completing it barefoot. Croagh Patrick is Ireland’s holiest mountain.

This is an easy hike on a well-defined trail. There are even washrooms halfway up the mountain, sadly they were locked when we there. I don’t know if they are unlocked only for the pilgrimage or not? The weather when Randy and I hiked was super moody. It started out rainy so I put on all my raingear in the car park before we started. A quarter of the way up, the sun was shining and I was hot so I took my raingear off. Then it rained again and I got soaked because I was too lazy to put my raingear on. By this time, we were close to the pass and it was literally blowing a gale. It was so windy on this mountain! Definitely the worse winds we have ever hiked in. I had to use both of my poles for support to stop myself from blowing over. A lady who was hiking with five kids had them all hold onto her trekking pole to get them through the pass as they likely wouldn’t have made it alone. Anyways, the wind dried my pants! Alas, when we got to the top we were clouded in, it was foggy, and rainy. Raingear on again. Ah!

At the summit, there is a ‘bed’ where Saint Patrick allegedly rested. There is also a chapel, built in 1905 where mass and confessions take place on Reek Sunday (Garland Sunday). It was also locked when we were there which was a little sad because I would have loved to have seen inside it. The mountain is dotted with prehistoric monuments dating back to the 5th century. 

The first part of the trail is more like a dirt road than a path. It can’t be driven on by a vehicle but it is quite wide and compacted. The second half of the trail, past the pass, is made of a wide stone stairway. The mountain is loose rock and scree with the rocks strategically reorganized into the stairs. Although I personally would not hike up this mountain barefoot, of all the mountains I have hiked, this one would be the easiest to hike without boots due to the large flat rocks all throughout the trail. 

This is a short but steep hike. The summit is said to have amazing views but sadly, due to the weather, we saw nothing. I’d love to do this hike again although I’d start on the eastern trail to see more of the ancient monuments. This is a must do hike if you’re hiking in Ireland. 

Distance: 8.21 km
Elevation Gain: 865 m
Total Elevation: 764 m
Time: 3 hours 30 minutes