Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail

Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail
Croagh Patrick
Length61 kilometres (38 miles)[1]
LocationCounty Mayo, Ireland
DesignationNational Waymarked Trail[1]
TrailheadsBalla, Murrisk[1]
UseHiking
Elevation gain/loss+1,205 m (3,953 ft)[2]
Highest point310 m (1,017 ft)[2]
DifficultyModerate[1]
SeasonAny
Websitehttp://www.croaghpatrickheritagetrail.com/

The Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail (Irish: Siúlóid Oidhreachta)[2] is a long-distance trail in County Mayo, Ireland. It is 61 kilometres (38 miles) long and begins in Balla and ends in Murrisk. It is typically completed in three days.[2] It is designated as a National Waymarked Trail by the National Trails Office of the Irish Sports Council and is managed by the Tóchar Valley Rural Community Network.[1] It was opened by Éamon Ó Cuív, TD, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs on 6 March 2009.[3] The trail won the runners-up prize in the Heritage category of the 2009 Co-operation Ireland Pride of Place awards.[3]

The trail travels in a westerly direction from Balla on a mixture of quiet roads, boreens, fields and forest and mountain tracks past the villages of Clogher, Ballintubber, Killavally and Aghagower before crossing the northern flanks of Croagh Patrick to reach Murrisk.[4]

In November 2016, it was announced that a government fund of €34,600 would be made available for the trail's improvement. In addition, it was announced that €25,000 would be provided for the development of a Trailhead at Knock and to extend the section of the trail from Balla to Knock. Finally, it was made public that €9,600 would be provided for the implementation of updated signage on the Balla to Murrisk section of the route.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail". IrishTrails. Irish Sports Council. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d "Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail". Tóchar Valley Rural Community Network. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Pride of Place Awards 2009". Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail. Tóchar Valley Rural Community Network. 23 November 2009. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  4. ^ "Trail Description". Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail. Tóchar Valley Rural Community Network. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011.
  5. ^ "Ring announces funding for Trailhead development and extension of Croagh Patrick Heritage Trail". Mayo Advertiser. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
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