Bray Head ( ga, Ceann Bhré) is a hill and headland located in northern
County Wicklow
County Wicklow ( ; ga, Contae Chill Mhantáin ) is a county in Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the province of Leinster. It is bordered ...
,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, between the towns of
Bray and
Greystones
Greystones () is a coastal town and seaside resort in County Wicklow, Ireland. It lies on Ireland's east coast, south of Bray and south of Dublin city centre and has a population of 18,140 (2016). The town is bordered by the Irish Sea to ...
. It forms part of the
Wicklow Mountains
The Wicklow Mountains (, archaic: '' Cualu'') form the largest continuous upland area in the Republic of Ireland. They occupy the whole centre of County Wicklow and stretch outside its borders into the counties of Dublin, Wexford and Carlow. Wh ...
and is a popular spot with hillwalkers. At the top of the head is a
concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most ...
cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two intersecting lines or bars, usually perpendicular to each other. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally. A cross of oblique lines, in the shape of the Latin letter X, is termed a s ...
which was placed there in 1950 during the
holy year
A jubilee is a special year of remission of sins and universal pardon. In ''Leviticus'', a Jubilee (biblical), jubilee year ( he, יובל ''yūḇāl'') is mentioned to occur every 50th year; during which slaves and prisoners would be freed, deb ...
. Every
Good Friday
Good Friday is a Christian holiday commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus and his death at Calvary. It is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday (also Ho ...
, hundreds of local people climb to the top of the head in a Good Friday procession marking the
stations of the Cross
The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the Via Crucis, refers to a series of images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers. The stations grew out of imita ...
as they go along, with the final station being held at the holy year cross.
The headland and adjacent lands were designated under a Special Amenity Area Order in March 2008.
The most direct way to reach the cross at the top (about 190m above sea level) is via an ascending footpath that begins just outside the free car park on the lower, northern slopes, to the south of Bray Esplanade. This is a half-hour walk for a fit person. The footpath, after the initial section with cut steps, is a rough path formed by rainwater and ascending through natural woodland. A more gradual route can be taken from the Southern Cross, by Bray Golf Club, which is easier underfoot. There is also a route which ascends from the Greystones side of the cliff walk; this route leads quite directly up the east side of the hill and as a result is quite steep, Upon reaching the top you can then walk the path along to the cross.
The
Dublin-Wicklow railway line runs outside of Bray Head along the coast, sometimes travelling within feet of the cliffs. This line, designed by
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel (; 9 April 1806 – 15 September 1859) was a British civil engineer who is considered "one of the most ingenious and prolific figures in engineering history," "one of the 19th-century engineering giants," and "one ...
, is referred to as ''Brunel's Folly'', due to the ongoing maintenance costs associated with maintaining a cliff-face line. The line had to be diverted on three occasions in 1876, 1879, and 1917. A serious accident occurred on 9 August 1867 when a passenger train derailed on nearby Brandy Hole Viaduct, causing the deaths of two passengers. The rail trip between Dublin and
Bray Daly railway station
Bray (Daly) Railway Station (''Stáisiún Bhré / Uí Dhálaigh'' in Irish) is a station in Bray in County Wicklow, Ireland. It is located adjacent to Bray seafront and is 600 m from Bray Main Street via Florence Road or Quinsborough ...
, the nearest station to Bray Head, takes approximately 45 minutes.
On the morning of 14 April 2012 a waterspout was observed just off the coast of Bray Head.
The
slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. It is the finest grained foliated metamorphic ro ...
sea-cliffs at Bray Head have been established as a minor
rock-climbing
Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically a ...
location since the 1970s, though a few of the climbs were originally recorded in the 1940s. The 2009
guidebook
A guide book or travel guide is "a book of information about a place designed for the use of visitors or tourists". It will usually include information about sights, accommodation, restaurants, transportation, and activities. Maps of varying det ...
lists 27 single-
pitch climbs, generally in the lower
grades, up to HVS.
See also
*
Geography of Ireland
:Ireland is an island in Northwestern Europe in the north Atlantic Ocean. The island lies on the European continental shelf, part of the Eurasian Plate. The island's main geographical features include low central plains surrounded by coast ...
.
External links
Essay on Bray HeadBray Head on Irelandscape
References
Bray, County Wicklow
Greystones
Mountains and hills of County Wicklow
Headlands of County Wicklow
Climbing areas of Ireland
{{Ireland-sports-venue-stub