Having found out that the Holy peak of Crough Patrick can see thousands of summiteers a day at this time of year (last last weekend of July sees 25,000 pilgrims make the ascent apparently!), we opted for an early start. It was just past seven when we passed St Patrick. The morning was cool, quiet and the weather suggested that we had a few hours to get up and down in the dry.
The path is even bigger than the way up Snowdon, so you're not going to get lost - there's even a toilet block at the col half way up!
The valley clouds were parting as we gained height, revealing distant peaks and views inland.
The final steepening is almost entirely on loose scree (not ideal barefoot terrain!), although a path was being built among the rubble.
The main view was across to Clew Bay, which was utterly incredible and a view like I've never really seen before. The left over drumlins from the previous ice sheet, creating hundreds of tiny islands.
Our early alarm had been well worth it. Not only did we have the mountain too ourselves, but we also had the weather window of pure blues skies. Magic.
It's easy to see why it's considered Ireland's Holy Mountain. It's not that there happens to be a church on the summit, you can't help but get a real sense of awe and wonder from the 360 degree view.
We sat for over an hour on the church steps soaking it all in and enjoying a well earned breakfast. At 10am, then next pilgrims arrived along with the clouds. We set off down on the path in the scree.
Clouds rolled in from the coast and we probably passed a few hundred hikers making their way up. Back at the van, the car park was full and cars were on the verge for miles. We returned back to the sea shore where we'd camped and enjoyed a brew in peace!
We then set off back south, calling in at the white sand beach of Dog Bay. It was beautiful but busy - one of the first places we've been to with no camping signs, double yellow lines, pay and display etc... We had a walk on the beach, then carried on to a quiet parking place in the middle of nowhere to cook dinner.
We were too tired to drive the nearest campsite (another 45 mins away), so after cooking up, settled into the cosy van and were soon asleep.
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