GUNUNG · Irlandia

Croagh Patrick

Cruach Phádraig ("the Reek")

Information

Elevation: 764 m
Country: Irlandia (IE)
Location / Range: Punggungan timur–barat di atas Clew Bay, County Mayo, Connacht (Irlandia Barat)
Mountain type: Gunung kuarsit non-vulkanik berpuncak piramida; gunung ziarah paling terkenal di Irlandia
Volcanic?: No (non-volcanic)
Coordinates: 53.7595, -9.6584
Difficulty: Menengah: jalur ziarah terkelola sepanjang ~7 km PP, tetapi kerucut puncak curam berupa scree (batu lepas) yang licin dan melelahkan saat naik maupun turun; banyak peziarah bertelanjang kaki menambah tantangan
Best Season: April–September (cuaca paling stabil); puncak keramaian pada Reek Sunday — Minggu terakhir Juli — saat ribuan peziarah mendaki
Permits & Rules: Tanpa izin; akses bebas dari desa Murrisk (pusat pengunjung + parkir berbayar). Kotak donasi pemeliharaan jalur tersedia
Hazards: Kerucut puncak penuh batu lepas (scree) yang mudah menggelincirkan; kabut laut dari Clew Bay turun cepat dan mengurangi jarak pandang; angin kencang di punggungan; kepadatan ekstrem saat Reek Sunday

Description

Croagh Patrick (764 m), nicknamed 'the Reek', is a pyramid-peaked quartzite mountain in County Mayo, western Ireland, rising above Clew Bay near the village of Murrisk, a few kilometres from Westport. It has long been regarded as a holy mountain — from a prehistoric ritual landscape to its association with Saint Patrick, who is said to have fasted for forty days on the summit. A church has stood on the summit since the 5th century, with the present building dating from the early 20th century. Each year thousands of pilgrims climb it on 'Reek Sunday' (the last Sunday of July), a custom going back at least to the Middle Ages. Geographically it is the fourth-highest mountain in the province of Connacht on the P600 listing (after Mweelrea, Nephin and Barrclashcame) and forms part of a longer east–west ridge whose lower western top is named Ben Goram.

Gallery

Foto bersumber dari Wikimedia Commons — klik untuk memperbesar & lihat sumbernya.

Routes

Jalur Peziarah (Pilgrim Path) dari Murrisk

Menengah–berat: menanjak tajam, kerucut puncak berupa scree lepas di ~400 m terakhir

7.00 km +700 m 3–4 jam pulang-pergi

The classic route from the Croagh Patrick Visitor Centre at Murrisk (near sea level) to the 764 m summit. It climbs through farmland to a 'halfway shelf' overlooking Clew Bay, then finishes on a steep, loose-scree summit cone that must be tackled carefully; parts now have a built stone path/steps to limit erosion from tens of thousands of walkers a year. This scree section is the most tiring part, both up and down.

Route Segments

1

Pusat Pengunjung Murrisk → Halfway Shelf (~2 km)

⏱ 1–1,5 jam

Menanjak menerus lewat lahan pertanian; pemandangan Teluk Clew terbuka; patung Santo Patrick di dekat titik awal
2

Halfway Shelf → Dasar kerucut puncak

⏱ 30–45 menit

Punggungan lebih landai sebelum kerucut puncak; angin sering kencang di sini
3

Kerucut puncak → Puncak (764 m)

⏱ 45–60 menit

Scree lepas curam yang licin — bagian tersulit; kapel kecil di puncak, dibangun ulang awal abad ke-20

Source

Tóchar Phádraig (dari Ballintubber Abbey)

Berat / jarak jauh: rawa gambut basah, jalan pedesaan, lalu pendakian puncak

35.00 km +764 m 8–10 jam (sering dibagi 2 hari)

An ancient ~35 km pilgrim route from Ballintubber Abbey to the summit of Croagh Patrick, reputedly walked by St Patrick and once a road to Connacht. Walkers usually register at the abbey before setting out; the trail crosses bogland, hill country and quiet lanes before the summit climb, typically split over two days. It is far quieter than the Murrisk path and demands navigation and long-distance stamina.

Source

Climbing Experiences

Climbing Croagh Patrick (764 m), 'the Reek', is usually a round-trip day hike of about 7 km from the Visitor Centre at Murrisk, County Mayo. The trail climbs steeply from the start to a 'halfway shelf' overlooking Clew Bay, then finishes on a steep, loose-scree summit cone that is slippery and tiring — the hardest part both up and down. Climbers repeatedly stress good boots, poles and weather awareness, as sea mist can descend quickly. As one of the world's oldest pilgrimages, the mountain is busiest on Reek Sunday (the last Sunday of July), when thousands of pilgrims — some barefoot — climb in honour of Saint Patrick.

References

The summary above is compiled from the following sources. Click to explore them yourself.