Croaghaun [Cruachan]

About Croaghaun [Cruachan]

Occupying the western tip of Achill Island, this rugged mountain terminates abruptly in some of Europe's most dramatic maritime scenery. The ascent across boggy, trackless slopes leads to an exhilarating summit ridge. Here, the land drops 688 metres sheer into the Atlantic, offering an unmatched perspective on the wild Mayo coastline.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Irish 'Cruachán', meaning a small stack or conical hill. Despite its significant stature, the diminutive suffix reflects a common naming convention for isolated peaks that stand apart from larger mountain ranges.
• •While the Cliffs of Moher are more famous, Croaghaun’s northern face is over three times their height. Falling nearly 688 metres directly into the ocean, these are the highest sea cliffs in Ireland and among the loftiest in Europe.
• •The summit offers a commanding view across the five-kilometre sweep of Keel Strand towards the distant, jagged peaks of the Nephin Beg Range on the mainland. On exceptionally clear days, the isolated Stags of Broadhaven can be seen to the north.
• •The mountain is home to a rare population of Alpine Saxifrage and other arctic-alpine flora, which cling to the damp, shaded gullies of the northern precipice, surviving here due to the cooling influence of the Atlantic mists.
• •It is one of the few places in the British Isles where you can experience the vertigo-inducing sight of a peregrine falcon hunting several hundred metres below your boot soles.