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+1 (800) 653-0017 hello@canterburypilgrimages.com
Photograph to come · Wide view of the Mourne Mountains above Carlingford Lough

St. Patrick’s Way

Forty-four miles on foot through the Mournes to St. Patrick’s grave

Nine days and four days of walking, about forty-four and a half miles from Rostrevor over the Mourne Mountains and along the County Down coast to Down Cathedral, where St. Patrick is buried.

Departures

Current Tours to Ireland

Upcoming departures to Ireland. Each group has its own host, dates, and itinerary. The route below is our standard.

All current pilgrimages
The Route

Seven stops on the pilgrim way

Dublin, Dundalk, Rostrevor, Warrenpoint, Newcastle, Tyrella and Downpatrick.

Itinerary · EU_IE-9D-02

The St. Patrick’s Way Itinerary

This is a walking pilgrimage, four days and about forty-four and a half miles of it, on the way that carries the saint’s name through his own country. Your group travels on its own dates, and the itinerary can be adjusted to fit the time you have and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

DAYS 1–3

Dublin and the road north

Photograph to come · The Mourne Mountains above Rostrevor
The Mourne Mountains above Rostrevor
Day 1

Departure

Our pilgrimage begins with an overnight flight to Dublin. Dinner and breakfast are served during the crossing, and there is a day in the city before the walking begins.
Day 2

Arrival in Dublin

Céad Míle Fáilte, a hundred thousand welcomes. Our guide and driver meet us in the arrivals hall and transfer us to the hotel, and the group gathers in the evening for a welcome dinner before the road north.Dinner and overnight in Dublin.
Day 3

Dublin and Dundalk

A panoramic tour takes in both banks of the Liffey, Phoenix Park and the Georgian squares. Trinity College, founded in 1592, holds the Book of Kells among twenty thousand manuscripts. We leave the city in the afternoon for Dundalk.Mass is celebrated at St. Mary’s Pro-Cathedral, Dublin. Dinner and overnight in Dundalk.
DAYS 4–5

Into the Mournes

Photograph to come · Tollymore Forest Park, County Down
Tollymore Forest Park, County Down
Day 4

Rostrevor to Warrenpoint, eleven miles

The first walking day follows the Ulster Way through Rostrevor Forest toward Spelga Dam, across the foothills of the Mournes. This is the country C. S. Lewis had in mind when he wrote Narnia, and he said so.Mass is celebrated at a local parish. Dinner and overnight in Warrenpoint.
Day 5

Warrenpoint to Newcastle, twelve and a half miles

We return to yesterday’s finishing point and walk on along the Pilgrim’s Walk, skirting Slieve Bearnagh and passing through Tollymore Forest Park, among granite tors and water. St. Donard, a disciple of St. Patrick, kept a cell on the summit above.Mass is celebrated at a local parish. Dinner and overnight in Newcastle.
DAYS 6–7

The Lecale coast

Photograph to come · The County Down coast near Tyrella
The County Down coast near Tyrella
Day 6

Newcastle to Tyrella, eleven miles

Today follows part of the Lecale Way along the County Down coast, past the Slieve Donard resort and the Royal County Down links, and on into Murlough National Nature Reserve, an ancient dune system full of wading birds.Mass is celebrated at a local parish in Tyrella. Dinner and overnight in Newcastle.
Day 7

Tyrella to Downpatrick, ten miles

The last walking day crosses the farmland of Lecale to Downpatrick, called St. Patrick’s Country. On the shore of Strangford Lough he is said to have first come ashore, and at Down Cathedral, a place of worship since the fifth century, a slab of granite marks his grave.Mass is celebrated at a local Catholic parish in Downpatrick. Dinner and overnight in Dundalk.
DAYS 8–9

Dublin and home

Photograph to come · Down Cathedral, Downpatrick
Down Cathedral, Downpatrick
Day 8

Dundalk and Dublin

We travel back to Dublin and visit the National Museum, whose prehistoric gold and early Christian metalwork are among the finest in Europe. At the Carmelite church on Whitefriar Street the relics of St. Valentine are kept.Mass is celebrated at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church. Farewell dinner and overnight in Dublin.
Day 9

Return home

We transfer to Dublin Airport for the flight home, with forty-four miles of St. Patrick’s own country walked and his grave at Downpatrick behind us.

Why leaders choose Canterbury

“Canterbury treats you like family! They handle everything, from creating exciting itineraries to managing calls, registrations, and payments.”

Patrick MadridPatrick Madrid
Catholic Speaker, Author & Host of The Patrick Madrid Show on Relevant Radio®
The Mourne MountainsGranite, forest and water, the country said to have shaped the Narnia of C. S. Lewis
Photograph to come · The Mourne Mountains
Dates

Your group travels on its own dates.

Tell us the window you have in mind and we will build the itinerary around it: the time you have, and the places that matter most to your pilgrims.

Your pilgrimage includes

Tour Package Includes

These inclusions can be easily tailored to the individual needs of your group

  • Daily Mass at the churches we visit
  • Round-trip group airfare
  • Airport transfers on arrival & departure
  • 4-Star hotel accommodations
  • Private motorcoach transportation
  • Breakfast & dinner served daily
  • Wine served with some dinners
  • Dedicated tour manager
  • Licensed guiding & admission fees
  • Porterage service at hotels
  • Whisper headsets when touring
  • Tips for hotel & restaurant staff
  • 9 – 5 PM (EST) reservation support
  • 24/7 travel emergency support
  • Canterbury Mobile App
For the group leader

What you get as the group leader

You travel free.

Every group earns complimentary places. The more pilgrims you bring, the more you earn. How complimentary places work

No financial risk.

If the group does not fill, deposits are returned. You owe nothing and neither do your pilgrims. What happens if a group does not fill

We produce the promotional materials.

Flyers, a registration page, and what you need to invite your people. Our guide to promoting a pilgrimage

We handle your pilgrims.

Registrations, rooming lists, payment plans and the phone calls. How leading a pilgrimage works

In your pocket

The Canterbury Mobile App

Every pilgrim in your group gets the app. Their itinerary, hotels and flights, the prayers of the day and a way to reach one another, all in one place and kept current as the pilgrimage unfolds.

  • Group chat

    Your whole group in one thread, so a change of plan reaches everyone at once.

  • Their itinerary

    The full day-by-day schedule, always current, in every pilgrim’s pocket.

  • Hotels

    Where the group is staying each night, with addresses and dates.

  • Flights

    Flight details kept alongside everything else, not in a separate email.

  • Daily prayers

    The prayers of the day, including the Liturgy of the Hours.

  • Shrine passport

    A keepsake record of the shrines your group visits along the way.

  • Live updates

    Times and meeting points pushed to everyone the moment they change.

Photographs
Photograph to come · Rostrevor Forest and Carlingford Lough
Rostrevor Forest and Carlingford Lough
Photograph to come · Slieve Bearnagh in the Mourne range
Slieve Bearnagh in the Mourne range
Photograph to come · The granite tors of Tollymore
The granite tors of Tollymore
Photograph to come · Murlough National Nature Reserve
Murlough National Nature Reserve
Photograph to come · The nave of Down Cathedral
The nave of Down Cathedral
Photograph to come · The grave of St. Patrick, Downpatrick
The grave of St. Patrick, Downpatrick

What group leaders say

“They’re big enough to handle any problem that arises, and small enough to craft truly unique experiences.”

Chris StefanickChris Stefanick
Founder & President of Real Life Catholic
Before you ask

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the best time to walk St. Patrick’s Way?

Groups walk from May through September, when the days are long and the mountain weather is at its kindest. The four walking days run about eleven, twelve and a half, eleven and ten miles, on forest track, hill path and quiet coast road, and the group is never far from the motorcoach.

How physically demanding is this pilgrimage?

Moderate. Most days involve two to four hours on your feet, with walking on uneven ground, ancient stone, and steps at archaeological sites. Pilgrims who can manage a full day of sightseeing at their own pace do well. If anyone in your group has mobility limitations, tell us early and we will adapt the days around them. What activity level means.

What is generally not included?

Travel insurance, lunches, drinks beyond those served with included meals, personal expenses, and gratuities for your tour manager and driver. Any of these can be built into your package on request, so tell us what you would like covered and we will arrange it. Passports and visa fees are the one exception and remain the responsibility of each pilgrim.

Do I need a passport or visa for this pilgrimage?

United States citizens need a passport valid for the length of the stay. The walking days are all in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, while the arrival and departure are through Dublin in the Republic, so two sets of entry rules apply and we confirm the current requirements for both with every group before departure.

Can our priest celebrate Mass at the churches?

Yes. Daily Mass is built into the itinerary, and we arrange times and locations in advance with each church. Your priest should travel with a celebret or letter of good standing from his bishop or superior. We handle the scheduling.

How many pilgrims do you need for a group?

Most of our groups are between 20 and 50 pilgrims, and we can arrange smaller tours as well. We have also organized pilgrimages for groups as large as 2,500, so whatever size your group turns out to be, we can build for it. Minimum group size for a group flight.

Enquire

Interested in Leading a Pilgrimage to Ireland?

A pilgrimage consultant replies within one business day. No deposit or commitment.

    Your Information

    Your Group

    First time? You are in good company. Many of our group leaders start right here, and we guide you through every step.

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