Anyone climbing Croagh Patrick?

Elliana Cool Life wrote: »

Genuine question: Why today though? Why not mid week or next weekend, when it's quieter?

More so out of habit I suppose really, myself and the brother do it and this is the day we go every year.

Did it a few years ago in February, was struggling with a hangover and a friend said it would clear my head, struggled all the way up and down but couldn't see 2ft in front of me when I got up there, would definitely do it again though.

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

The parish priest from Westport was on Midwest radio the day before highlighting the dangers involved in the climb and advising people not to underestimate the task at hand.fr Charlie is his name.he was a parish priest in Galway before moving to Westport and have to say he was one of the soundest priests I ever met.he was great craic.was a pity he moved he was one of the most down to earth people I ever met and everyone had great time for him.

That's brilliant to hear and hopefully more pps would be doing something like that. Even small things like encouraging people to go for walks/hikes in the weeks beforehand to avoid cases like the man who had to be airlifted off the mountain with a heart attack.

Noveight wrote: »

Climbing Croagh Patrick is on the long list of things I must do when I get the ambition in me I've heard the views are beautiful provided the weather is right.

It's a mad place

When I started it last year it was pouring rain, then sun splitting rocks, then crazy wind and when I got to the top the fog was ridiculously thick. No photos of Clew Bay for me. Same random combination coming back down

New weather every half hour

P_1 wrote: »

Actually out of interest, for anyone who does it for the pilgrimage, does the church provide any sort of a training plan for you to follow in the weeks leading up to it? I mean it's not an easy mountain to climb and you would wonder how many people who do Reek Sunday would be out climbing mountains most weekends. If they don't it does strike me as being somewhat irresponsible.

There's info online. Mayo Mountain rescue would put a lot of it up. Someone mentioned the local parish priest (He's a sound chap, I've met him too) and I'd imagine he'd mention it to locals but I have no idea if it'd be mentioned in other parishes. And considering people travel to it, it wouldn't matter what he said in westport.

I've never climbed it and my family live next door to it. We're behind it rather than on the Murrisk side. My family are all involved in it from a safety side. My whole family is medical except me. The stories I've heard about the idiot climbers. Women in high heels. Guys in flip flops. People trying to climb it at night. There's some absolute idiots out there.
I was chatting to my sister last night and we mentioned that the weather was perfect this year. Too hot and people get sun stroke. Warm at the bottom and people try it in teeshirts and get hypothermia. Bit chilly at the bottom, but not much wind and rain is perfect

Under His Eye wrote: »

How long does it take to climb it?

Took me just under 2 hrs from base to summit the last time I did it. It's tough in spots, very rocky. I don't know how people do it in bare feet.

I was too mean to rent one of the wooden sticks lol.


Came down heavily on my backside a couple of times on the descent. Ground can just give way underneath you.

Under His Eye wrote: »

How long does it take to climb it?

Here's the results from the Gael Force race. It's an endurance race and one of the stages is to run up it and back down again.
http://redtagtiming.com/results/GFWest2016_Full.html?eventid=d7f6dc8f-87d9-4584-959e-2a1f304d82f2

Looking at that there's a guy who ran up it in 25-ish minutes and came down in 10-ish.

For you or me, I'd put a few hours aside for it

Grayson wrote: »

There's info online. Mayo Mountain rescue would put a lot of it up. Someone mentioned the local parish priest (He's a sound chap, I've met him too) and I'd imagine he'd mention it to locals but I have no idea if it'd be mentioned in other parishes. And considering people travel to it, it wouldn't matter what he said in westport.

I've never climbed it and my family live next door to it. We're behind it rather than on the Murrisk side. My family are all involved in it from a safety side. My whole family is medical except me. The stories I've heard about the idiot climbers. Women in high heels. Guys in flip flops. People trying to climb it at night. There's some absolute idiots out there.
I was chatting to my sister last night and we mentioned that the weather was perfect this year. Too hot and people get sun stroke. Warm at the bottom and people try it in teeshirts and get hypothermia. Bit chilly at the bottom, but not much wind and rain is perfect

Possibly one for him to fly up the chain for next year maybe. Though I wonder if training for it may fly against the ethos that a pilgrimage is meant to be a struggle. Clearly I'm not catholic so would have no idea but wonder what the opinion of people who are would be about it.

Chancer3001 wrote: »

It's not a hard climb

Follow the path all the way. An hour or so . One steep bit for 15 minutes where you've to take your time.

That's it.

Amy fitness level can do it as long as you can step

I know a few girls called Amy and to be fair they could all do it, so you're stop on

And on topic. My mum who's in her 70's can do it. Still I'd advise everyone to check the weather, stick to the path, wear appropriate clothing and make sure to wear shoes/booth which give you good ankle support. There are some slippery bits.