Croagh Patrick............any boardsies climbed it?

Paddy Samurai

I went up last wednesday,my second time.This time i brought up my son,his first time. I was suprised by the amount of different people from different backgrounds.Two "extreme sports" guys ran past me while I hobbled along (I hate heights)near the top at the steepest part.:eek:
I seen a guy half way up at the foot of the mountain with a baby on his shoulders but he turned back when he reached the scree.Near the top two stunners wearing miniskirts crawled along on their hands and knees.Looked like they had'nt planned on climbing it ,but got carried away.I know a few people that only went to look at it and ended up climbing it.
Theres some view up there.:D
A load of americans in their twenties passed me on the way down ,I later seen them down at Campbels having a pint with the rest of their coach tour while they waited on their bus.They were saying how "awesome" it was , and how it was the one thing they wanted to do in Ireland.
I was nearby when the americans were talking to a young Irish guy with his arm in plaster , he was going back up for the third time that day!.
Seen a fair few elderly climbing up as well.A lot of Germans ,English,some french,asians etc.
Coaches of spanish students arrived while I was outside Campbells,but I think they only went as far as the statue...not sure.


I climbed it because of the challenge and the view ,I think alot of other people do it for the same reason.Its funny the way everyone tells everyone on the way up "its only another ten minutes" to the top.
Theres something about it,that draws you to climb it,and theres great camaraderie as strangers help each other.

So ,have you been up there,or seen anything strange while you were up there?.

admiralofthefleet

im not a member of any cults so no

phasers

I was forced to do this on a school trip, it's bloody torture. Running back down it was great fun though.

knird evol

It's more of a walk really than a climb isn't it.
A walk at elevation.
To climb you'd have to be using your hands somewhere. Or ropes, or a little pick axe.

Mickeroo

I've climbed it yeah. Plenty more enjoyable mountains to climb than that in Mayo though, with less people on them too! It does have a pretty nice view from the top though. It's also a bloody headache of a mountain for mountain rescue considering the amount of people who climb it unprepared, like those two in the mini-skirts for example :P Having said that my gran used to do it in her bare feet!

**Timbuk2**

Have done it four times so far (hear you need to do it 7 times to get guaranteed a place in heaven ).

The first time I did it I was surprised how tough it was - I knew lots of people climbed it in their bare feet, and plenty of older folk have done it so I presumed it would be a doddle - it wasn't. That bit near the top is tough going!

epgc3fyqirnbsx

There is something that draws you to that mountain if you see it from a distance, it appears to be a perfect conical shape on a relatively flat landscape, like a volcano. People have been drawn to climbing it long before christianity
I'm lucky enough to see it from my house and have climbed it a lot of times (though not in the last couple of years)
I couldn't recommend it highly enough, for the views alone

Chuck Stone

No.

Eejits imo.

Son Of A Vidic

You don't climb Croagh Patrick because there's no actual climbing involved. You just simply walk up it and back down again.

Sugar Free

I more or less ran up it as a twelve year old, save for the last couple of hundred metres where the serious scree kicks in and there's no grip left.

Stunning views from the summit on a nice day.

Mickeroo

**Timbuk2** wrote: »

Have done it four times so far (hear you need to do it 7 times to get guaranteed a place in heaven ).

It was a pagan pilgrimage site long before the christian missionaries got their mits on it

dlofnep

No. It's a pointless exercise. I'd much rather a nice swim.

mardybumbum

Chuck Stone wrote: »

No.

Eejits imo.

Cheers.

Sunnyisland

Yep climbed/walked it many times,The views from the top are absolutely lovely once you have a clear day,

Although Croagh Patrick is not a technical mountain climb, it is a major challenge and the rigors of altitude should not be underestimated.

mel.b

I gave it my first go today. We had been out last night as part of a hen do, so it was a very late start for us, with a long drive home afterwards and as a result we turned back when we reached the saddle. A couple of the group had done it before though.

I'm completely unfit and overweight, although I have started cycling in the past 6 weeks and for me it was a climb, not a walk:P Part of me is happy with what I have done but another part would like to give it another go and make the top (maybe in 12months when I am fitter and have lost more weight:D)

We past a dog with three legs going up today with its owner - that was my motivation! I thought if a dog with three legs could do it, then I could keep going. Also as we were almost bac down to the bottom, there were two girls (Spanish I think) who were just starting to climb with massive backpacks - it looked like they were planning on spending the night up there:eek:

**Timbuk2**

Mickeroo wrote: »

It was a pagan pilgrimage site long before the christian missionaries got their mits on it

Ah yea I know it's just what my Mayo aunties tell me! They all refer to it as "The Reek" as opposed to Croagh Patrick!

Insect Overlord

Went up it with a hang-over two years ago. Great craic! The mist at the top was vicious though.

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/10331_156794634250_516309250_3545321_5421786_n.jpg

theteal

what does a cult have to do with it??

have done it a fair few times from the front and the back. the front (tourist trail) takes about an hour longer. the back is more of a hike as there's no path. the cousin said mass on it one of the times - I didn't spontaneously combust!

ill get the lads to give it a bash when on our next surf trip west

Son Of A Vidic

Mickeroo wrote: »

It was a pagan pilgrimage site long before the christian missionaries got their mits on it

Oh they hijacked a lot of the pre-christian rituals/beliefs, but I suppose that's what parasites do.

YFlyer

Paddy Samurai wrote: »

Near the top two stunners wearing miniskirts crawled along on their hands and knees.Looked like they had'nt planned on climbing it ,but got carried away.I know a few people that only went to look at it and ended up climbing it.
Theres some view up there.:D

Bet there was some view

epgc3fyqirnbsx

The Tóchar Phádraig is also well worth doing
Actually passes through some of my aul mans land, had quite surprise a couple of months back when I saw Mary McAleese and Enda Kenny walking through one of our fields

Chuck Stone

Chuck Stone wrote: »

No.

Eejits imo.

Having read this thread I'm going to have to call myself an eejit for saying the above.

Sounds like people get a lot out of it.

Apologies if I offeneded anyone.

yesno1234

Climbed it when I was 15 for Link Modules in 5th year. Raised a few hundred for charity doing it. Very enjoyable but was a terrible day for it, it was windy enough to push you around. Teacher had to come with us for insurance etc reasons and he told us that he had done it once before with a group, one of the lads was on the heavy side and only made it up the first stretch, teacher went on with the rest of the group and had to get people on their way down to help the lad down.

FatherLen

i did it a few years ago. i would have been one of the guys running it. it was a time in my life were i dabbled in parkour. ran up it in about 45 min and came down in under 30. well around about that. broke my toe on the way down, it was fun.

Dionysus

Climbed it in my bare feet. Beat that, consumer society!

I also walked all 800km of the Camino Francés last year. Sin dolor, no hay gloria.

PS: OK, I could only climb 25% of it in my bare feet before the pain paralysed me and I was looking with serious intent at that Mayo Mountain Rescue card which I took with me. Only then did it dawn on my rather dim mind that when your man Pádraig was allegedly climbing it there were none of these massive stones paining his feet- it was all handy ferns! Conned again by the RCC.

I walked the entire thing with shoes easily several times. No challenge there on the oppression front - sorry lads!

RichieC

theteal wrote: »

what does a cult have to do with it??

have done it a fair few times from the front and the back. the front (tourist trail) takes about an hour longer. the back is more of a hike as there's no path. the cousin said mass on it one of the times - I didn't spontaneously combust!

ill get the lads to give it a bash when on our next surf trip west

let me help you there.

Dionysus

FatherLen wrote: »

i did it a few years ago. i would have been one of the guys running it. it was a time in my life were i dabbled in parkour. ran up it in about 45 min and came down in under 30. well around about that. broke my toe on the way down, it was fun.

hehe, which reminds me... when I was getting my stuff for the Camino a couple of summers ago the guy in 53 Degrees North in Blanch was telling me he worked for RTÉ when they were televising mass from the top of Cruach Phádraig and his job was to run up and down the mountain with supplies for the broadcast and well, it seemed, for everybody up there. hehe.

Killer Pigeon

I haven't climbed Croagh Patrick yet but I would like to some day (and not for religious purposes).

paddyandy

A typical guilt release mechanism hijacked from pagan times.I walked up at an angle you don't climb it but ' climb' gives it the added ingredient.I was touched by the view and a great mist but i'm never easily seduced by religious theatre i've seen too much of it .It has an atmosphere that 'reeks' of compliant docility that horrifies the rational thinker.I believe in God but without the entertainment that often accompanies religion.The pub at the base where the sticks were provided would have done a spiritual treat without the nonsense.Years ago it was.

KamiKazeKitten

I climbed it on Friday - and have a lot of respect for those people who climb barefoot, it's hard work!

Absurdum

dlofnep wrote: »

No. It's a pointless exercise. I'd much rather a nice swim.

I'll tell you what's pointless; swimming. Only useful thing that does is prevent drowning.

earlyevening

Here's a link to our annual race up it

http://www.imra.ie/events/view/id/837/

El Weirdo

mel.b wrote: »

I'm completely unfit and overweight...

Ahhhhh... Did you let yourself go after the Spice Girls split up?

Da Shins Kelly

Only once. Took it out of me, so I don't think I'll be doing it again, even though it's practically in my back garden.

jimbobaloobob

probably done it about 30 times over the last 7 years, i find its great at different times of the year, Its a good day out.

Friend of mine has aimed to do it once a month for the last number of years. all that has prevented him doing so is the odd crazy day in winter


its a special place

nacho libre

I climbed it once. I reached the top in 45 minutes. If I tried it now it would take me at least double that. On the day I climbed it was 24c, and i passed this guy on my way down who was climbing it in a suit!

Kiwi_knock

Climbed it with my dad a couple of years ago. It really attracts a lot of different kinds of people like the OP outlined. Was not that difficult to climb, only gets slightly difficult near the top but not too challenging. It was an enjoyable experience and was very scenic.

Firefox11

I only ever did it once. It can be a surreal experience allright. Seeing whole families climbing up it and then passing all the injured ones warped in foil blankets waiting for the mountain rescue folks.

Yep, bare foot. Was promised a great view at the top but clouds settled in and saw nothing.

If I do it again it'll be while wearing footwear.

Ghost Buster

theteal wrote: »

what does a cult have to do with it??

have done it a fair few times from the front and the back. the front (tourist trail) takes about an hour longer. the back is more of a hike as there's no path. the cousin said mass on it one of the times - I didn't spontaneously combust!

ill get the lads to give it a bash when on our next surf trip west

Thats the old pagan route. Those guys werent in to misery and suffering quite so much as these new Johnny Come Lately's:D

byhookorbycrook

Last 1/3 is hardest as the surface is loose scree. I often wonder how they get the loo paper to the toilets at the top and where exactly the sewer pipes go to..how sad am I?

Ghost Buster

I grew up in that part ofd the country and used to climb it several times per year. Never for religious reasons but for the view, the crack (Camped on it and got teenaged drinking pissed) and for the exercise. I've done the known touristy route, the pagan route and a few routes with an ordinance survey map. The easiest was in snow as there was great grip and a soft landing!
Twenty years later myself and some friends of a similar vintage arrived back there with me giving it lots of bravado and it nearly bloody killed me!!!!!!

Tonyandthewhale

Climbed it as a child. Wouldn't be my favourite Irish mountain, far too crowded but it's nice enough in its own way I suppose.

Kojak

I climb it so I can avail of the "excellent" toilet facilities located half way up and at the top.

jaysus, they cant be beat...

Ghost Buster

Tonyandthewhale wrote: »

Climbed it as a child. Wouldn't be my favourite Irish mountain, far too crowded but it's nice enough in its own way I suppose.

Its only crowded on 'Lets be miserable, butcher our feet and p1ss off the mountain rescue team for Jebus" day.:D
Avoid that day and the Sunday before or after it and its usually fairly quiet. Or try the inland track.

Birroc

Matt Loughrey climbed the reek every day for a year. Amazing achievement given the winter we had.

http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12879:inspirational-loughrey-completes-croagh-patrick-365-challenge&catid=23:news&Itemid=46

TonyStark

Kojak wrote: »

I climb it so I can avail of the "excellent" toilet facilities located half way up and at the top.

jaysus, they cant be beat...

I was bursting for a ****e there last year on my way up... When I got into the toilets.. I didn't need a ****e anymore after looking around the door. Held it in until I got home they were so wretched.

Run_to_da_hills

I wouldn't go near Croach Partick because of its connection with the Roman Catholic Church and pagan rituals.

Kojak

How did they get planning permission for that house up at the top?

Captain Darling

Kojak wrote: »

How did they get planning permission for that house up at the top?

I believe its a church. I climbed it years ago with an ex. Nothing special about ti really. Nice views from the top, but there are too many people going up and down it the whole time.

googled eyes

Climbed it twice, once as an embarrassed teenager with my father and the second in my twenties while on a drunken weekend away . Both climbs 'just cause it's there'