To settle a bet about Croagh Patrick.....

ollaetta

Is there a back road up to the top which vehicles can use? I think there must be to haul all the stuff up in July but my mate says the only route up is the hard walking one.

irishgeo

ollaetta wrote: »

Is there a back road up to the top which vehicles can use? I think there must be to haul all the stuff up in July but my mate says the only route up is the hard walking one.

nope no road that vehicles can use.

PogMoThoin

Ass & cart only.

killerqueen

Nope the hard struggle up on foot from the main road is the only way
stuff is taken up in back packs etc I guess

fdevine

I have climbed the reek on many occasions and IIRC there is a track of some description up the back of the mountain.

I'm not sure if it's negotiable by vehicle, but AFAIK that's how the hawkers get their boxes of Mars bars up to flog them on for exorbitant prices

Bob the Builder

Yes, there is a small dirt track up to the back of the reek. On the Two Days previous to Reek Sunday, Mountain Rescue and Order of Malta Ambulances use the track to transport medical supplies to the top of the mountain. If someone falls ill at the top of the mountain, there is an ambulance parked stationery at the back.

Tbh, they don't really like lay people going up the back on reek sunday, as it's easy to get lost, and the road is only a small bog road, not fit to carry two vehicles at a time. Even cyclists don't use the road because its in such poor condition.

The road only brings you to about quarter of the way up the mountain, but if you bring a spare pair of wellies, you'll be grand for the rest

Samhain

It may not be as bad as the other way though, that last bit is terrible if its wet. One step forward, two steps back....

yop

nevf wrote: »

Yes, there is a small dirt track up to the back of the reek. On the Two Days previous to Reek Sunday, Mountain Rescue and Order of Malta Ambulances use the track to transport medical supplies to the top of the mountain. If someone falls ill at the top of the mountain, there is an ambulance parked stationery at the back.

Tbh, they don't really like lay people going up the back on reek sunday, as it's easy to get lost, and the road is only a small bog road, not fit to carry two vehicles at a time. Even cyclists don't use the road because its in such poor condition.

The road only brings you to about quarter of the way up the mountain, but if you bring a spare pair of wellies, you'll be grand for the rest

That track does not go all the way up, the use a helicopter also for getting critical supplies up to the top.
Hawkers use the easier track to the West of the reek to get up a lot of their stuff, when the mining was been done they created a rough track. This can be accessed from the Thornhill/Lecanvey side of the Reek.

irishgeo

nevf wrote: »

Yes, there is a small dirt track up to the back of the reek. On the Two Days previous to Reek Sunday, Mountain Rescue and Order of Malta Ambulances use the track to transport medical supplies to the top of the mountain. If someone falls ill at the top of the mountain, there is an ambulance parked stationery at the back.

Tbh, they don't really like lay people going up the back on reek sunday, as it's easy to get lost, and the road is only a small bog road, not fit to carry two vehicles at a time. Even cyclists don't use the road because its in such poor condition.

The road only brings you to about quarter of the way up the mountain, but if you bring a spare pair of wellies, you'll be grand for the rest

think i got lost on that road one day.i realised i was nearly at the top of the reek.

FX Meister

The road does go all the way to the top. Last time I was up there some dudes were doing some work and had a land cruiser up there.

dublinmadyoke

FX Meister wrote: »

The road does go all the way to the top. Last time I was up there some dudes were doing some work and had a land cruiser up there.

The road does not go all the way to the top dude!! I should know... I am part of a rescue team that goes up there many times a year.. I may now be a Dublinmadyoke now but I am from Mayo

Bob the Builder

dublinmadyoke wrote: »

The road does not go all the way to the top dude!! I should know... I am part of a rescue team that goes up there many times a year.. I may now be a Dublinmadyoke now but I am from Mayo

what organisation are you from and what unit?

I'm a westport omac recently turned senior...

dublinmadyoke

nevf wrote: »

what organisation are you from and what unit?

I'm a westport omac recently turned senior...

C/Bar OMAC member for over 10 years (I am in Dublin now though hence 'Dublinmadyoke'). Congrats on becoming a senior.

sgthighway

You can get up the back on a Quad but it would have to be light. If any fog came in towards the back you will get lost easily and in up in the worst scenario possible. Helipcopters can't always come in and a helipcopter won't be called out for the likes of a sprained ankle. I have seen people taken down the back years ago but in most case its down the way you came up.

Most people use Donkeys to carry up stuff for the shop.

RTE took a load of equipment up there yesterday. On a Track Machine up so far and then on foot. A helipcopter took up some more stuff today.

dublinmadyoke

sgthighway wrote: »

You can get up the back on a Quad but it would have to be light. If any fog came in towards the back you will get lost easily and in up in the worst scenario possible. Helipcopters can't always come in and a helipcopter won't be called out for the likes of a sprained ankle. I have seen people taken down the back years ago but in most case its down the way you came up.

Most people use Donkeys to carry up stuff for the shop.

RTE took a load of equipment up there yesterday. On a Track Machine up so far and then on foot. A helipcopter took up some more stuff today.

Injured people are still taken down the back my dear - many a time i'v done it. Its easy for rescue personell as it not as steep to carry a stretcher down.... Don't go trying it now..

Might come home for Reek Sunday


'Oh the green and red of Mayo' ...........

Bob the Builder

dublinmadyoke wrote: »

C/Bar OMAC member for over 10 years (I am in Dublin now though hence 'Dublinmadyoke'). Congrats on becoming a senior.

Thanks.
i might see you if you do decide to return, i'll be wearing a cadet uniform collecting, at the bottom.

sgthighway wrote: »

You can get up the back on a Quad but it would have to be light. If any fog came in towards the back you will get lost easily and in up in the worst scenario possible. Helipcopters can't always come in and a helipcopter won't be called out for the likes of a sprained ankle. I have seen people taken down the back years ago but in most case its down the way you came up.

Most people use Donkeys to carry up stuff for the shop.

RTE took a load of equipment up there yesterday. On a Track Machine up so far and then on foot. A helipcopter took up some more stuff today.

RTE haven't used helicopters for transport as of yet. all equipment has been carried up on back. omac/mountain rescue, have used helicopter to transport water and supplies to the top.

if there is no immediate rush, the casualty is transported via stretcher to the foot of the mountain where he/she is transported via ambulance to mayo general. on reek sunday, weather dependant, the helicopters will be used, due to large amounts of traffic, it would take hours to get from the reek to the hospital.

bare in mind, the large costs of running a helicopter. and the rescue helicopters(most likely the Eurocopter EC135 are no different)

dublinmadyoke wrote: »

Injured people are still taken down the back my dear - many a time i'v done it. Its easy for rescue personell as it not as steep to carry a stretcher down.... Don't go trying it now..

and it can be a biitch of a job as well. thankfully i havent tried it, but it's a tough job.

Karlos_Sparky

nevf wrote: »

Yes, there is a small dirt track up to the back of the reek. On the Two Days previous to Reek Sunday, Mountain Rescue and Order of Malta Ambulances use the track to transport medical supplies to the top of the mountain. If someone falls ill at the top of the mountain, there is an ambulance parked stationery at the back.

Rubbish - we had to carry a lady down from the very top with the aid of mountain rescue ..... There is no track to the top for vehicles

pat.folan

Can someone give a definite answer? Is there a road to the top or not? Don't get hung up on whether it is the "back" or the "side". Road or no road? Can anyone with local knowledge put this one to bed please?

yop

pat.folan wrote: »

Can someone give a definite answer? Is there a road to the top or not? Don't get hung up on whether it is the "back" or the "side". Road or no road? Can anyone with local knowledge put this one to bed please?

No road, back, front or sides. Its good old feet!

Slogger Jogger

Taken last Sunday, Donkeys approaching from back of the reek, in the Lecanvey direction, I expect bringing provisions to the top to sell.


They would have taken some of the red line marked on the following map, but not clear where exactly they started their trek from. It wouldnt be easy coming from the Lecanvey side either so they may have started south of the ridge.
https://www.imra.ie/events/maps/id/1260/

yop

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Taken last Sunday, Donkeys approaching from back of the reek, in the Lecanvey direction, I expect bringing provisions to the top to sell.


They would have taken some of the red line marked on the following map, but not clear where exactly they started their trek from. It wouldnt be easy coming from the Lecanvey side either so they may have started south of the ridge.
https://www.imra.ie/events/maps/id/1260/

Up from a place called Gloshpatrick. They would follow the trail done by the miners.