What Is Tochar Phadraig?
Tochar Phadraig is a 35 km pilgrim path from Ballintubber Abbey to Croagh Patrick in County Mayo. The route predates Christianity and was originally an ancient chariot road to the seat of the Kings of Connacht. Ballintubber Abbey, founded in 1216, has maintained continuous worship for over 800 years. The route was restored in 1987 and is part of Ireland's Pilgrim Paths network and the Celtic Camino.
Tochar Phadraig (pronounced "TUCK-er FAW-drig") is a 35 km pilgrim path that follows the route Saint Patrick is said to have walked from Ballintubber Abbey to the summit of Croagh Patrick in County Mayo. It may be the oldest continuously used road in Ireland.
The route predates Christianity. Before Patrick, it served as an ancient chariot road leading to Cruachan Aille (the pre-Christian name for Croagh Patrick), which was a sacred site and the seat of the prehistoric Kings and Queens of Connacht. When Patrick arrived in the 5th century, he walked this existing road to the mountain where, according to tradition, he fasted for 40 days and 40 nights.
Ballintubber Abbey was founded in 1216 by Cathal Crovderg O'Connor, King of Connacht, and served as the starting point for pilgrims walking to Croagh Patrick. The abbey provided a hostel (the remains of which are still visible) where pilgrims rested, ate, and performed ritual cleansing before setting out. Ballintubber is called "the Abbey that Refused to Die" because it has maintained continuous worship for over 800 years, surviving suppression under Henry VIII, burning by Cromwellian forces, and the devastation of the Great Famine.
After 1588, use of the Tochar as a formal pilgrimage route declined. It fell into disuse during the Penal Times, when Catholic worship was suppressed. In 1987, the route was officially restored and waymarked, reviving a tradition that is at least 1,500 years old and likely much older.
The Tochar is now part of Ireland's Pilgrim Paths network and is linked to the Celtic Camino. Pilgrims can combine this walk with the Camino Ingles in Spain to work toward a Compostela certificate.
The Stops Along Tochar Phadraig
The trail runs west from Ballintubber Abbey to Croagh Patrick. Walking time is approximately 8-10 hours for the full path.
H3: 1. Ballintubber Abbey, County Mayo
The starting point. Founded in 1216 by the King of Connacht, the abbey is a working church that has never ceased holding services, despite 800 years of turbulence. The Augustinian architecture of the nave and chancel survives from the original 13th-century construction. The remains of the medieval pilgrim hostel, where travelers prepared for the walk to Croagh Patrick, are visible in the grounds.
Register at the abbey before setting out. Much of the route crosses private land, and registration is required.
Location: Near Claremorris, County Mayo. Approximately 15 km south of Castlebar.
H3: 2. Aughagower
The midpoint of the trail, approximately 17 km from Ballintubber. Aughagower (Achadh Gabhair, "Field of the Goat") is a small village with deep heritage. The remains of a round tower, a holy well, and early Christian church ruins mark this as a significant monastic site on the pilgrim road. Half-Tochar walks typically start or end here.
Walk from Ballintubber: Approximately 4-5 hours (17 km).
H3: 3. The Boheh Stone
An ancient Bronze Age stone with carved cup marks, also known as "St. Patrick's Chair." On certain dates in spring and autumn, the setting sun appears to roll down the slopes of Croagh Patrick when viewed from this stone, a phenomenon that suggests the stone's position was deliberately chosen thousands of years ago. The stone sits just off the trail route.
Walk from Aughagower: Approximately 2-3 hours (10 km).
H3: 4. Croagh Patrick Summit
The trail ends at the summit of Croagh Patrick, 764 meters above Clew Bay. The views from the summit extend across Clew Bay's 365 islands, the coast of Mayo, and on clear days, across to Achill Island and the Twelve Bens of Connemara.
A small chapel (rebuilt 1905) sits at the summit. Over 25,000 pilgrims climb Croagh Patrick on Reek Sunday (the last Sunday in July), many barefoot, continuing one of the longest-running religious traditions in Ireland. The ascent from the Tochar Phadraig route approaches from the east, a different path from the standard tourist ascent from Murrisk car park on the west side.
Walk from Boheh Stone: Approximately 2-3 hours (8 km to summit, with significant ascent).
Walking Tochar Phadraig: What You Need to Know
Tochar Phadraig is a 35 km walk taking 8-10 hours, or a half-trail of 17 km (4-5 hours) from Aughagower. Registration at Ballintubber Abbey is required because much of the route crosses private land. Guided group walks cost 30-35 euros. The walk is part of the Celtic Camino and counts toward a Compostela certificate when combined with the Camino Ingles in Spain.
The Tochar is a serious walking trail across open countryside.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Distance | 35 km (full trail) or 17 km (half-trail from Aughagower) |
| Duration | 8-10 hours (full), 4-5 hours (half) |
| Terrain | Mix of ancient path, farm tracks, and public roads. Some boggy sections. |
| Registration | Required. Register at Ballintubber Abbey or online. Much of the route crosses private land. |
| Cost | Guided group walks: approximately 30-35 euros. Self-guided: 20-25 euros. |
| Best season | May to September. Organized walks run spring through summer. |
| What to bring | Walking boots, waterproofs, water and food, high-visibility clothing (road sections). |
| Start time | Group walks typically depart at 8 AM from Ballintubber Abbey. |
| Celtic Camino | Completing the Tochar counts toward a Compostela when combined with the Camino Ingles in Spain. |
Pilgrimage and Irish Identity
Pilgrimage is woven into the fabric of Irish culture.
Long before Christianity arrived, the Irish walked to sacred sites on specific days of the year. The solstice alignment at Newgrange. The chariot road to Cruachan Aille. The pattern days at holy wells. These pre-Christian traditions were absorbed into Celtic Christianity, and the Tochar Phadraig is the clearest example: a road that served pagan ceremony repurposed as a Christian pilgrim trail, still walked today.
The concept of "peregrinatio" (voluntary exile for the love of God) drove Irish monks to found monasteries across Europe. The same impulse to walk, to move through landscape as an act of devotion, is what makes the Tochar Phadraig feel different from a hiking trail. It is one of the few places in Ireland where you can walk the same path, for the same purpose, that people have walked for over 2,000 years.
The Claddagh ring's symbols of love, loyalty, and friendship connect to this tradition of spiritual commitment. The ring originated in a community of Galway Bay fishermen who lived by the rhythms of the Atlantic, just 90 km south of Croagh Patrick. See our Claddagh Ring Meaning guide.
Explore Irish Heritage Jewelry →
Explore More Heritage Trails
- Saint Patrick's Trail: All the Patrician heritage sites from Slemish to Armagh to Croagh Patrick
- Wild Atlantic Way: Croagh Patrick is a key stop on Ireland's western coast route
- St. Declan's Way: Another ancient Irish pilgrim path, from Cashel to Ardmore
- Celtic Monastery Trail: The monastic sites connected to Ireland's pilgrim tradition