Bray Head, Mountain summit in County Wicklow, Ireland
Bray Head is a coastal summit in County Wicklow, rising between the towns of Bray and Greystones. The seaward side drops sharply into slate cliffs, while the inland side is covered in woodland and low scrub.
The railway line between Dublin and Wicklow originally ran close to the base of the cliffs under the direction of engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, but repeated coastal erosion forced several track realignments over the following decades. The effects of this instability can still be seen on the lower slopes today.
A large white cross stands at the top and serves as the focal point of the local Easter gathering, when people walk a marked path of stations up the slope. This annual tradition is still practiced today and draws walkers from the surrounding towns.
The main trail to the top starts near Bray Esplanade and passes through woodland before opening onto open ground near the summit. Sturdy footwear is worth wearing as the path gets steep and can be slippery when wet.
The slate cliffs on the seaward side have been used by rock climbers since the 1970s, with dozens of single-pitch routes cut into the rock at varying levels of difficulty. This makes the head one of the better-known sea cliff climbing spots on the east coast of Ireland.
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