Trial Croagh Patrick path progresses

A PATH FOR CROAGH PATRICK Mayo County Council’s Martin Keating pictured during work on the trial path at close to the summit of Croagh Patrick earlier this month. Pic: Tracey Logan 

Tracey Logan

PROSPECTS for a safer and more comfortable climb up Croagh Patrick came a step closer today (Tuesday) as the second of two short trial paths is set to be completed. A 40-metre proxy path some 20 metres away from the traditional path was already completed over the weekend on the summit cone, the most unstable and treacherous section of the mountain and the subject of a BBC report which aired this weekend. Additional trial works were also carried out at the lower path also.
Chairman of the Croagh Patrick Stakeholder’s Group, Mr Martin Keating of Mayo County Council explained that the ‘purpose of these paths is not to test their acceptability to climbers, but to ensure the ‘stone pitching’ method used to build them will work using the Reek’s small scree rocks.  
If successful, the same method will be used for the mountain’s entire 5km path, said Mr Keating, who told the BBC of plans for a public consultation and planning process later this year. The trial path resembles a dry stone wall on its side, rising gently, a few inches at a time, to form shallow steps.
“It’s going to look as natural as possible and blend in with the local environment. Not man-made but human assisted,” said Fr Charlie McDonnell, the ADM of Westport Parish, which is custodian of Croagh Patrick.
Unlike a concrete path, this more natural design requires regular attention and the project to conserve the mountain will involve a training component to develop skills locally for the path’s maintenance.  
Mayo County Council has part-funded this trial project along with ‘other county sources’, said Mr Keating. Funding for the main project has not yet been ‘fully tied down’ he said, pending the results of the trial just completed. But ‘the indications are from a number of interested bodies that there is a willingness to fund a project that will put Croagh Patrick on a sustainable footing for the future’.
The works are being carried out by Scottish upland path contractor, Mr Matt McConway and assisted by volunteers from the Croagh Patrick Stakeholders Group.

More To listen to Tracey Logan’s BBC Radio report on Croagh Patrick, go to https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p06pg57y